RE: Syntax preferences?

["Broberg, Mats" <mabr -at- flir -dot- se>]

For procedures, simplicity rules, and a definition of from which point of view the reader should understand clockwise / counter-clockwise is likely to confuse the reader more than it would enlighten him. This is due to the fact that the user does not spend any time thinking on "Now, when I pick up the camera I must turn the focus ring clockwise for far focus and counter-clockwise for near focus". Our user studies show that the user merely picks up the camera and turns the focus ring while looking at the screen.
 
But the "and" is obviously unnecessary and the sentence could be even more simplified:
 
"Turn the focus ring clockwise / counter-clockwise to adjust focus"
 
or even
 
"Turn the focus ring to adjust focus"
 
Best regards,
Mats Broberg
Technical Documentation Manager
 
www.flirthermography.com

________________________________

From: HBacheler -at- aol -dot- com [mailto:HBacheler -at- aol -dot- com]
Sent: Wed 2005-08-24 18:42
To: Broberg, Mats; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Syntax preferences?



No ambiguity there!

And our discussion  helped all of us.

Assume the 'reader' of our documentation has some  smarts.

Harry 




^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online
Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new
project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l


---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.