The contrarian strikes again (was: "RE: Open vs Appear, Yet Again")

Subject: The contrarian strikes again (was: "RE: Open vs Appear, Yet Again")
From: "Mike Starr" <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 02:04:07 -0500

Once again, I'm going against the flow (see my contrarian viewpoint on the WinHelp thread). If I keep this up I ought to end up as popular as Andrew Plato was before he wandered off in disgust <grin>.

My approach is:

"Choose the File>>Save As... command. Outlook Express displays a Save Message As dialog box similar to the one shown here." <screen capture>

On the other end, it's:

"Click the Save button to accept the changes you've made, save the file and close the Save Message As dialog box."

I try to write as I'd speak and this is as close as I can come to what I'd actually say to someone I was helping to accomplish a task.

Mike
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----- Original Message ----- Message: 43
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 13:40:42 -0700
From: "Andrew Warren" <awarren -at- synaptics -dot- com>
Subject: RE: Open vs Appear, Yet Again (was: "RE: WG: Newbie question
- GUIterminology")

Kevin Amery wrote:

The problem (to me at least) with "is displayed" is it's passive
voice.
"Opens" or "appears" is active voice.

... and "open" and "appear" also have antonyms -- which "is displayed"
lacks -- to describe what happens when the dialog box is dismissed.

-Andrew
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