RE: Yet another nitpicky style question

["Lauren" <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu>]

If a pdf isn't a format or a file, what else would it be?  Why would pdf
require any qualification?  So here's the scenario from a consistency
perspective.  "Open the pdf format file."  "Open the jpg format file."
"Open the doc format file."  Understandably, new formats require some
descriptions while people are becoming familiar with them, but we don't need
describe the formats that we use everyday.  A pdf is common enough that it
is a pdf.  "Open the pdf."

Never underestimate the user that resents you telling him something he
doesn't know.  He will always find a way to correct you.  Like when the old
skin-picking, pseudo-project manager told me to define GUI in my document
written for programmers.  "No. Really.  Programmers know what a GUI is,
defining it will only be insulting."  "But I think it's better to define
it." The retort I wished I could have said, "Why? Do you really think that
your ignorance is more intelligent than their knowledge?"

Lauren 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com 
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On 
> Behalf Of Poshedly, Ken
> Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 7:07 AM
> To: Brasel, Russell; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: RE: Yet another nitpicky style question
> 
>  While you're at it, don't forget to let us know how they 
> react to "pdf format" and "pdf file".
> 
> I've heard the following at various times:
> 
> "pdf" itself stands for "portable document format", thus "pdf 
> file" is ok and "pdf format" is not ok.
> 
> "pdf" itself stands for "portable document file", thus "pdf 
> file" is not ok and "pdf format" is ok.
> 
> I need a drink.
> 
> -- Ken in Atlanta
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+poshedlyk=polysius -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+poshedlyk=polysius -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l
> .com] On Behalf Of Brasel, Russell
> Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 9:56 AM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Yet another nitpicky style question
> 
> Good morning, everyone!
> 
> I'm currently creating definitions for 650+ database 
> attributes, and I know someone down the road is going to say, 
> "Hey, Writer!  Shouldn't this be 'PIN number,' not just 
> 'PIN'?"  The same scenario applies for SSN.  Both 
> abbreviations appear frequently through the database, so I 
> need to defend myself.  Am I being overly anal-retentive?  
> After all, Number is included in the abbreviation.  
> 
> Or perhaps I need more coffee, which is an easily solved problem.
> 
> Russell Brasel
> Technical Writer
> Dent-A-Med, Inc. d/b/a The HELPCard
> russell -dot- brasel -at- hccredit -dot- com
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