RE: Grammer question

["Leonard C. Porrello" <Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- SoleraTec -dot- com>]

Thanks Janice (and Geoff).

What I intended to communicate was apparently lost in my sarcasm.
Imagine that. What I was trying to indicate (and have a little fun in
the process of doing so) is that the sentence doesn't stand alone. It
occurs in the context of the "Requirements" section itself. In context,
there is no ambiguity whatsoever.

Nevertheless, Bonnie's critique and Geoff's second led me to reevaluate.
For anyone who cares, here is how the paragraph, in which the sentence
in question lives, now reads:  

"<%PRODUCT%> can ingest Microsoft Exchange MSG and PST files from any
networked computer. If the computer running Exchange Server has
sufficient memory resources, you can use it to run all of your email
ingest jobs. Otherwise, you can ingest using any networked computer. In
either case, any computer you intend to use to run ingest jobs must meet
the following requirements."


Leonard

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- c
om] On Behalf Of Janice Gelb
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 3:52 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Grammer question

Leonard C. Porrello wrote:
> Thank you for your incisive comments. You're absolutely right. The
> entire "Requirements" section is absolutely necessary to understand
the
> sentence, and no explication, none whatsoever, is possible apart from
> the requirements section in its entirety. In fact, for a truly
complete
> understanding, you'll probably need the entire 500 page guide. I'll be
> sure to include it next time I ask a grammatical question.
> 

Bonnie's message might have been a bit more informal
than she intended but her point is still valid: the
sentence could be improved by indicating what type
of requirements you're talking about, or where they
can be found. As for your main question, here's my
take on clearing up the modifier confusion of your
original text:

"You can run ingest jobs from any computer connected
to your network that meets requirements."

-- Janice

***********************************************************
Janice Gelb          | The only connection Sun has with
janice -dot- gelb -at- sun -dot- com  | this message is the return address

> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bonnie Granat [mailto:bgranat -at- granatedit -dot- com] 
> Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 12:34 PM
> To: Leonard C. Porrello; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: RE: Grammer question
> 
>  
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Leonard C. Porrello
>>
>> I can't decide which of the following two expressions is preferable:
>>
>> A. You can run ingest jobs from any computer that meets 
>> requirements in
>> your network.
>>
>> Vs.
>>
>> B. You can run ingest jobs from any computer in your network 
>> that meets
>> requirements.
>>
>> The requirements mentioned pertain to the computer, not the network.
>>
>>  
> 
> The computer has requirements? What kind of computer has
"requirements"
> other than that it has an operating system? Requirements for *what*?
> That a
> sentient being be using it? That it be plugged into a power source?
> Neither
> statement's meaning clear to me. Nor is your sentence explaining whose
> requirements you're talking about. Now maybe I'm just too non-techie
to
> get
> it, but I am perplexed about what you might even be referring to.
> 
> 
> Bonnie Granat
> http://www.GranatEdit.com
> 
> 

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