Re: Examples of Great Software/Web-based User Guides

[Erik Hare <wabbitoid47 -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

Robert Lauriston wrote:

> Actual usage of "automagical' seems to be "automatic" with the
> implication that the speaker is impressed that it works but doesn't
> know how, or, when used ironically, knows how it works but can't be
> bothered to explain. I don't see that either would ever be
> appropriate in formal writing.

I wouldn't use it in an instruction manual, for example.  But in a magazine article it could be useful to describe the attitude of people involved.  Ideally, the speaker isn't a significant player in that writing, formal or not, so to infer that the disconnect between the technology and  its users is the writer's affliction implies a larger problem with the piece, IMHO.

I think that the attitude implied by "automagical" is abhorrent, absolutely, but it's still a very common problem.  I like having a word to describe it.

Erik Hare


      
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