RE: my bad displays habit

Subject: RE: my bad displays habit
From: Heather Anderson <Heather -dot- Anderson -at- cubrc -dot- org>
To: Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>, "suzchiles -at- gmail -dot- com" <suzchiles -at- gmail -dot- com>, "techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 08:12:12 -0500

After "the window opens" I tend to simply write:
Click X
The (insert here) appears
Select one of the following:
A
B
C

Hit enter.

I don't repeat what window it is in the steps just below it, because it's assumed.

That being said if I have to refer to it later in the steps, I do rename the window. 50 windows can get confusing :)

~ Heather


-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+heather -dot- anderson=cubrc -dot- org -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+heather -dot- anderson=cubrc -dot- org -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Gene Kim-Eng
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 5:40 PM
To: suzchiles -at- gmail -dot- com; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: my bad displays habit

I prefer to just skip the "The XXX window displays/appears/opens/whatever." After the instruction to click OK or whatever, I go right to the next step, "Set ABC in the XXX window." The "displays" statement seems superfluous, especially if the next step in the instructions includes a labeled screen cap.

Gene Kim-Eng


------- Original Message -------
On 2/26/2010 10:25 PM Suzanne Chiles wrote:
I have fallen into the bad habit, when writing task topics, of following the
instructions with sentences like "The Edit Settings window displays." I know
this is bad usage, but all other versions of this type of information seem
awkward and overly-thought-out. I think it goes back to a manager I had many
years ago who wouldn't let us say "appears" because she thought it made it
sound like the results of a magic spell.

Anyway, I am open to suggestions.

tia,
Suzanne

--
Suzanne Chiles
suzchiles -at- gmail -dot- com
I tweet as Homescribe on Twitter
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Use Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word, or HTML and
produce desktop, Web, or print deliverables. Just write (or import)
and Doc-To-Help does the rest. Free trial: http://www.doctohelp.com

Explore CAREER options and paths related to Technical Writing,
learn to create SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS documents, and
get tips on FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION best practices. Free at:
http://www.ModernAnalyst.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as techwr -at- genek -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/techwr%40genek.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat

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

Use Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word, or HTML and
produce desktop, Web, or print deliverables. Just write (or import)
and Doc-To-Help does the rest. Free trial: http://www.doctohelp.com

Explore CAREER options and paths related to Technical Writing,
learn to create SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS documents, and
get tips on FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION best practices. Free at:
http://www.ModernAnalyst.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as Heather -dot- Anderson -at- cubrc -dot- org -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/heather.anderson%40cubrc.org


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat

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

Use Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word, or HTML and
produce desktop, Web, or print deliverables. Just write (or import)
and Doc-To-Help does the rest. Free trial: http://www.doctohelp.com

Explore CAREER options and paths related to Technical Writing,
learn to create SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS documents, and
get tips on FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION best practices. Free at:
http://www.ModernAnalyst.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat


Follow-Ups:

Previous by Author: RE: Address this. . . and dictionaries
Next by Author: RE: Profanity in the workplace
Previous by Thread: RE: "Is exceeded" acceptable grammar?
Next by Thread: RE: my bad displays habit


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads