TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Anyone have good reasons why a company stylin' itself to be hip and modern would opt for passive rather than active voice in its user manuals?
Thanks!
Matt
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kevin McLauchlan" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>
To: "Robert Lauriston" <robert -at- lauriston -dot- com>, "Tony Chung" <tonyc -at- tonychung -dot- ca>
Cc: "techwrl" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 8:22:10 AM
Subject: RE: Best tablet for writing/editing
I continue to wonder about this use of tablets.
If you use a tablet as a tablet, most of the time, then you hold it nekkid and use your preferred hand to stroke it, as you read ebooks, browse, watch videos/stream TV or movies, play games. The onscreen, pop-up keyboard is adequate for URLs and the occasional "OMG!.... " comment after a video, or a text/tweet to share the link.
Or maybe you use a folding feature or a hinged flap of a tablet cover, to prop it up for reading/viewing... but now you've added weight.
If you sometimes use a tablet as a work tool, then you need a keyboard.
I have definitely not tried large numbers of keyboards, but I do have an Apple BlueTooth keyboard that I very much like for typing, having tried several keyboards that come-with/are-built-into tablet cases, and found them unreliable, or uncomfortable for much typing, or both. (I do have large, but not huge, hands, always taking an extra-large glove, and I can often top-grip a basket-ball if I *push* it into my grip, but not if I catch it one-handed, if that's any indication.) Anyway, unless you are fanatical about planning, you end up just carrying the keyboard with the tablet, so you'll have it whenever you want to switch from purely tablet-ish pursuits.
So, now you have a small notebook, albeit a makeshift one, where you have to charge (at least) two main components separately.
Until about a year ago, I would have said that the tablet-plus-case-with-keyboard was still viable, because of the touch-screen nature of the tablet. But now, touch-screen notebooks and ultrabooks are popping up everywhere, AND they have nicer keyboards, AND they are better balanced for use on a lap or airplane/train table.
If a body is not locked into the Apple ecosystem, why would you bother with a pure tablet, now, over a touch-screen notebook, given that you intend to do any serious work on it?
And we haven't even gotten into "slice" batteries and other additional baggage that get carted around with tablets when people want to use them for work. You're getting up into the weight range of, say, the XPS-12 ultrabook. Or one of those other ones with the twist-and-fold screen. Granted those are likely heavier than the larger iPad or a Samsung 10.1, but then you add the additional equipment to those, and that touch-screen ultrabook with swivel/flip screen is looking good... and complete.
Is it time for another survey?
-k
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Lauriston
Sent: September-03-13 4:19 PM
To: Tony Chung
Cc: techwrl
Subject: Re: Best tablet for writing/editing
I bought my iPad because of the many excellent and inexpensive music applications that are not available for other platforms.
Since I own it, I use it for other purposes when I'm traveling, but its limitations are a constant annoyance. If I wanted a tablet to use regularly for work I'd get an Android, one of the models with the keyboard integrated into a case that folds to become a stand.
On Tue, Sep 3, 2013 at 1:01 PM, Tony Chung <tonyc -at- tonychung -dot- ca> wrote:
> That said, for the things iPad does well, it does extremely well. I
> can lose myself for hours in immersive media. My friend just bought
> one of them Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablets I just wrote about, and
> it has a pretty good setup right out of the box. Apple's going to have
> to do something really groundbreaking if they want to keep its user
> base. I sense a lot of us Mac-fans leaving.
>
The information contained in this electronic mail transmission
may be privileged and confidential, and therefore, protected
from disclosure. If you have received this communication in
error, please notify us immediately by replying to this
message and deleting it from your computer without copying
or disclosing it.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
New! Doc-to-Help 2013 features the industry's first HTML5 editor for authoring.
