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Subject:RE: Standard features and those you buy From:"Lippincott, Richard" <RLippincott -at- as-e -dot- com> To:Charlotte Branth Claussen <charlotteclaussen -at- gmail -dot- com>, TechWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Thu, 5 Jun 2014 14:41:59 +0000
You might also want to check with marketing to find out what term that department uses to describe these accessories. That way, your manual will contain the term the customer may already be expecting.
The downside of this is that you may find the marketing department uses the word "optional" or "options."
The way I've dealt with this issue is like so:
Step 1. (Mandatory operational stuff.)
Step 2. (Mandatory operational stuff.)
Step 3. If your system is equipped with the optional Fizzbin Detector, then (Fizzbin operational stuff). Otherwise, go to step 4.
Step 4. (Mandatory operational stuff.)
Rick Lippincott, Technical Writer
American Science and Engineering, Inc. | www.as-e.com
Office +1-978-262-8807 | Fax +1-978-262-8702
rlippincott -at- as-e -dot- com
Follow us on Twitter @ase_detects
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+rlippincott=as-e -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+rlippincott=as-e -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Charlotte Branth Claussen
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2014 9:00 AM
To: TechWR-L
Subject: Standard features and those you buy
We are rewriting a manual that mentions standard and optional features.
I do not like the word optional, as it could be misinterpreted as being available but not mandatory to use.
What are good terms for:
"optional" accessories that the customer needs to buy in order to get them?
"optional" features that are enabled via software updates that the customer needs to buy in order to get them?
A whole range of "optional" features can be purchased separately.
Any input is greatly appreciated,
Charlotte
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