Re: Left hand side

[Beverly Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH1 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL>]

John Gear <catalyst -at- PACIFIER -dot- COM> brought up some interesting
points regarding the use of "left hand side" and "right hand
side," of which I've snipped some:

> If I were facing a cabinet (say, a computer console) and following
> instructions to put a widget on the left side of the cabinet, I wouldn't be
> sure whether the instructions meant the left side as I saw it or the left
> side as viewed from inside the cabinet.

This is a valid concern. But read on...

> I think I would probably put the widget on the side closest to *my* left
> hand as I faced the cabinet.  Which could easily be the wrong side--and the
> right side too! ;-)

> But if the instructions said "Put it on the left-hand side of the cabinet"
> I would probably take that to mean the *other* side (the one closest to my
> right hand when facing it).

This is where I stumble. If using the term "left-hand side" for
clarity, why would you then interpret that to mean *your*
right-hand side? You, the human, are the only thing with hands
in this example. If the text says "left-hand side" then I'd say
it means *your* left. The cabinet doesn't have any hands.
(Unless, of course, it's actually a robot. Then I'd -really- be
confused!)  :-)

    =*=  Beverly Parks =*= bparks -at- huachuca-emh1 -dot- army -dot- mil  =*=
   =*=  "Unless otherwise stated, all comments are my own. =*=
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