Re: "May" vs. "Can"

Subject: Re: "May" vs. "Can"
From: Ken Gross <candk -at- HOOKED -dot- NET>
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 1995 23:03:18 -0700

On 12 Aug 1995, Sue Heim wrote:

> Hey folks! I need your collective opinion...

> How do you feel about using "may" or "can" in docs and marketing
> collaterals. For example, I really don't like the following sentence
> (this is from a brochure of ours):

I vote for "can."

> "Author reprint request cards may be generated, and references can be
> output in a variety of formats."

This is the MOST passive sentence I've ever read! It screams for a "you
can" or at least a "one can!"

> Unfortunately, our marketing stuff is done by committee, and although

This last contains the operative word: marketing!! My condolences.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ken Gross
<candk -at- hooked -dot- net>
Free-lance Technical Writer

"Quality is free."
--Philip B. Crosby

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


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