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.
"Open" can be a transitive or intransitive verb:
The door opens inward.
The customer opens the door.
>The Options dialog appears. (appears out of thin air?)
You could also ask: "Is displayed"? Poof? Out of nowhere?
I generally use "appears", and no one has said anything about magic yet.
(The audience is primarily office and construction personnel.) In some
cases, I do make the program the actor, as when a confirmation dialog
appears:
[ProductName] asks you to confirm your decision
before it deletes the file.
Again, no one has yet accused me of over-humanizing the software.
In further response to Karen Gwynn, I am reluctant to leave it unclear
whether or not the user is supposed to take action, and that is just what
the passive voice frequently does. If I can't make a room assignment
myself, but rather have to wait for the residence life office to do it
before I can progress, shouldn't the docs tell me so?
Before you fire up your flame throwers, I do agree that the passive voice
has a legitimate place. I'm just not sure this is one of them.
K Watkins
kwatkins -at- quickpen -dot- com
speaking for myself, not my employers
