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Subject:Re: Plural Problem From:"Susan W. Gallagher" <sgallagher -at- EXPERSOFT -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 7 Aug 1996 15:30:38 -0700
At 09:52 AM 8/7/96 -0600, Gordon Moore wrote:
[snip]
>Press the "Reset" and then the "Init" buttons.
> or
>Press the "Reset" and then the "Init" button.
> or
>Press the "Reset" button, and then the "Init" button.
>I guess the last is the clearest, but I don't like the repetition. The second
>could sound like "Reset" is not a button; and the first sounds like "Init" is
>more than one button.
IMNSHO, they're all *way* too wordy, and "and then" is a redundancy
that (if you'll pardon the expression) really pushes my buttons! ;-)
Clear, concise, and to the point would be:
Press Reset, then press Init.
If you get paid by the word and need the extra nickle, you could
could reinforce the sequential action and say:
First press Reset, then press Init.
Users have no problem with "Click OK" and like constructions in software
documentation. They really don't need the word "button" at all. I'd guess
that they'd have even fewer problems recognizing real, physical buttons
as such.
Sue Gallagher
sgallagher -at- expersoft -dot- com
-- The _Guide_ is definitive.
Reality is frequently inaccurate.
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