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Subject:Have ye the will to use it, then? From:Kevin McLauchlan <KMcLauchlan -at- CHRYSALIS-ITS -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 28 Apr 1999 11:39:40 -0400
Suzette Seveny said:
I agree with avoiding the use of they/their in singular situations
as well.
How about a simple reword, "the user will", or try writing in the
second
person (which I tend to do in my User Guides) and say "you will".
The use of a
pronoun might not be necessary in all situations.
I can't remember the last time I used "will" in a user doc.
Why mix tenses?
Do this. This happens.
If you do this, this happens.
If that happens, do this.
The options are....
The reasons for picking one over the other are... this does
this, and that does that.
Do most of you refer to events in the future when writing
for users? Why? Why not?
Thank you.
Kevin McLauchlan
kmclauchlan -at- chrysalis-its -dot- com (aka kevinmcl -at- netrover -dot- com)
Techy writer, duffer skydiver, full-time unrepentant chocoholic
