Hey, no worries.
The basic principle is pretty simple:
"Make your sentences as simple as possible"
The slight more elaboarate version is:
* Imperative mood rocks.
* "You" form is ok.
* Passive voice is icky.
This is because passive voice tends to be akward and is often longer. For
example, here is a passive voice instruction:
"A new document is started by selecting File > New"
Yuck! Very akward. Now a "you" alternative.
"You can start a new document with File > New"
Now imperative:
"To start a new document, select File > New"
Notice that the instructions have gotten progressively easier.
In conclusion: Avoiding the passive voice is a means, not an end. The end
is simplicity.
Corollary: Whenever the passive voice actually *is* simpler, go for it!
Now I'll let Jean and Janet slap my hand if what I just said is wrong. :-)
Cheers,
Daniel.
On Tue, Mar 01, 2005 at 10:01:34PM +0000, Iain Roberts wrote:
> Oops - looks like I've been replacing too many "you"s as well in that
> case. I'll re-read the style guide and see if I can go back and sort it
> out in the latest doc I'm reviewing (working with styles) but it may be
> easier for Jean to just reject those changes where I've made this mistake.
>
> Sorry!
>
> Iain.
>
> Jean Hollis Weber wrote:
> >Top posting.
> >
> >Follow up comment: many of Carol's edits replace "you" with good
> >alternatives -- they are not all inappropriate passives, as my first
> >(hastily written) note might have suggested.
> >
> >Regards, Jean
> >
> >
> >Carol wrote:
> >
> >>Hi,
> >>sorry I do not know who the author of this is.
> >>
> >>I have made some minor changes, but they have involved taking out all
> >>the yous so it looks more major than it actually is.
> >
> >
> >I'm the author. I'll go through your edits in detail soon, but I wanted
> >to say this immediately:
> >
> >Please don't replace "you" with passive constructions; it's not the
> >style we are using. (See the latest version of the Style Guide.) If you
> >can remove "you" *without* using passive voice, that's fine.
> >
> >By the way, for the information of everybody -- when I am doing final
> >edits on documents, I will often change passive constructions to "you",
> >because it is more reader-friendly and it is the style for our documents.
> >
> >Janet Swisher has written some notes on this subject too; she agrees
> >with me.
> >
> >Regards, Jean
> >
> >
> >
--
Daniel Carrera | I don't want it perfect,
Join OOoAuthors today! | I want it Tuesday.
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