I dislike the passive voice, but I dislike software anthropomorphism more. Who is "we"? Software elves? The little ghosts in the machine? Sounds more like Pac Man.
Nadine --- On Fri, 6/26/09, Mike Wickham <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Mike Wickham <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Use of "please" in technical documentation and messages on screen > To: "Andersen, Verner Engell VEA" <[email protected]>, "Frame > Users" <[email protected]> > Received: Friday, June 26, 2009, 8:24 AM > I don't know about the rules of > technical documentation, but "please wait" > sounds much better than just a command to wait. > > More importantly, I love that you didn't use passive voice. > You used > "updating the result list" instead of the typical, "the > result list is being > updated." Bravo! > > Mike Wickham > > ----- Original Message ----- > > Hi > > Once I learned that you shouln't use the word "please" > in technical > > documentation - that it was like asking the reader to > do you favor. > > > > Does this still hold true? Is it OK to have this > message displayed on > > the screen of our user interface? > > > > "We are updating the result list, please wait" > > > > Best regards, > > > > Verner > > > _______________________________________________ > > > You are currently subscribed to Framers as [email protected]. > > Send list messages to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [email protected] > or visit > http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/generic668%40yahoo.ca > > Send administrative questions to [email protected]. > Visit > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and > info. > > _______________________________________________ You are currently subscribed to Framers as [email protected]. Send list messages to [email protected]. To unsubscribe send a blank email to [email protected] or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to [email protected]. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
