we
Do not use the editorial we in technical documentation. Instead, use the second person (you) or third person (the user). which
Use which to introduce a nonrestrictive, or nonessential, clause. This type of clause adds extra information but is not essential to the central meaning of the sentence. It could be deleted without changing the central meaning.
They make computers, which are easy to use. (All computers are easy to use).
Compare "that" on page 74.
Computers, which are easy to use, are popular. (All computers are easy to use).
wildcard
(noun) wish
Do not use this term. Use want or require. word-processing
(modifier) words to avoid
Do not use these terms in Taligent documentation:
| Terms | Preferred usage |
| abort | end or terminate |
| allow | Implies permission or overcoming resistance. Use help, provide, enable, accommodate, or make possible. |
| and/or | and or or, or rewrite |
| alright | all right |
| appendices | appendixes |
| bad (to describe technical limitations) | Give specific information. |
| baud rate | bps |
| behave, behavior | Use more specific performance terms. |
| boot | start |
| boolean control group | Boolean menu item or radio control group |
| boolean item | Boolean menu item |
| cancelability | ability to cancel |
| catastrophic error | irrevocable error |
| client/server | client-server |
| datum | data |
| decompose | divide or separate |
| depress | press |
| descend | derive |
| desire | want or require |
| e.g. | for example |
| Do not use as a verb. | |
| end user | user |
| enquire | inquire or ask |
| enquiry | inquiry |
| et al. | and others |
| etc. | such as, and so on, for example, or including |
| floppy | diskette |
| garbage | meaningless or unusable |
| grey | gray |
| i.e. | that is |
| indices | indexes |
| inherit | derive |
| kill | end or stop |
| label area | border area |
| label view | border area |
| line slider | slider |
| may | might or can |
| matrixes | matrices |
| method | member function |
| momentary item | momentary control |
| multi-thread safe | multithread safe |
| output | Do not use as a verb. |
| reboot | restart |
| scrolling view | scrolling list, scrolling pop-up menu, or scrolling window |
| single-threading | single threading |
| slash ( / ) | Do not use in text. |
| subclass | derived class |
| text control | text edit field |
| thread safe | multithread safe |
| toggle button | radio button |
| unselect | deselect |
| user interface | human interface |
| viz | namely |
| we | second person (you) or third person (the user) |
| wish | want or require |
workaround
(noun) workgroup
(modifier, noun) workspace
(modifier, noun) workstation
(modifier, noun) writable
(modifier) Use instead of writeable. writing style
This guide details the elements of the Taligent technical documentation style. For an overview of this style and the philosophy behind it, see the Taligent Publications Handbook.
X86
Note capitalization. This applies to the Intel i86 family of processors. x-axis
Note lowercase letters and hyphenation. Avoid at the beginning of a sentence. x-coordinate
Note lowercase letters and hyphenation. Avoid at the beginning of a sentence.
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