Thursday, July 30, 2009
Here's an example of poor technical writing or editing that I ran across today on Mozy's website: "MozyHome supports Windows 2000, XP, and Vista, and Mac OS X (10.4 and 10.5)." Instead, it should be something more like "MozyHome requires Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS 10.4, or Mac OS 10.5." To say that a software application for an operating system supports that operating system is always incorrect. Another way to attempt to say what is meant is, "MozyHome is supported when used with Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS 10.4, or Mac OS 10.5," but this wording implies that—or leaves unclear whether—it works with other operating systems and is not supported under them. To say that something is supported has at least 2 meanings. One meaning is that the supporting thing works properly with the supported thing while at the same time also implying that the supporting thing is required for the supported thing to work. Example: "Windows XP supports a wide variety of software applications." It would be incorrect and awkward to say, "A wide variety of software applications supports Windows XP" because the wide variety of software applications is not required for Windows XP to function. And another meaning is that the vendor of the software will help you when what they claim to work doesn't work, but it doesn't make any claim about what will work. (See above regarding "MozyHome is supported when...") Consequently, the best way to say what is meant is that [your software application] requires [specific requirements]. If you're talking about hardware and operating systems, it's a slightly different story. For example, you can correctly say "The Dell Inspiron 700m supports Windows XP" because the hardware can conceivably run—or support—other operating systems. But it's still incorrect to say "Windows XP supports the Dell Inspiron 700m" for the same reasons outline above. Windows XP is not supporting—or providing a platform for—the 700m, the 700m is providing a platform for Windows XP to run. Usual oatmeal breakfast. Helped entering student SN with a question about computer requirements. Met with Maynard and Allen to troubleshoot a telephone set problem. Cleaned up some spam from our Drupal Google Group. Prepared and sent a detailed response to Judy's request for feedback regarding encryption for students for SCWG. Dinner at home with Patrick: five-spice chicken with shiitake mushrooms over mashed potatoes. Worked on Patrick's website. Stretches. Weight training: superslow dumbbell press. Stretches.