[GRASS-dev] Re: [GRASS-CVS] maciej: grass6/general/g.findfile description.html, 1.4, 1.5

[Hamish]

Markus wrote:
> >> RCS file: /grassrepository/grass6/general/g.findfile/ 
> >> description.html,v
> > ...
> >> +However, you can find a list of standard GRASS <em>element</em>  
> >> names in the
> >> +file $GISBASE/etc/element_list. This is the file which Hi,
> >
> > a style question: Up to now most GRASS documentation (HTML/MAN
> > pages) say "the user", here "you" was introduced.
> > Maybe it's a non-issue, but I feel that it the style of writing
> > should be decided and homogeneous.
> >
> > Opinions?

Scott wrote:
> Perhaps not a "big" issue, but not a non-issue either.  It is largely 
> 
> a personal style choice.  Using "one" is another option instead of  
> "you", but that usage is falling out of style at least in North  
> America.  Personally I think the "the user" solution is a nice way  
> around it, and that being consistent at least in man pages leads to a 
> 
> more polished product, and is therefore a good guideline.  At the  
> same time, I don't think that it's worth a major effort to scour all  
> man/web pages to make it consistent, but (a) you weren't suggesting  
> that, and (b) if someone wanted to, hey, it's open source ;)
> 
> On the other hand, a more "personal" style might be appropriate in  
> other, non-core materials, such as tutorials.

The inert-o-meter says:

$ cd grass63/dist.i686-pc-linux-gnu/docs/html
$ grep user * | wc -l
1230
$ grep you * | wc -l
280
$ grep one * | wc -l
621

"user" wins.


"one" is probably a bad test as it can refer to "figure one" etc. Also I
expect that might be more confusing for non-english users to translate.
In the same way, "you" might have multiple translation options that
english doesn't have (nous,vous; familiar,polite).. ? I guess it's not
too hard to figure out, but..


Hamish