Learn Technical Writing from Unix Man in 10 Days

[Cameron Simpson]

On 29Apr2012 02:49, Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python at pearwood.info> wrote:
| On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:55:42 -0700, Xah Lee wrote:
| > Learn Technical Writing from Unix Man in 10 Days
| > 
| > Quote from man apt-get:
| > 
| >     remove
| >         remove is identical to install except that packages are
| > removed
| >         instead of installed.
| 
| Do you also expect the documentation to define "except", "instead", "is", 
| "to" and "the"?

Of course he doesn't. But he may have expected something less trite from
the sentence, not that that would really make it more clear.

| If you don't know what "install" and "remove" means, then you need an 
| English dictionary, not a technical manual.

Well, the sentence _is_ on par with several Haynes manuals which say
after the "remove/access motorcycle/car component": "installation is the
reverse of the disassembly". Fair enough.

However, I notice that my Haynes manuals on livestock do not include
this sentence in the butchering chapters:-)

Cheers,
-- 
Cameron Simpson <cs at zip.com.au> DoD#743
http://www.cskk.ezoshosting.com/cs/

Ride Free, Ride Nude!   - David Jevans <jevans at apple.com>