On Tue, Nov 19, 2019 at 2:50 PM Clement Verna <cverna@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 14:37 Paul Frields <stickster@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> 1. Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to the Magazine
>> staff or the Fedora Project ("we", "us," "our"). Neither authors nor
>> the Magazine staff speak for all of the Fedora Project contributors.
>> The Magazine is also not an amplifier for a specific team.
>> RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "we," "us," and
>> "our," or work with the author to do so.
>> EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "we" if the specific usage is relating
>> something about the Magazine, however -- like soliciting contribution,
>> for example. In those cases we're speaking as a group.
>> (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
>
>
> I find that sometime when writing tutorial the use of "we" can be relevant. For example "After installing X application we can use the Y feature do Z". But I am far from being great at writing in English so I am pretty sure the usage of "we" could be avoided here.
In most cases like this, you can use "you" instead. Using "we" as you
suggest is common in informal writing. It also implies in its tone
that the reader and the author are "on the same team." It's quite
friendly in that respect. However, the use of "you" is just as
friendly sounding, and avoids putting an "I" in the mix -- which is
helpful since the reader doesn't have you there to help or correct
them, other than following the article. :-)
I feel less strongly about "we" in your example than in others, to be
honest. However, I think it's better to not build too many details
into guidelines; a blanket rule is easier to remember.
>> 2. Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to their author
>> ("I", "me," "my"). The Magazine doesn't publish op-ed pieces[1] or
>> personal blogs; it publishes factual help and news articles. The
>> Magazine does not rely on personal statements from authors; it's the
>> editors' job to check accuracy, so readers can rely on articles.
>> RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "I," "me," and
>> "my," or work with the author to do so.
>> EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "I" if the article is a personal
>> announcement, such as from the FPL.
>> (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
>>
>> [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op-ed
>
>
>
> Overall these guidelines looks good to me and I think it is important to have a uniform tone and style so +1 from me.
Thanks for good feedback here, Clément. I'm still interested in other
perspectives. I worry about proposing things that are too strict. I'd
rather have content than not! But ideally the content would also be
more uniform as you pointed out.
--
Paul
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