[TOS] writing style for textbook

Karsten Wade kwade at redhat.com
Sun Mar 14 18:14:53 UTC 2010


What is our writing style for the textbook going to be?

* Formal textbook tone?
* Semi-informal textbook tone?
* Informal how-to tone?

In Fedore we have writing guidelines that try to balance the
informal/formal line.  For example, it suggests avoiding pronouns
("Next you do this, then we do that") and using active instead of
passive speach ("Save the file" v. "Now you will save the file.")

https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Docs_Project_Style_Guide

Personally, I like the gently informal active tone that avoids
pronouns.  It uses fewer words, focuses attention on the content and
not on all the you/we/they, and is easier to read.  But I'll edit to
whatever the consensus + Greg says, especially Greg. ;-)

- Karsten
-- 
name:  Karsten 'quaid' Wade, Sr. Community Gardener
team:                Red Hat Community Architecture 
uri:               http://TheOpenSourceWay.org/wiki
gpg:                                       AD0E0C41
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