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Talk about an unprofessional attitude at Apple.com...

Full of Win

Full of Win

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Nov 22, 2007
2,615
1
Ask Apple
So, I’m doing my due diligence on how to get my Airport Express to talk to my wired network – and I get this article from Apple.com.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=108064-en

I quote “Even though AirPort Express includes a fully-functional wireless access point, it's totally legit to use it on a wired-only network for its print server and music streaming features.”


Excuse me – but ‘totally legit’ – let me guess so much so it cannot quit ?!?! There is a time and a place for that type of tone, and in my estimation, that place is not a technical bulletin
 
Full of Win said:
So, I’m doing my due diligence on how to get my Airport Extreme to talk to my wired network – and I get this article from Apple.com.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=108064-en

I quote “Even though AirPort Express includes a fully-functional wireless access point, it's totally legit to use it on a wired-only network for its print server and music streaming features.”


Excuse me – but ‘totally legit’ – let me guess so much so it cannot quit ?!?! There is a time and a place for that type of tone, and in my estimation, that place is not a technical bulletin
Click to expand...

you've never read anything by Cerwin Vega obviously. Their instructions are written in "California Surfer"
 
Meh. The article was written by a person. It's a relief to see there are actually people writing these articles.

Read step 9:
Now click Update. Your AirPort Express will now reset, and you are off and running with a streaming AirTunes network.
Click to expand...

Would you rather read that, or something like:
Your Airport Express Base Station will now reset. You have now successfully set up your AirTunes network
Click to expand...

I prefer the more casual tone, as long as it doesn't compromise on details.
 
"Totally legit" does sound a bit Delboy (the Brits will know what I mean), but I actually quite like the casual tone.
 
I prefer the casual tone of voice, and actually try to write instructions using it. As long as the person on the end can get along the same as if they had "formal" instructions then I see no point. And besides, Apple is hip so why can't they use hip language? Now if IBM was doing it...that would be a different story ;)
 
As long as they still know what they're talking about, and it's easier rather than harder to understand, then I don't see a problem. It's even nice to know there are real people writing these things, like others said. Now if it was too much and just because annoying to read...or figure out what was being said...that would be a problem.
 
digitalnicotine said:
What part of "think different" didn't you get?
Click to expand...


Yes or maybe it was someone getting an A+ on their English as a Second Language. It's getting harder and harder to tell (in the USA anyway) where the boundary is between casual and formal prose styles. We certainly don't speak much of the formal sort.

But it could just have been someone trying to prove that his boss, who does QA on the tech articles, is usually asleep at the switch. Only way to find out for sure is put in an undeleted expletive.
 
that's it? that's what was such an "unprofessional attitude at Apple" that it deserved it's very own post at MR to tell tell the world about? whew, if that's not the current definition of nit-picking, well, it oughta be.. some people are never happy..
 
Pfft. It may be a bit informal, but at the end of the day, Apple is trying to be down to Earth, and not some high-nosed corporation that only wants money.

It's a person writing something for another person. Get over it, Granddad :p
 
Professional and casual writing is a bunch of crap. In my opinion, if you wouldn't talk like that in real life then it's phoney and cold.

Honestly, the casual instructions make the introduction to Apple warmer, you don't feel like you're getting a job interview when you're trying to figure out how to install your Airport Express. It's totally legit of Apple to speak like they would if you were a person.

Formal speak, HAH! All that is is one of the reasons we have oppression in these countries. If it makes you feel important when you talk like you have no soul, all the power to you.
 
You must be one uptight dude to let this bother you enough to make a new thread. Chill. :p

stop.jpg
 
ahhhh yet another reason I'm glad that I no longer author publicly accessible technical documents :D
 
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