atw: SEC: UNCLASS RE: Pet hates

Bede said:
> I have to point out that another of my pet hates is "and/or". In most
cases either "and" or "or" will do. 
> In your introductory notes: 'The right-hand column lists suggested
alternatives, sometimes with 
> explanatory notes and/or examples of the usage we prefer to avoid.' The
word "sometimes" allows 
> you to say: '... sometimes with explanatory notes and examples of the
usage we prefer to avoid.'

You touch a raw nerve with me there, Bede. I too try to avoid using 'and/or'
when I can, but sometimes my addiction to precision overcomes my commitment
to elegance and clarity. In this case, I can't agree that 'sometimes'
overcomes the logical problem I was trying to avoid. It suggests to me that
some entries will have an explanatory note *and* an example while others
will have neither. But there are also some that have one and not the other.
If you answer 'So what?', I'd have to admit sheepishly that my precision was
misplaced. And, in fact, in the latest version of the page, which I'm
intending to upload tonight, I've deleted that whole paragraph, after
deciding the table was pretty self-explanatory! 

By the way, if anyone reading this uses a Macintosh, I'd be interested to
hear how the page 
(http://members.iinet.net.au/~howard.silcock/checklist.html)
 looks on your browser - I haven't had a chance to test it properly yet. I
think it's OK for PCs on IE and Firefox and also Netscape 8.0. Oops, now I
realise I also haven't tested it on Opera and I know there are fans out
there. OK, repeat the invitation for Opera too. And also any Linux/Unix
users ... (for any Netscape 4 users, I *know* it will look awful)

Howard

-------------------------------
     Howard L. Silcock
      Technical Writer
Project Office - Infrastructure
    Department of Defence
       (02) 626 58828  
-------------------------------


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