User's manual vs. User manual

[VLM Tech Subs]

“User” is a noun. Nouns do not modify nouns; adjectives—and articles, if you have a more traditional view of the Parts of Speech—modify nouns. 

Ergo … è User’s Manual, User’s Guide, user’s mannerisms, user’s fork, user’s eraser, user’s banana, etc. Of course, one could choose “Usage Manual”, or just plain, old, run-o’-the-mill “Manual”. But then there could be—and often used to be—User’s Guide/Manual, Reference Manual, and more. 

One solution to this mind-numbing conundrum might look like this:

Getting Started Guide
User’s Manual
Reference Manual
Shortcuts (often a card or the like)
Developer’s Guide (wouldn’t say “Developer Guide” … right?)
SDK Reference [Guide/Manual]
Scripting Reference [Guide/Manual]

I like to think in terms of systems. :)

Bottom line: At every opportunity, preserve our language. For these days, if we don’t, not many others will. 

IMO, that was at least three cents worth, what with inflation and all …  :)

Best regards,
Elchanan

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From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of hessiansx4
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2015 3:11 PM
To: Framers
Subject: User's manual vs. User manual

 

  Any thoughts on which is preferable for hardware products?

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