The document discusses guidelines for writing manuals for Ubuntu users, including defining the audience, voice, and conventions to follow. The target audience is new users, who should be addressed simply without jargon. The voice should be confident but not presumptuous. Standard GUI terms like button, checkbox, and menu are defined for consistent usage.

1. Writing Style What to do and what not to do When writing for the Manual presented by Ilya Haykinson [email_address]

2. Agenda Writing a manual Our audience Our voice Conventions

7. GNOME documentation

9. Licensing is incompatible

10. Technical level is too high

12. May be new computer users

13. Assume basic keyboard and mouse skills, concept of a modern GUI with overlapping windows

15. ethernet vs. wifi

16. IMAP vs. POP

17. sudo vs. root

19. Define or explain everything more difficult than clicking the mouse button

23. Scan a document

24. Edit spreadsheets

28. Do not patronize

31. Always use a simpler synonym

33. All English-language documentation for Ubuntu uses American spelling

37. Better: 'Ubuntu should open a window'

40. “The easiest way...”

41. “Ubuntu is excellent at...”

44. Don't mention other options unless they are actually better , not just because they exist

49. Bad: “A window will be opened by Empathy”

52. Choose , or select / deselect

53. A check box is either selected or unselected

54. Can also write “option” instead of “check box”

58. Not “combo box”

61. drag something to some place

63. Choose from a menubar

65. Choose or select