Seeking Help with Windows Maxima installer localization

I think that the Mathematica book tends to strike the right tone for
addressing the reader.

I find this phrase bad
"if one wants to simplify combinations of trigonometric terms then one
should try trigsimp()"   It also leads to the use of incorrect pronouns in
English, since writers then use "he or she"  or he/she  or they.  The
traditional correct way is "he", but this has been misinterpreted as
gender-specific instead of "he, meaning  he or she"  and the pronoun "they",
which is just wrong is used instead, as being non-offensive except to
grammarians.



Here's a better way, in my opinion:


To simplify trig terms, use trigsimp().

Or
You can use trigsimp to simplify trig terms.

Or trigsimp() simplifies trig terms.

[Whether this use of you is Tu/Vous  in French, Du/Sie in Spanish or Man/Du
in German, I cannot say for sure. But I think it is probably the polite
form.]



> -----Original Message-----
> From: maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu [mailto:maxima-
> bounces at math.utexas.edu] On Behalf Of Mario Rodriguez
> Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 6:10 AM
> To: van Nek
> Cc: Vadim V. Zhytnikov; Maxima at math.utexas.edu
> Subject: Re: [Maxima] Seeking Help with Windows Maxima installer
> localization
> 
> 
> >
> > 2. In German there are two kinds of translating 'you' respective two
> > ways of communicating with the reader. One is direct, personally,
> > private and the other one is more elaborated, impersonal, official,
> > polite, ... . Which kind of communication with the user does the
> > Maxima community prefer?
> 
> Hallo Volker,
> 
> We have the same problem in Spanish (du=t?, Sie=usted). But I prefer in
> these cases to avoid personal references to the reader, and make use of
> the impersonal form. For example, I'd write something like
> 
> "Man soll das Fenster oeffnen" (or something similar)
> 
> instead of "Du solls das Fenster oeffnen", or "Sie sollen das Fenster
> oeffnen".
> 
> But I'm not sure that "Man ..." is common practice in these contexts.
> 
> Just an idea.
> 
> --
> Mario Rodriguez Riotorto
> www.biomates.net
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