Date: Wed, 23 Oct 1996 08:53:43 -0500

From: Scott Ann M ams8950[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]USL.EDU

Subject: Re: a taste of mla



Editing programs are more available for email now than they used to be.

This makes it much easier to clean up our communications. I, however,

am still using the basic unix mail command and have only a backspace

key (sometimes not even that for mysterious reasons) with which to correct

the many typing errors I make. If I hit enter and make a new line before

I catch the error, there is no way to correct it.



As a technical communicator though, I applaud any move in the direction of

more careful electronic speech - not because of any prescriptivist leanings

for I have few, but in the interest of quick, clear communication of content.

Even online, for me anyway, errors call attention away from the message

and thus slow or impede the flow.



Ann Martin