Alan McKinnon posted on Fri, 17 Jul 2015 23:38:44 +0200 as excerpted: >> First off, a new virtual is being introduced, virtual/libmysqlclient. >> virtual/mysql will represent the server (mysqld) and tools (mysqldump, >> mysql, mysqladmin, etc) while virtual/libmysqlclient will represent the >> mysql client shared and static libraries, libmysqlclient.so for >> example. > > This reads oddly. There's a "first" but I'm left wondering what the > "second" is,
Was just going to point this out myself. 1) "First off,", specifically the "off" sounds informal (I checked myself on wiktionary, which lists "first off" as "idiomatic). It's fine, indeed great, for informal conversations, but news items are more formal announcements and should be worded as such. So strike the "off". That leaves simply "First,". 2) As Alan mentions, "first" is sequential. Don't use "first" unless your intent is to enumerate a sequential list. That implies you need at least a "second" or "last/finally", if not more than two sequential/ numbered points. That isn't to say you must strike "first" here, if you add further sequence keywords, because such sequential numbering indicates moving on to the next main point, separate from paragraph structure, with such points commonly being found both within a single paragraph if small enough, or with multiple paragraphs per point, as I'm doing here. In fact, such transitional keywords tend to be extremely helpful to the reader, since they do identify the author's intended key points, thus being very helpful when overview- or fast-scanning. (As you see here, I used digit numbering demarced by closing parenthesis, as opposed to the words. That's simply personal preference, tho I believe a convincing argument can be made that it's easier to pick out. Some may argue using the words is more formal, however, and could thus make the same point I made about "first off" above, for the digit choice. YMMV in that regard, but I personally still prefer the digits. Then of course there's the question of whether a ")" or "." demarc is better. As a reader I've absolutely no preference there, but I believe I favor the ")" in my own writing.) -- Duncan - List replies preferred. No HTML msgs. "Every nonfree program has a lord, a master -- and if you use the program, he is your master." Richard Stallman
