Microsoft has it’s own style. You can also use it!
Every company on this earth has it’s own brand, their own style and their own voice. So goes with Microsoft as well. They also have a significant amount of guidelines and an extensive word list and term collection – all available for you to learn and use from! Use the official Writing Style Guide from Microsoft today!
Are you using the term folder correctly? Or directory? But, isn’t that the same thing? Not if you ask Microsoft. This is a direct quote from their page for the term folder:
“In content about Windows, use folder to refer to a container for files and other folders. Use directory only in content for developers when you need to refer to the structure of the file system or to match the API. For MS-DOS, use directory.
Use folder icon to describe the visual representation of a folder. Don’t use directory icon.“
Link to the article here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/a-z-word-list-term-collections/f/folder-folder-icon
I’ve been digging through this rabbit hole, and here are some of my other favorites:
Attribute
Don’t use as a synonym for property.
DNS
Spell out as Domain Name System, not Domain Name Server. When discussing the DNS networking protocol, spell out Domain Name System on the first mention. When discussing the Windows DNS feature, don’t spell out DNS.
The Windows feature is DNS, not DNS Server or Microsoft DNS Server. If you must emphasize that you’re referring to the Windows feature and not to the networking protocol, mention Windows.
Don’t use dynamic DNS or DDNS.
A DNS server (lowercase s) is a computer that’s running DNS server software. DNS Server (capital S) is the Windows service that appears in the Computer Management console. In general, refer to the service only in a discussion about stopping and starting it.
A DNS client (lowercase c) is a client of a DNS server. DNS Client (capital C) is the Windows service that appears in the Computer Management console. In general, refer to the service only in a discussion about stopping and starting it.
File Explorer
Use instead of Windows Explorer. Don’t use an article, such as the, to precede File Explorer. Don’t shorten to Explorer.
Memory-resident
Always hyphenate. Use memory-resident program, not TSR, in content for a general audience.
In content for a technical audience, it’s OK to use TSR as an abbreviation for terminate-and-stay-resident.
Object
Don’t use object as a synonym for item or thing. Instead, refer to a specific object.
For example, in object-oriented programming, an object is an instance of a class that contains both methods and data and is treated as one entity. Similarly, in COM-based technologies, an object is a combination of code and data that implements one or more interfaces. In assembly language, object refers to the object module, which contains data that has been translated into machine code.
Other things
There are a lot of other things you can delve into here. Things like content planning, design planning, how to write procedure and instructions and so on. Tons of good stuff!
Are you usign the Writing Style Guide from Microsoft? If not, go check it all out here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/welcome/