In an Ubuntu installer bug I mention that this text:
You need to restart the computer.
...should be changed to:
The computer needs to be restarted.
The developer objected based on the assertion that "a different set of people will object to the passive voice". That is ridiculous, as it is not me who "needs" to restart the computer, but rather the computer that needs to be restarted.
Is the comment that the text needs to be changed a valid UI issue, or am I just being a jerk?
Passive works better for things like automatic updates: Things like this are the computer's fault, not the user's. :)
Active voice works fine for an installer because the user invoked the installer process in the first place. Active voice is more suited to time-dependent stuff. It tells the user to do the restarting so they're more likely to take action straight away.
Without the word 'now', "The computer needs to be restarted" is more of a notification.
The active voice is significantly easier to read, because text reads best when it has identifiable agents performing strong actions. Almost every resource on clear writing will guide you to using the active as a preference.
In this case, the active voice is semantically valid because it's you who needs to restart the computer to complete the action that you initiated. With the active voice, it's a lot easier to attach an instruction to a user's goals and aspirations, and to make them the agent. Used properly, this can create some very motivating copy.
Typically, the passive voice is best when it puts in the tail of a construction the fact or concept that needs to be emphasised. In your example, "The computer needs to be restarted" works best when there's confusion about exactly what thing the computer needs - if another resource or entity implied you needed to install another application, for example.
I think it's fine in the active voice. Users are used to it. Just be consistent.
You can use active voice and not sound like a jerk. "You need to restart the computer" sounds too demanding and like the user did something wrong. If you say "Restart your computer to complete the update" or something similar, it is still active voice without being rude.
Comprehensive Google Material Design Guideline for UI Writing
This is an excellent time for me to shine in with reference to Material Design - Communication/Writing
For reference, I 100% agree with everything with Google's documentation on how UI interface should be written because their guideline will simplify the UI experience in an incredible length and some of them should be a standard in most cases. Some may disagree to agree.
The list below is a contradicted version of the writing principle in Material Design guideline. For more explanations and details, please refer to their guideline on the first link above, it's that comprehensive.
That was the principle section. The short list below is the content structure guideline:
I'm not trying to plagiarise the guideline, this is honestly the best guideline I've ever across in regards to UI typesetting and writing style. If you disagree, please object.
To answer the question, referring to the guideline, we're leaning to the active voice.
