RE: @above in analyses other than tran and dc sweep

Here is what the 2009 IEEE Style Guide says:

13.1 Shall, should, may, and can

The word shall is used to indicate mandatory requirements strictly to be followed in order to conform to the standard and from which no deviation is permitted (shall equals is required to). The use of the word must is deprecated and shall not be used when stating mandatory requirements; must is used only to describe unavoidable situations. The use of the word will is deprecated and shall not be used when stating mandatory requirements; will is only used in statements of fact.

The word should is used to indicate that among several possibilities one is recommended as particularly suitable, without mentioning or excluding others; or that a certain course of action is preferred but not necessarily required; or that (in the negative form) a certain course of action is deprecated but not prohibited (should equals is recommended that).

The word may is used to indicate a course of action permissible within the limits of the standard (may equals is permitted to).

The word can is used for statements of possibility and capability, whether material, physical, or causal (can equals is able to).

If a WG chooses to define these terms within a draft standard, the following text may be reproduced (under an early subclause entitled "Word usage") for the benefit of users of the standard:
"In this document, the word shall is used to indicate a mandatory requirement. The word should is used to indicate a recommendation. The word may is used to indicate a permissible action. The word can is used for statements of possibility and capability." 

Shalom


> IMHO this is very badly written (ducks under desk!). "can" in 
> colloquial 
> English could mean "may" or "shall". I think the meaning here 
> is "may", 
> which really shouldn't be in a standard. If the authors meant 
> "shall", 
> they should have said so.
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