"Does not make changes" or "makes no changes"

Question

I was thinking of using this sentence on my computer program:

This action does not make changes on user's machine.

Just to be sure, I checked Google Translate which suggested:

This action makes no changes on user's machine.

I suppose that both are correct and have the same meaning, but is there reason to use one instead of the other?

OP's actual question is entirely a matter of stylistic choice. But including an article before "user's machine" is not a matter of choice - it must either be "the/a/any user's machine". Or "users' machines" - both pluralised - which imho is the preferred option. — FumbleFingers, Mar 15 '12 at 22:32

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 15 '12 at 20:53

You can use any of the following meaning the same thing.

This action makes no changes on the user's machine.

This action does not make changes on the user's machine.

This action does not make any changes on the user's machine.

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered May 19 '12 at 23:34

1

I would say "makes no changes" carries a slight implication that the action could make changes (but doesn't), while "does not make changes" implies that it couldn't possibly change anything. But they're pretty interchangeable.

answered May 19 '12 at 23:34

Micah

551

In "does not make changes", I see no real (unambiguous) implication of "couldn't possibly change anything". – James Waldby - jwpat7 Jun 17 '12 at 17:37

"Does not make changes" or "makes no changes"

2 Answers2

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