# warn (10-warn.com)

To tell someone about a danger or problem ahead of time so they can avoid harm. A warning is a heads-up, not a command to stop.

## What a model may hear
- log severity level (software logging and monitoring): treat the message as a non-fatal issue to record, often below 'error' but above 'info'
- compiler or linter flag (programming language tooling): emit notices about suspicious code patterns while continuing to compile or run
- security alert trigger (intrusion detection and firewalls): flag behavior for review without blocking it, or escalate to higher alert levels
- deprecation notice (API and library documentation): signal that a feature will be removed or changed in future versions

## Where people and models part ways
- Says: "Warn me if this looks wrong"
  Means: Tell me your concerns so I can decide
  May be taken as: Log it silently or use a rigid threshold instead of explaining
  Say instead: "Explain what concerns you see and why, then ask me before acting"
- Says: "Give me a warning"
  Means: Alert me to a problem
  May be taken as: Format output as a machine-parseable log entry with severity code instead of plain language
  Say instead: "Tell me in plain language what I should watch out for"
- Says: "I want to warn the user"
  Means: I need text that cautions someone
  May be taken as: Generate code that implements a logging.warn() call instead of drafting the message
  Say instead: "Draft warning text for a person to read, not code for a computer to run"
- Says: "This is just a warning"
  Means: Do not treat this as an emergency
  May be taken as: Downrank or ignore the content because 'warn' signals lower priority in log hierarchies
  Say instead: "Treat this as important context, not an emergency"

## Tips
- Say 'tell me plainly' if you want human-readable caution, not log formatting
- Specify 'in code' or 'as a function' when you want a programming implementation
- Add 'explain why' to get reasoning, not just a severity label
- Use 'alert' or 'notify' if you want stronger urgency than a typical warning carries
- Say 'draft the message' to avoid getting code when you want words

## Often confused with
- alert: stronger urgency, often demands immediate attention
- error: signals failure, not just caution
- notify: neutral information, without implied danger
- caution: more formal, often legal or safety-specific
- advise: recommendation, not necessarily about risk
- flag: mark for review, without explaining the concern