Before reading this go and read this post on Language Log.

He is of course completely correct in his first point but I'm not convinced of his second point.

In essence he's saying that in the list of things to check he has both ( ) on campus and ( ) off campus. He says if these are preferences than its possible to check both and get a logical impossibility but if they are just things that are acceptable then it's nonsense to ask as the list of possible questions about things that are acceptable is infinite.

I think he's being too picky, possibly after his frustration at the first problem question.

If they are requirements and you tick both, more fool you. If, as seems more likely they are things that are acceptable then he's being very silly indeed when he says that he doesn't care whether it's painted or wallpapered so why haven't they asked that question?

They haven't asked it because it's a trivially unimportant question. The question of whether you want to live on or off campus is important. Maybe it would have been better as a three button question rather than a tick box ( Where do you want to live * on campus * off campus * doesn't matter) but it's perfectly clear what the intention was.

Isn't it?

It seems to me it's perfectly clear what his intention is. I agree with you.

I have to laugh at the anti-prescriptivists when they get as picky as the prescriptivists. This is one of those times.

Hmm, I thought checking both boxes meant it does not matter whether the accommodations are on or off campus.

I thought he was being overly fussy as well, beyond his which/that point, and I had a quibble beyond yours. That would be his final point about the minimum rent. Personally, I would not want to rent a place that cost less than $X.00 per month, because if it's in the low rent district, I'm pretty sure it will be in terrible condition and in a bad neighborhood.

If he is that confused by an only somewhat muddled web form, I wish him luck in finding housing by next summer. Perhaps he can join the Occupy Providence movement and live in a tent.

Wordmatic