Well... my editor wouldn't let me remove all articles like a, an, and the, although it sure would cut down on the word count, wouldn't it? :) I don't think that lower word count is the end goal of minimalism, though. I think that leaving in the articles still affords readability and follows a typical and consistent set of rules. Plus, some readers might consider the entire set of content to be questionable in value and accuracy if grammar was sacrificed throughout the deliverable (help or a book).

Great point though. You've brought up a good discussion point or two -- would you ever prioritize minimalism over grammatical correctness? And really, would you prioritize readability over all other goals? At BMC, I'm certain grammatical correctness wins out all the time, but we'll certainly re-write if something is grammatically correct but not very readable. We're fortunate enough to have editors who are excellent at what they do beyond grammar markup and proof-reading, to ensure a high quality document. I'll ask our editors if they'd like to weigh in on the discussion.