RE: Dialogue or dialog?

Subject: RE: Dialogue or dialog?
From: "Thomas Quine" <quinet -at- home -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 09:02:11 -0800

> Dialogue is the British/Canadian spelling of Dialog. The MS Manual of
Style
> says don't use it. (Arrogance!)
> The MS Manual of Style also says don't use dialog when you mean dialog
box -
> it's jargon. Here they're quite correct.
> A dialog box is so called because it is a box that facilitates a dialog
> between the user and the system. Usually a dialog box asks a question and
> requires a response - hence, dialog.
> The dialog is the discussion, not the box the discussion takes place in.
> That's why referring to a dialog box as a "dialog" is jargon born of
> laziness, and yes, computer programmers are more guilty of inventing this
> sort of jargon than others (speaking as a former programmer...) What do
you
> expect from people who consistently spell "Customer Number" as "CustNo"?
> I was pretty disappointed when I noticed that RoboHELP uses "dialog"
> throughout its documentation. To me it's just wrong and it grates on my
> ears...
> - Thom
> www.documen.com
>
Subject: RE: Dialogue or dialog?

Offhand, I would say 'dialogue' is a conversation between two people,
whereas 'dialog' is a software object (without window controls) that
displays on a computer screen. Begging the answer, 'window' is a software
object with window controls (window controls can include minimize, restore,
maximize, help and close).

Am I right? I don't know.

Barb Einarsen



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Develop HTML-based Help with Macromedia Dreamweaver! (STC Discount.)
**NEW DATE/LOCATION!** January 16-17, 2001, New York, NY.
http://www.weisner.com/training/dreamweaver_help.htm or 800-646-9989.

Sponsored by SOLUTIONS, Conferences and Seminars for Communicators
Publications Management Clinic, TECH*COMM 2001 Conference, and more
http://www.SolutionsEvents.com or 800-448-4230

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Previous by Author: RE: Hocus Pocus (was "appears" vs. "is displayed")
Next by Author: Techwr-l Quote of the Week
Previous by Thread: Re: Dialogue or dialog?
Next by Thread: Re: Dialogue or dialog?


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads