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Subject:Re: Plural of "mouse" From:cjs10 -at- CORNELL -dot- EDU Date:Tue, 15 Apr 1997 10:41:30 -0400
Yes to Tracy's comment there. Ability to recognize jargon words is not a
good indicator of intelligence.
I think we can all assume that new computer users know what mouse means
in the context of their computer, if for no other reason than that the word
will probably have been on the packaging the mouse came in. "Pointing
device" on the other hand needs to be explained.
No reason the thing can't be called a mouse pointing device in the first
instance (at least in
some contexts), after which you'd have the option of using "pointing
device(s).
Joanna
On Tue, 15 Apr 1997, Tracy Boyington wrote:
> > >> I have heard of "pointing devices" used as a plural form of computer
> > rodentia. And why not? It's the "P" in the WIMP computers we're talking
> > about. <<
> >
> > That's an elegant solution, IMO, but -- what if we're dealing with a really
> > dumb user who won't realize that "pointing device" refers to their
> > mouse?
>
> I think it's a little unfair to consider users "dumb" if they don't
> realize "pointing device" is supposed to be a more elegant way of
> saying "mouse." If I read this in a user manual, my first reaction
> would be that they must be referring to something other than a
> mouse -- if not, why didn't they just say "mouse?"
>
> Maybe we should start calling it a rodent, or a Mickey.
>
> Tracy
>
> ==========================================================
> Tracy Boyington
> tracy_boyington -at- okvotech -dot- org
> Oklahoma Department of Vocational & Technical Education
> Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
>http://www.okvotech.org/cimc/home.htm
> ==========================================================
>
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