Re: Grey, Gray, Ghosted, Unavailable

Subject: Re: Grey, Gray, Ghosted, Unavailable
From: "Wyrwas, Kathleen A" <Kathleen -dot- Wyrwas -at- UNISYS -dot- COM>
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 1997 12:33:12 -0400

>>> From: David Castro[SMTP:techwrtr -at- CRL -dot- COM]
>>> While it's probably not PC, I believe the Microsoft standard is
>>>"disabled."
>>> This is also how programmers will most likely refer to it.
>
When I was a programmer (for 10 years, up until a year ago), we said
button labels and drop-down menu entries are "dimmed" when you don't
want the user to select them. (BTW, such labels should be created in
bold text so that they're still visible after they are dimmed. If it
starts as regular text and you dim it, it disappears!)
I've got a feeling the term everyone recommends is going to be
different. Just as long as you keep it consistent across everything
your department produces!


Ann Carter supplied a different comment to the original post:
>> ....I did a job once for someone (the purported user expert on
>> staff) who insisted that I use "cursor focus." He agreed with the logic of
>> my objection but rather than change his decision, told me to write an
>> explanation of cursor focus.

Shame on the staff "user expert" for insisting you use
programmer-speak!! <grin> Tech writers are *SUPPOSED TO* be able to
translate techno-jargon into common language! Knowing which control on
the form has focus (huh?) is really only important to the programmer,
not the poor user. ;-)

Regards,
Kathy
kathleen -dot- wyrwas -at- unisys -dot- com
Unisys - Plymouth, MI

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