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Subject:Re: Ellipsis button - what is it called? From:Suzanne Maloon <maloon -at- CDEPOT -dot- NET> Date:Fri, 29 Aug 1997 11:16:32 -0700
OK Susan,
I SAY "dotdotdot", but I don't READ the sentence ""Click ... and browse to
the file location" as "Click dotdotdot and browse to the file location." I
read it as "Click (gee, I forgot to tell you what to click) and browse to
the file location."
A screen cap of an ellipsis button speaks for itself. It may even help
train your reader to call it by its proper name--eventually--ya know,
wayyyyy down the road. Oh yeah, I forgot--our readers---never mind..... ;-)
Suzanne Plasse Maloon
maloon -at- cdepot -dot- net
215 Mason Street
Jackson, CA 95642
209-223-1011
----------
| From: Susan W. Gallagher <sgallagher -at- EXPERSOFT -dot- COM>
| To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
| Subject: Re: Ellipsis button - what is it called?
| Date: Friday, August 29, 1997 9:55 AM
|
| I said:
|
| >| Don't use the word "ellipsis" in your docs. That's an English-nerd
| >| word! ;-) Most non-writers (non-nerds) in our audience read, think,
| >| know our friend the ellipsis as "dotdotdot". So, just say, for
example:
| >|
| >| "Click ... and browse to the file location."
| >|
| >| and the user will subvocalize "dotdotdot" and know exactly what you
mean.
|
| And Suzanne Maloon wrote:
| >I MUST disagree with this----------------->"Click ... and browse to the
| >file location."
| >
| >
| >Saying "Click...and browse to the file location" looks as if you forgot
to
| >complete your thought. Call it the ellipsis button, and then give a
screen
| >capture to give your readers a clue of what you're talking about.
| >
|
| Disagree if you must, Suzanne.
|
| I'm teaching a friend to use his new computer. Last night, my husband
| and I were over at his house while I set up his fax cover sheet, and as
| I worked, I listened to husband and friend talking.
|
| Husband: Use ellipsis.
|
| Friend: Use *what*???
|
| Husband: You know. Dotdotdot.
|
| Friend: Oh! Yeah.
|
| Don't say "ellipsis" in docs. You create a conceptual stumbling block
| that will disrupt the cognitive flow for (my SWAG) about 90% of your
| audience. After all, our job is to tell them how to use the software,
| *not* to teach them the nuances of punctuation.
|
| (Jeesh! At this rate, I'll be broke by the weekend!) ;-)
|
|
| -Sue Gallagher http://pw1.netcom.com/~gscale/susanwg/
| sgallagher -at- expersoft -dot- com http://www.expersoft.com
|
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