Re: Online help wording question - Mutation

["Wittel, Teresa" <Twittel -at- NCSLINK -dot- COM>]

Ooops, did I hear you criticize the use of radio buttons as "jargon" in
the same email with the phrase "GUI"?  Where does one draw the line here
- personal preference?  I think any term (read "jargon") defined in the
Glossary is an acceptable term to use in the manual.  (Of course that is
my personal bias, which is thrown out immediately upon accepting a job
with pre-defined standards.)

Teresa Wittel
NCS Sr. Information Developer
Mailto: WITTTE -at- ncslink -dot- com


>----------
>From:  Mona Albano[SMTP:Mona_Albano -at- PROMIS -dot- COM]
>Sent:  Friday, November 14, 1997 2:02 PM
>To:    TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject:       Re: Online help wording question
>
>Anonymous said, about a touch-screen GUI:
>
>"To select the program characteristics you want to view, touch the choice
>you want to select in the View selection area."
>
>-----------------
>
>I don't think you need the abstract noun "choice"
>when you are already selecting or maybe viewing.
>
>How about,
>
>     Touch the button beside the program characteristics
>     that you want to view.
>
>     To view program characteristics, look in the View area and
>     touch the button for your choice
>
>     To select program characteristics, in the View area
>     touch one of the buttons.
>
>BTW, I don't like the term, "radio button," because it seems
>that we are trying to teach the reader our jargon before we
>communicate anything useful.
>
>
>-- Mona
>
>     Technical Writer & Editor
>     Toronto, Ontario, Canada
>     mona -dot- albano -at- promis -dot- com (temporary)
>     mab -at- user -dot- rose -dot- com (permanent)
>
>
>   If it's about technical communication--post it! If not, don't!
>Posts: mailto:techwr-l -at- listserv -dot- okstate -dot- edu
>Commands: mailto:listserv -at- listserv -dot- okstate -dot- edu (e.g. SIGNOFF TECHWR-L)
>Archives: http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html,
>Subjects: JOB:, QUESTION:, SUMMARY:, ANNOUNCE:, or none of these.
>
>


   If it's about technical communication--post it! If not, don't!
Posts: mailto:techwr-l -at- listserv -dot- okstate -dot- edu
Commands: mailto:listserv -at- listserv -dot- okstate -dot- edu (e.g. SIGNOFF TECHWR-L)
Archives: http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html,
	http://www.documentation.com/, or http://www.dejanews.com/
Subjects: JOB:, QUESTION:, SUMMARY:, ANNOUNCE:, or none of these.