TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Using document conventions from the MS Manual From:"Wing, Michael J" <mjwing -at- INGR -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 7 Jan 1998 07:53:23 -0600
> Katherin King [SMTP:kking -at- BROOKTROUT -dot- COM] wrote:
>
> >Do most TW's follow Microsoft's conventions?
>
> I think most people use it as a starting point, not as Sacred Writ.
>
> On the one hand, the MS Manual of Style can be very useful if you need
> the name of a screen object. It also gives good advice; I believe it's
> the source of my preference for "drop-down list" rather than "combo
> box"
> in end-user documentation.
>
<snip>
> --
> Bruce Byfield, Outlaw Communications
>
Just a little nit-pick here and a bit off tangent. Isn't a "drop-down"
list a style of Combo Box? The other style being a simple list. The
distinction being that a "drop-down" list style of Combo Box displays
only a text box until the drop down list is active. Whereas, a "simple"
Combo Box has a text box and a static displayed list (which is not
drop-down but scroll-style).
It's like saying, "my preference is for PCs rather than computers".
