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Subject:Re: Login or Logon From:Todd Snarr <todd_snarr -at- AUTOSOFT -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 17 Nov 1998 07:17:17 -0700
Jane Bergen writes:
>You should use the term your users see on the UI (for example, Login
>dialog). Either term is acceptable, so long as you use it
>consistently. If you have a say in the UI design (ahhhh... a perfect
>world!), go for Login. It seems to be more prevalent and it's also the
>preferred term by the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical
>Documentation (for what it's worth!).
Actually, according to my copy of the MS Manual of Style of Tech Pubs, "log
on to, log off, logon (adj)" are the preferred terms. I just clicked the
Start button on my desktop (which is running Windows NT), and sure enough,
the menu displays "Log Off" (not "Log Out"). Then again, I wouldn't be the
least bit surprised if Windows 95 uses "Log Out."
I believe "login" is more common in the UNIX environment...at least that's
what most engineers use here in their source documentation. I prefer login,
but when documentating our Windows-based applications, I typically use
"logon" and "log on."
Todd Snarr
Sr. Technical Writer
Auto-Soft Corporation
Salt Lake City, UT
todd_snarr -at- autosoft -dot- com
