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Subject:Re: Format of GUI element names From:Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 20 Nov 2000 09:39:31 -0800
Sharon Deitch wrote:
>
> Coming in late to the discussion...I rarely say "the button." I usually
> just write "Click Save." where the word Save is bold. For one it's shorter.
> For another, it helps it stand out from the rest of the words for tired,
> frustrated users who just want to finish their task and go home. When I've
> read docs that didn't set off button names, I found that sometimes I had to
> read the sentence twice to make sure I had it right.
Maybe the preference depends on the context. Whenever possible, I
make my procedures as short as possible, and include as many
graphics as possible. So, not using a bold weight and adding "the
button" works well for me. If your style differs from mine, then my
suggestions may not work for you. Nor your suggestions for me, as
far as that goes.
> As far as the wasted effort argument
> goes, I have defined a keyboard shortcut for the "Strong" character style,
> so it's only a matter of pressing Alt+B to format the words. And I've saved
> myself the effort of typing "the" and "button" each time.
My point wasn't about the difficulty of adding a character style.
What I was saying is that, in my experience, having a lot of
conventions doesn't help readers and, in fact, only makes them
vaguely anxious. If these observations are valid, then why design
and implement an element that won't be appreciated and may even
hamper understanding?
--
Bruce Byfield, Outlaw Communications
Contributing Editor, Maximum Linux
604.421.7189 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com
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With three thousand year old stories as the night slips away,
Remembering, Fingol feels not far away,
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