RE: About that whacky MS MoS for TPs

["Brierley, Sean" <Sean -at- Quodata -dot- Com>]

Hallo:

Thanks for the insights.

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	MMdeaton [SMTP:mmdeaton -at- mmdeaton -dot- com]
> 
> 	"But, I am curious to know how these maroons came up with such
> garbage."
> 
> 	"It completely disregards the needs of the end user to impose a
> 	brand-specific standard that can function poorly in actual use."
> 
> 	Such name calling is not useful and I know it is not professional.
> 
Lighten up. Really, I meant "maroons" in the true Warner Brothers tradition.
;?)

> 	That said, having been one of those morons, the work done on that
> style
> 	guide was not done by marketers, but by technical editors with many
> years of
> 	experience both in the software industry and elsewhere. Some of the
> content
> 	is based upon results of usability testing, as well. Marketing had
> nothing
> 	whatsoever to do with it.
> 
Yes, and the dancing paperclip and Microsoft Bob were based on the results
of usability testing, to. <Hehehehehehehehe>

		1) Why capitalize the 'H' in online Help? Really, what, is
it a proper noun?

		Yes, Windows Help is a proper noun, shortened to Help in
most documentation.

Well, then would you agree that online help designed to be used in a browser
on any platform and that is not WinHelp or Microsoft HTML Help should get a
lowercase 'H'?

		2) Why capitalize the 'T's in ToolTip? That is really
strange. What's wrong
		with lowercase, except when the initial T starts a sentence,
of course.

		Yes, Tootips, when used by Microsoft, is a trademarked
proper noun.

That would be ToolTips, wouldn't it? As it happens, your gaffe is quite what
I'd prefer. I had no idea ToolTips was trademarked, I've never seen a
trademark symbol with it. Thanks for the info.

		3) What is wrong with 'grayed-out.' Dimmed? What's dimmed?
The lightbulb of
		the genius who decided not to use 'grayed-out,' which is a
term everybody
		understands. "Dimmed,' indeed.

		Not all "dimmed" text appears to be gray to the user,
especially if the user
			has changed their system font colors.

I understand, but 'greyed-out' is not about the color but the state of the
button or menu item. That is, it is nice that color was the main
consideration for using the term 'dimmed' but the reality is that many more
users understand the term 'grayed-out,' even when applied to a psychedellic
desktop. For example, and it's a poor example, when I write "lighten up," as
I did above, I certainly don't mean you should do some chameleon thing or
try to channel electricity; most people do, however, understand that what I
mean is not related to the emission or reflection of light. So, too,
greyed-out is understood as a term that is not about color.

I do appreciate your insider feedback!!! Thanks,

Sean
sean -at- quodata -dot- com

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