Re: Preferences versus defaults

["Susan W Gallagher" <susanwg -at- gmail -dot- com>]

To me, "default preferences" is an oxymoron -- there are defaults and there
are preferences and they are different.

When you first install software, any options that the application offers are
set to arbitrary values and these are the _default_. If the user does
nothing, the software operates perfectly well using the default values.

If users don't want to use the default values for any reason, they may
access the applications _options_ and set (change) the values from the
default value to their _preference_. Preferences are persistent and replace
the application's defaults.

My two cents
-Sue Gallagher


On 7/10/07, Debra Graham <debra -dot- graham -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
>
> I've not had occasion to reflect on the differences between preferences
> and
> defaults, until today when I was asked to create a job aid on "setting
> default preferences on the Auto Carry Forward Config page."
>
> The term "default preferences" seems redundant to me and I began wondering
> whether there was a difference between a default and a preference.  At
> first, I thought perhaps one applies to behavior and the other applies to
> values?  But that distinction didn't seem to hold—default behavior and
> default values both make sense to me.  Then I started thinking about
> options, settings, and so forth, and quickly became overwhelmed (well, not
> really overwhelmed but realized that I didn't have time to explore the
> various "options").
>
> So I was wondering ...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.