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Subject:RE: When to use the word "button" -- ? From:"Porrello, Leonard" <lporrello -at- illumina -dot- com> To:Craig Cardimon <craig -dot- cardimon -at- gmail -dot- com>, techwrl <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Wed, 24 Oct 2012 15:56:50 +0000
I prefer "Click Continue to proceed." (With "Continue" bolded.) But again, it depends on audience. If your audience is still trying to use the DVD tray as a cup holder, then more explicit may be better. On the other hand, chances are that if your audience can't infer that Continue is a button, they'll be equally at a loss to understand "click". So really, if you are going to use the more explicit form, you should say something like, "1. Use your mouse to move the arrow cursor on the screen so that it is hovering over the Continue button. 2. With the cursor hovering over the Continue button, click the mouse to select the Continue button." And this concludes today's exercise in reductio ad absurdum.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+lporrello=illumina -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lporrello=illumina -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Craig Cardimon
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2012 8:13 AM
To: techwrl
Subject: When to use the word "button" -- ?
I am staring at Apply, Continue, Cancel, and Save buttons, wondering if I should say:
"Click the Continue button to proceed."
Or just:
"Click Continue to proceed."
Opinions?
--
Cordially, Craig Cardimon - "The Duct Tape Tech Writer" (Docs Wrapped & Shipped. Deadlines Beaten.) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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