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#On Fri, 2 Apr 1993 08:02:23 EST <HOLLAND -at- IPFWCVAX> said:
#>Try telling them:
#> Type A to answer, or D to delete.
#When writing instructions like the above for new users, has anyone _ever_
#had a person TYPE the command and then just wait for something to happen
#--without pressing an ENTER key?
#This has happened to me often with very novice/new users, so I end up
#repeatedly stating something like ...type A and then press the Enter key.
I'm not a technical writer, but a convention I strongly encourage, both
in written and spoken phrases:
You PRESS keys that do something as you press them;
You HOLD DOWN a modifier key, such as <ctrl>, that requires other keys
You TYPE a series of keys (such as filling in a field that auto-terminates);
You ENTER a series of keys that must be followed by pressing return.
For example:
You hold down the <ctrl> key and then press <W> to refresh the screen.
This is usually written as <ctrl/W>, or press <ctrl/W>.
You may press <F1> at any time for help.
You type in your phone number. As you enter the last digit, the cursor
will move to the next field...
Enter your first name. [Type in your first name, then press <return>.]
etc. If you are *consistent* in this usage, I believe your readers will
unconsciously begin to recognize what to do.
What really irks me is software that, with the same phrasing, sometimes
expects a <return> and sometimes doesn't:
Type A to answer or D to delete: [user presses <A> and immediately
[goes into the Answer dialog
Type C to continue or Q to quit: [user presses <C> and waits and waits...
[finally presses <return> to complete
[the command
The first should say "Press", the second should say "Enter".
Sorry to interrupt, but I couldn't resist,
- ---------------------------------- signed: 2-APR-1993 18:36 C*T (USA) --- -
Larry Horn / Millsaps College / Jackson, MS / hornlo -at- okra -dot- millsaps -dot- edu
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