(tangent) "Click" or "click on" the GUI button?

Subject: (tangent) "Click" or "click on" the GUI button?
From: Richard Sobocinski <"Richard_G_Sobocinski%~WHC207"@CCMAIL.PNL.GOV>
Date: Thu, 9 Jun 1994 16:07:00 -0700

Speaking of collaboration between tech writers and trainers, here's
a question for those of you who write about computer graphical user
interfaces (GUIs).

When an application has on-screen "buttons" (or "icons") that the
user can trigger with a mouse click, which do you write:

(a) "Click on the <icon_name> button."
or
(b) "Click the <icon_name> button?"

I'm looking at a training manual and a user manual for the same
application. The user manual says (a) and the training manual
says (b).

For example:
(a) Click on Framjet's "Graphic" button and select Option 11 from the menu.
(b) Click Framjet's "Graphic" button and select Option 11 from the menu.

(a) Click on "Blast Jupiter" to vapourize the red planet.
(b) Click "Blast Jupiter" to vapourize the red planet.

Although the semantic distinction is trivial, users who take the
training are going to run into one or the other construction, or
both, depending on which books they read.

Time for a quickie poll of the experts. Yes, friends, that means
you.* Do you say "on" or not? Is there a consensus? (Consensus?
What's that? ;-)

* NOTE: I'm not looking for alternative words. Most of the
alternatives, like "select" and "press," already have their own
well-defined meanings. I just want to poll the people who write
either "click on" or just "click."

------------------------------------------------
I've been writing operating procedures for a control room
type situation that combines GUI software control with
physical buttons mounted in the same panels as the monitors
and keyboards. To distinguish between a software button and
a "real" button, I write:

"Click on the soft STOP button." or

"Press the Emergency Stop button."

But I suppose "click the soft STOP button," would be just as
acceptable.

Rich
rxs459 -at- fep1 -dot- rl -dot- gov


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