Re: Update/apply/synchronize

[Laurie Rubin <lmr -at- SYL -dot- NJ -dot- NEC -dot- COM>]

If there is time, I  am planning to do further usability testing.  The
designer of the windows I just tested did not believe me the first time I told
him that there was going to be confusion, and he was even more surprised when
I told him that the testing confirmed it!  The main problem is that the
software is going to be translated into Japanese, so the development opinion
is, what does it matter.  I feel that we've got to be clear even in the
English, so that our Japanese partners will have a better understanding of
what we want.

You may be correct that synchronize is just another word that does not relate
to  the real action. I still am not certain "Refresh" is any better, but I may
try to convince the designer to use something like
"Apply Changes"  and "Get Changes"  in two lines.

P.S., is this becoming a tired thread?
Laurie Rubin
lmr -at- syl -dot- nj -dot- nec -dot- com
NEC Systems Laboratory, Inc.
Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 734-6017


> They always like the idea better when they think it's their own! However,
> without careful explanation your users won't know whether this means change
> the window to match the database or change the database to match the window.
> Are you going to do usability testing on this version?  ...RM

> Richard Mateosian    Technical Writer in Berkeley CA     srm -at- c2 -dot- org