Re: Icons vs Buttons ..more

[Michael Loader <softlogik -at- EARTHLINK -dot- NET>]

Wing, Michael J wrote:

> I have a matrix of Icons on my desktop.  They are not buttons yet they
> can be double-clicked to invoke an application.  Furthermore, the
> desktop Properties dialog box refers to their classification as Icons,
> not buttons.  I am coming to the conclusion that the classification
> (Icon or button) is a product of the item's appearance rather than
> functionality (Albeit, a button that has no associated action is
> useless).

If they're not buttons, then I agree that you would actually
double-click, click or select the icon. I think the original question
asked whether to refer to a button control with an icon label as an icon
or a button. As far as I know, the Windows and MacOS standards are to
refer to these as buttons.

Microsoft: "Click the Print Preview button." (a toolbar button with a
printer icon)

Apple: "Click the Pause button." (a palette button with the standard
pause icon)

If the icon is not on a button, (an icon on the Mac desktop, in a Windows
program group, or in a scrolling list of icons), I believe the correct
terminology would be "Click the LaserWriter icon", "Double-click the
Microsoft Word icon", or "Select the PageStream icon".

Of course, Apple loves to write "Open the SimpleText icon" instead of
double-clicking a desktop program icon, which I think is confusing.

Regards,

--
Michael Loader
SoftLogik Publishing
http://www.softlogik.com

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