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>Really? I have opted for the more concise term "drop-list" in lieu of
>"drop-down menu" or "pop-up menu" in my technical documentation. Is there a
>reason why I should not be doing this?
First of all, you can do whatever you want to do, as long as you set the
style for a good reason, you're consistent in its use, and your users
understand what you mean.
That said, there are some standard styles in the industry that you can
adhere to or not, as you'd prefer.
The MS Style Guide says "In end-user material, do not qualify the term
'menu' with the adjective 'drop-down,' 'pull-down,' or 'pop-up,' unless
the way the menu works needs to be emphasized..."
I tend to agree with this, unless my client already has a different style
in place. Just say "menu" for the standard, menu-bar menus in an
application or window. However, I usually say "drop-down list" for menus
in a dialog box, since the way the menu works deserves emphasis (that is,
the unusual location). Also, MS says to use "drop-down list" over any
other description.
