icons vs. buttons?

[Anne Cornwell]

I use the MOS, and also think of it this way:  

I single-click a button to make something happen (save a file, open a
dialog box, change a view, and so on).  It matters not if the button has
text, an image, or text and image.

I double-click (or right-click and choose Open or Open with) an icon to
open whatever the icon represents (My Computer, a file, an application).

Anne Cornwell



-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Hansen
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 12:08 PM
 
<<buttons have text on them.
icons are little pictures.>>

Alas, if only life were this simple! ): 

I'm using a software that has both text ("OK") and a picture (thumbs up)
on the same button/icon. Is it a button? Or an icon?

For icon, the MS Guide says the following:

"Use only to describe a graphic representation of an object that a user
can select and open, such as a drive, disk, folder, document, or
program. . . . Within programs, do not use icon for graphical dialog box
options or options that appear on ribbons, toolbars, toolboxes, or other
areas of a window."

Examples of icons in the MS Guide: Internet Explorer icon; MS Word icon
(In the MS Guide, these icon examples have both text and pictures.)

When I click OK, that's not a graphic representation of a program, etc.
So, I guess the following are all buttons:
- Text only (OK)
- Picture only (thumbs up)
- Text with picture (OK, thumbs up)

Agree? Disagree? I think my reasoning is correct here, but I'm open to
disagreement...

Keith 

-----Original Message-----
From: Sankara R [mailto:ss_rajanala at yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 10:51 AM

once more [sorry]

buttons have text on them.
icons are little pictures.

Icons can lead to action: the save (diskette) in MS word.

Buttons can take you to the other end of the globle (Send an eCard, at
the top of this page as I type).

And, what kind of an action is the Calendar button accomplish?