Re: WG: Newbie question - GUI terminology

Subject: Re: WG: Newbie question - GUI terminology
From: "Alex Masycheff" <alexm -at- fototagger -dot- com>
To: <vrfour -at- verizon -dot- net>
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 15:52:44 +0200

Microsoft Manual of Style recommends to use "appear" as an intransitive verb. For example: "If you try to quit the program without saving the file, a message appears."

So I don't think using "appear" would be a problem.

My 2 cents.

Alex



----- Original Message -----
From: James Barrow
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Sent: Monday, October 09, 2006 3:03 PM
Subject: RE: WG: Newbie question - GUI terminology


>Dick Margulis said:
>>Christine Hüttmann wrote:

>>We are currently translating an online Help into English and have a couple
>>of questions. Any help from experienced writers is much appreciated.
>
>>1) Does a dialogue box, window or message box appear or open?

>It's "dialog," not "dialogue box" (by general convention), and I prefer
>"open" for at least windows and dialogs, although some people prefer
>"appear." I'm not sure what the popularity breakdown is on message boxes
>(called that in internal development documents but just called messages
>in end user doc). I tend to use "pops up" for a message box, but I may
>not be speaking for a majority on that one.

When I first began tech writing, a senior tech writer edited some of my
material and, wherever I used "appear", he crossed that out and added
"NEVER!". I still don't understand what the major faux pas was on that one.
Nowadays I use "open" when print/open/search windows appear. Small
confirmation message, etc. are called pop-ups.



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References:
RE: WG: Newbie question - GUI terminology: From: James Barrow

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