RE: Unset? Can that be a verb?

["Combs, Richard" <richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com>]

jennysubs -at- mac -dot- com wrote: 
 
> I am documenting some software that has a right-click menu item: Set
as
> Default Configuration.
> 
> Once you've set it, the menu changes to: Unset as Default
> Configuration.
> 
> That just seems wrong to me. The only definitions I can find for the
> word (other than as a programming term) are adjectives:
> 
> not mounted (an unset gem)
> not hardened (unset cement)
> 
> I might be able to get this changed if I can come up with a better
> idea. I don't think they're going to want to make the menu show all
> possible configurations, which is what makes sense to me.
> 
> Remove as Default Configuration?

That sounds better. But it's hard to know what's best without knowing
what's really happening. Something completely different might be better
for both items. 

Since it's a context menu item, what's the context? Is something
selected, and you have the option of making it the default selection?
What does "unset" really do -- make it so there is no longer any
default? Default what? 

Depending on what's really being set and "unset" here, Sally may be on
the right track with the printer analogy. Maybe there shouldn't be menu
items -- maybe there should be a Make Default check box in an
appropriate location in relation to the thing being set, and users
either check or clear that check box. 

Not much help, I know, but food for thought... :-)


Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-777-0436
------




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