Re: Naming conventions (#736655)

Subject: Re: Naming conventions (#736655)
From: Bill Burns <wburns -at- MICRON -dot- COM>
Date: Wed, 7 Aug 1996 11:21:50 -0600

7-AUG-1996 10:52:06.71

>On Aug 6, 10:37am, Meredith Townley wrote:
>> Subject: Naming conventions
>> There has been a small debate in the office over how "screens" should be =
>> referenced in the documentation. I'm curious as to what others call =
>> what I refer to as screens. The debate includes calling them screens, =
>> dialogs, and windows. What is the norm or proper term and are the three =
>> terms above the same?


>Ooh, this is a big one with me, just because *so many* software manuals refer
>to those things as "dialog boxes". I have no idea what the origin or logic
>behind that phrase is, but most users (yes, including me) seem generally
>confused by it. I would be interested to find out more...

The intention or logic behind it likely has to do with the fact that dialogue
boxes often provide a text prompt (a statement or query) and require a response
before the normal sequence of events can continue--sort of like a
question-answer interaction (or dialogue) between people. A bit anthropomorphic
and fallacious, maybe, but the analogy is *somewhat* parallel. Maybe we need a
new term that doesn't rely on this type of fallacy.

Bill Burns
Assembly Training and Documentation Supervisor
WBURNS -at- MICRON -dot- COM

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