Re[2]: UI terminology

[ckime <ckime -at- PEERLOGIC -dot- COM>]

     I have _The Windows Interface..._ book. There isn't much textual
     description for the various pointer shapes; the only one they give a
     real name to is the I-beam--others are just in a general category,
     like Selection pointers and Movement pointers. Here's an excerpt from
     the "Pointers" section:

     "The mouse is linked with a graphic on the screen called the pointer.
     By positioning the pointer and clicking the buttons on the mouse, the
     user selects data, icons, commands, and controls to initiate and
     complete actions. The shape of the pointer changes according to the
     current action or the current pointer position on the screen.
     Applications should use only as many pointer shapes as needed to
     inform the user about current status and position; too many shapes can
     confuse users."

     After another brief para about methods for calling attention to
     pointers, such as with animation, it then has several tables showing
     suggested pointer shapes (just the graphic, except for the I-beam) and
     their uses. Contact me privately if you need more details from this
     section.

     Carol Kime
     ckime -at- peerlogic -dot- com
     Austin TX



     Kim Keegan wrote:
They're called *pointers*. A pointer can take on different shapes, such
as the arrow or hand. To quote from MS Manual of Style:

=======
pointer

Mouse term. Although the mouse pointer can assume many shapes, avoid
descriptive labels for mouse pointers. For example, use _pointer_, not
_double-headed arrow_, unless necessary to distinguish the different
types of mouse pointers. If a description would be unwieldy, use a
graphic if possible.

Use _input device_ generically to refer to mice, pens, balls, styluses,
and other input devices.

For more information about pointer shapes, see _The Windows Interface
Guidelines for Software Design._
=======

I don't have the other book mentioned, so I can't give further
reference. I would probably say something like this: "When the pointer
changes to a hand..."

Kim

--
Kim Keegan | Information Developer
ISI Data Services / Intrepid Technology
keegan -at- explorers -dot- com or keegan -at- isidata-intrepid -dot- com
http://www2.explorers.com/~keegan

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