Doing the "save as"?

Subject: Doing the "save as"?
From: Geoff Hart <Geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA>
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1999 12:31:08 -0400

David Wollenberger pondered the phrases <<...the File, Save
menu item Saves the task. If the task name is untitled, you
cannot use this item until you do a Save As and complete a
standard Save As dialog box.>>

I don't much like "do a Save As", but off the top of my head,
I can't give you a compelling reason other than (i) the fact
that it fails the "it looks funny" test and (ii) the fact that it
provides an instruction without adequate context. (My first
objection simply suggests that the phrase hasn't yet become
common enough usage for it to pass under my editorial
radar.) On the whole, I prefer the following:

To save the file, open the File menu. If you have already
named the task, select Save. If you have not yet named the
task, choose Save As instead, and enter a new name in the
Save As dialog box.

Depending on the context, you might also want to remind
users to select a new directory or folder (or confirm the one
currently displayed). I can't tell you how many times I've had
to help neophytes search a network for a file that "I know I
saved, but just can't remember where".

--Geoff Hart @8^{)} Pointe-Claire, Quebec
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca

"Though the editor is the author's ally, she should never forget that
she is also the reader's first line of defense."--Shoshanna Green

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