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Jim Shaeffer says:
[snip]
> My thought (you asked) is that you're right. Words like "nested" or
> "sub-tabs" introduce an unnecessary layer of abstraction. Sticking to
> the concrete list of labels is better.
> Many, many wording questions on this list deal with a perceived need
> for abstract group nouns to discuss such interface components. We
> would be better served to avoid them and use concrete, specific nouns.
[snip]
This brings up an issue I've had to wrestle with, and for which I have yet
to determine a fully satisfactory response.
On a user interface I work with, there is a "framing" screen consisting of
a series of buttons along the left side, and a blank field in which the
screens themselves appear. Click on a button, and the first screen of that
functional track appears. Usually buttons on the individual screens lead
to other screens that replace the original in the field of the framing
screen. And then, on two particular screens, another series of buttons
stretches across the top of the screen, and serves to toggle the body of
the screen (not counting the screen footer, which has the Cancel button)
among five different combinations. Each one is completely different, and
has it's own controls, functions, etc., -- it is effectively just a whole
screen that happens to appear within another screen. It is an object of its
own accord, to be described as such in the documentation.
Now, the only word I've encountered to describe each of these screens is
"sub-screen", because it *is* subordinate to the screen it's in, which is
itself subordinate to the "framing" screen behind it. The buttons across
the top do not appear anything like tabs, so I'm concerned my end users
(machinery operators) won't understand what I mean if I refer to them as
"tabs" or "tabbed screens".
Are there any other terms anyone can think of that would possibly be
clearer?
Thanks,
Shauna Iannone
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Tech writing is like trying to cook soup in a colander while people run up
behind you, throw unprepared vegetables over your shoulder, and then run
away." -- Me
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