TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Re: icon showing that something is banned or nonfunctioning
Subject:Re: icon showing that something is banned or nonfunctioning From:"Richard G. Combs" <richard -dot- combs -at- voyanttech -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 13 Dec 2001 09:24:59 -0700
S E Prigan wrote:
> How do you describe the icon/symbol showing that something is
banned--i.e.,
> a circle with a slash through it (all superimposed over the thing that is
> banned or temporarily nonfunctioning). Is there an actual name for it?
Right
> now I have only the wordiest way to describe it.
In conversations, I've used the term "circle-slash" (or "red circle-slash"),
and, in the appropriate context, I've never encountered anyone who failed to
understand the reference. Of course, that may just be the people I talk to;
know your audience. ;-)
Are you sure you *have* to actually name it? I think far too many tech
writers want to name parts of the user interface when they don't have to.
Your readers don't care that the two regions of the window are panes, that
the control is a combo box, not a drop-down box, etc.
For instance, instead of saying, "If X is the case, a circle-slash icon
appears," try "If X is the case, you can't foo," or "...foo is unavailable."
HTH!
Richard
------
Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Voyant Technologies, Inc.
richard -dot- combs -at- voyanttech -dot- com
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs -at- free-market -dot- net
303-777-0436
------
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Collect Royalties, Not Rejection Letters! Tell us your rejection story when you
submit your manuscript to iUniverse Nov. 6 -Dec. 15 and get five free copies of
your book. What are you waiting for? http://www.iuniverse.com/media/techwr
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
