Re: Speed menu vs shortcut menu

["Michael West" <mbwest -at- bigpond -dot- com>]

Humphries, Ola wrote:
>>> I've just come across a term in some training that I'm not familiar
> with=20
> and want to check if it's one that's common in the industry (or in
> the=20 industry in the US). The training's in Business Objects and
>  they refer to= 'speed menus'. This is for the menu you get when you
> right click on a=20 screen. Normally I'd call that a shortcut menu.<<
>
> We've been calling this a "right-click menu," which to my mind, seems
> user-friendly, as it explains what to do to open the menu. These
> items are no more speedy or shortcutty than just selecting from the
> menu bar or clicking a toolbar button, so "right-click" seems a good
> choice.
> However, it may be that no one else does this.


"Right-click menu" is not unusual, but if consistency
with Windows terminology is important, it's "shortcut
menu" for users and "context menu" for developers.
I disagree that they are "no more speedy" than using
the main menu bar. When designed properly, they put
commands within a couple of clicks that may be buried
several levels deep in the main menu structure. They
also speed the user's efforts by selecting specific
commands relevant to the object having the focus. Finding
a command is easier and faster on a short menu than on
a long one. There is also usually less "mousing" involved
as compared to using the main menu bar and toolbars,
because the menu opens at the location of the mouse
pointer.

-- 
Michael West