Re: help with terminology, pleeze

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

Wright, Lynne wrote:
> - When describing a tree structure, we don't want to use nodes and
> leaves to describe elements in our user guides, which are targetted
> towards average joes, not programmers. Are there standard colloquial
> replacements? ie. items and sub-items, or elements and sub-elements?

I've seen "nodes" and "branches" mostly. I think your material
will be better if you focus on the content rather than the form.
"Click the plus sign to expand the list of XYZs", for example.
Try to talk about the real stuff rather than the screen artifact.
It's a bit like saying "Read this story" instead of "Read the ink
on these pages."

> - Split windows are divided into panes. Fine. But in a single window,
> would you still call the white rectangular area used to display
> information a pane?

No.

> Or is there another term that's better: ie.
> 'display area'?

That'll do, but is it really essential to mention it?
They should be looking at what is *in* the window.
In real life, do  you say "Look at the window glass" or
"Look -- it's raining  outside" ?


> - 'Amphenol'... is it supposed to have an initial cap all the time,
> or is 'amphenol' ok?

Easy! What does the dictionary say?

-- 
Michael West