Enable/disable vs yes/no?

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

Manisha wondered: <<Any thumb rules on when to use Enable/Disable and 
Yes/No? for example Bypass Control - Enable Disable Bypass Control - 
Yes No All four Enable, Disable, Yes, No are buttons.>>

The two groups of alternatives have very different meanings, so the 
choice of which one to use should be clear. "Yes/no" is the answer to a 
question that asks for permission to go ahead and do something; 
"enable/disable" is a command to the computer to do something (turn 
something on or off). The context should tell you which of the two 
alternatives are correct.

In the example you gave, "yes/no" is acceptable if this is a question: 
"Do you want to disable the control?" Yes, I do. "Enable/disable" 
answers a different question: "What do you want me to do about the 
bypass control?" Please enable it.

--Geoff Hart   ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca
(try geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com if you don't get a reply)


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