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RE: software control terms -- To "choose" is passive?
Subject:RE: software control terms -- To "choose" is passive? From:"Chris Vickery" <cvickery -at- arenasolutions -dot- com> To:"Yves JEAUROND" <jingting -at- rogers -dot- com>, "Butler, Darren J Ctr 584 CBSS/GBHAC" <Darren -dot- Butler -dot- ctr -at- Robins -dot- af -dot- mil>, "Susan W Gallagher" <susanwg -at- gmail -dot- com> Date:Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:29:20 -0700
I agree that "choose" has the connotation of a mental choice. Because I make a choice does not mean that I act upon that choice. "Select" has the connotation of taking an action. I think this may be a meaning that has evolved over time.
But now that I think about it, there are certainly cases where "choose" implies action as well. If Beau Geste is fighting a duel, does the official say "Select your weapon"? No, he says "Choose your weapon". When Inidana Jones has to decide which is the Holy Grail, the spectral knight doesn't say "Select wisely".
I think it's a case where there's just a preferred term for instruction. I ran across the same issue recently proofing training materials. The author had used "choose" exclusively, and I corrected all instances to "select".
There. Very clear.
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+cvickery=arenasolutions -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+cvickery=arenasolutions -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Yves JEAUROND
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 11:20 AM
To: Butler, Darren J Ctr 584 CBSS/GBHAC; Susan W Gallagher
Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: software control terms -- To "choose" is passive?
Darren you are right that choose and select convey the same idea.
Then you add that "to choose" is too passive? Huh?
choose. OED1, to pick out as being the best...
select. OED1, carefully choose as being the best...
If users can't just plain choose, what is this world coming to? :-)
Cheers,
YJ
"Butler, Darren J Ctr 584 CBSS/GBHAC" <Darren -dot- Butler -dot- ctr -at- Robins -dot- af -dot- mil> a écrit :
FWIW - I use "select" as my "go-to" verb whenever an action can be
achieved by multiple methods [...] The word "choose" (in my
view) conveys the same idea but is too passive. One can choose an option
but not take any action regarding it - IMHO.
-----Original Message-----
From:
techwr-l-bounces+darren -dot- butler -dot- ctr=robins -dot- af -dot- mil -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+darren -dot- butler -dot- ctr=robins -dot- af -dot- mil -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot-
com] On Behalf Of Susan W Gallagher
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 11:41 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: software control terms
I have always had a problem saying "select" for anything but a menu or
list
items. My reasoning is that a check box, for example, can be selected
without being checked. Picture the laptop user, or the fast
touch-typist,
who wants to navigate a dialog box without using the mouse. They tab
through
the fields until the appropriate check box item is ***selected*** (i.e.,
has
focus), then press the space bar to check or uncheck the box. Saying
"select" for a check box just isn't accurate, and I don't care what the
good
folks at MS think.
My two cents. Everyone else's mileage is sure to vary.
-Sue Gallagher
On 9/10/07, Combs, Richard wrote:
>
> Christine Leisgen
>
> > I now realized that at least now, Microsoft uses a more "wordy"
> > explanation of software terms, e. g. "activate the check-box
> > for options x". I see that there is the advantage that it is
> > clearer for the user where to look for the option (it is a
> > check box, not a drop-down list).
>
> Where did you see "activate the check-box"? MMOS has always said that
> you _select_ and _clear_ check boxes (no hyphen). And here's what my
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