Re: What is the best term to use?

[Janice Gelb <Janice -dot- Gelb -at- Sun -dot- COM>]

Zen C wrote:
> 
> The software I am currently using is designed as such that there are many
> ways of doing the same thing. It is separated in to modules and  when you
> click  a module you get a window with tabs and they relate to different
> functions. Some of these tabs (functions) are repeated in different modules.
> So you can access the Payments tab/application using the Financial module or
> the Booking module.
> 
> The current help refers to these tabs as 'applications' as each tab has its
> unique functionality.
> 
> According to the Microsoft Manual of Styles 'application' isn't the best
> term to use and tabs doesn't seem to sound right either. I can say click the
> Payments tab, but when I am describing or referring to the tab it doesn't
> sound right cos it has its own unique functionality.
> 
> For example:You can now make the Payments application a read only to avoid
> unauthorized access.
> You can now make the Payments tab a read only to avoid unauthorized access.
> 

Yet another reason to hate the current Swiss Army
Knife approach to web applications.

I would definitely advise against calling the discrete
entities "applications" as I think users pretty much
think of an "application" as the whole shebang. And
"applet" has a pretty specific technical meaning too,
I think.

Could you perhaps call these "tabs" when referring
to accessing them but then use a collective like
"options" or "functions" when talking about them?
For example:

   You can make the Payments options read-only to
   avoid unauthorized access.

   Click the Payments tab to access the Payments
   functions. These functions enable you to...

Good luck with this! When writers are having trouble
describing GUIs, the fault almost always lies with
the interface designers, not the writer.

-- Janice

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