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MS MoS Third Edition re choose, click, and select.
Choose
Use choose when the user must make a decision, as opposed to selecting
(not picking)
an item from a list to carry out a decision already made.
Correct
If you do not have an Internet account, click Choose from a list of
Internet service
providers (ISPs) and then click Next.
If you choose to encrypt only the folder, no files or subfolders
contained in the folder
are encrypted.
Do not use choose as an alternative to click or double-click. Choose
does not convey any additional
information to those who do not use a mouse, and such users normally
understand
the equivalent action that they must take when a procedure step says to
click.
Correct
On the File menu, click Open.
Incorrect
On the File menu, choose Open.
See Also: click; select
Click
Use click, rather than choose or select, to refer to the user action of
issuing a command or
setting an option.
If a user can set an option to use either a single click or a double
click to perform some
action, use the default mode when documenting a feature. Explain the
various options in
the product documentation.
Do not use click on or click at; "click in the window" is acceptable,
however. With this
exception, click should always be a transitive verb.
Note: It is all right to omit "Click OK" at the end of a procedure if
the user interface
makes it clear that clicking the OK button is necessary to complete the
procedure.
Correct
To open Add or Remove Programs, click Start, click Control Panel, and
then double-
click Add or Remove Programs.
See Also: choose; pen; point to; select
Select
Use select to refer to marking text, cells, and similar items that will
be subject to a user
action, such as copying text. Items so marked are called the selection,
selected text, selected
cells, or whatever.
Use select to refer to adding a check to a check box or to clicking an
item in a list box or a
combo box. Do not use select as a general term for clicking options in a
dialog box.
Do not use highlight as a synonym for select. Selecting is a standard
procedure, and highlight
can often be confused with product features such as text highlighters
that only provide
visual emphasis.
Do not use pick as a synonym for select.
See Also: choose; click; highlight
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+david -dot- chinell=ge -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+david -dot- chinell=ge -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Jennifer Randel
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 5:06 PM
To: 'Rob Hudson'; techwr-l List
Subject: RE: Select, choose, click style guide
Hi Rob,
Ever heard of Sun System's Read Me First: A Style Guide for the Computer
Industry? I like to have that and the MMOS close at hand to compare my
findings.
Btw, I just checked out the MS Manual of Style's take on "select", but
my copy (the Second Edition) does not recommend against using the term
"select". I'm curious about this rule; was it just added in a newer
version?
Jennifer
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+jennifer_randel=khsd -dot- k12 -dot- ca -dot- us -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jennifer_randel=khsd -dot- k12 -dot- ca -dot- us -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- c
om] On Behalf Of Rob Hudson
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 1:56 PM
To: techwr-l List
Subject: Select, choose, click style guide
Hello Everyone,
Can someone suggest a good style guide that covers topics like "select
vs. choose" and "click vs. click on"? I used to use the Microsoft Manual
of Style, which recommended against using "select," but I'm not entirely
sure anymore. I need a new bible.
Thanks,
Rob
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