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I agree with the MS MoS judgements on choose. But I don't agree with others:
I prefer "click on."
I think select is suitable for opening a toolbar or menu to a
particular item. I think click is inappropriate here.
Select is not really appropriate for check boxes, although I don't
recall what I used (check or tick in the x box, maybe).
Regards,
Kathleen
On Tue, Sep 23, 2008 at 4:29 PM, Chinell, David F (GE EntSol,
Security) <David -dot- Chinell -at- ge -dot- com> wrote:
> 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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