Re: Pointing device question

["Steven Gaghan" <sgaghan12 -at- gmail -dot- com>]

Right, Richard. Obviously the trackball is part of the keyboard and not on
the screen. That's what I get for not proofing my email before clicking
send.
I should have written: "You can eliminate all confusion by including an
IMAGE with a callout to the trackball."

The documentation I have done for medical devices contained images with
callouts numbering the parts. Under the image was a corresponding list
naming each part and providing a brief description of each one.
Steven P. Gaghan
West View, Pennsylvania

On Tue, Sep 23, 2008 at 1:19 PM, Combs, Richard
<richard -dot- combs -at- polycom -dot- com>wrote:

> Steven Gaghan wrote:
>
> > Will any screen shots/images be included in the documentation? If so,
> you
> > can eliminate all confusion by including a screen shot with a callout
> to
> > the
> > "trackball."
> >
> > Either way, I think using the term "trackball" is fine.
>
> Um, the trackball isn't on the _screen_, it's on the keyboard.
>
> But that reminds me of a thought I had, but didn't get around to
> posting. I agree that "trackball" is the right term if you need to refer
> to the pointing device itself. And since it and its keyboard are part of
> the medical device (and not up to the user to choose/provide), you
> should mention the trackball itself at least initially for the benefit
> of those not familiar with it.
>
> After that, though, when you're telling people what to do on-screen, you
> should refer to the _pointer_ on the _screen_, not the device with which
> you manipulate it. "Move the pointer/arrow/hand/needle to X and click."
>
> Richard
>
>
> Richard G. Combs
> Senior Technical Writer
> Polycom, Inc.
> richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
> 303-223-5111
> ------
> rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
> 303-777-0436
> ------
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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