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Something that said what field and boxes and all that stuff is.
But if people don't already know, I seriously doubt they'd have any reason to be using our products.
So I deleted it. Haven't heard a peep from anyone.
From: Kat Kuvinka [mailto:katkuvinka -at- hotmail -dot- com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 2:45 PM
To: Cardimon, Craig; salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: "Click-and-drag" or just "drag" -- ?
A lot of times it is in the nature of your product. The narrower your customer base, the more you can assume.
I know that our trainers taught our customers not to click-and-drag, but instead to drag-and-drop. So I did go to ponderous lengths in one place to describe what I meant by drag-and-drop, then used it throughout. I know that users are not gonna read that section where I tell them what a window is, what a text field is, what a pop-up is, etc. but I still add my mini style-guide to my user docs for everybody's reference.
>
> I find it interesting that some of us believe we can't assume anything, and others believe we must assume some things.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com<mailto:techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Chris Morton
> Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 1:50 PM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com<mailto:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
> Subject: Re: "Click-and-drag" or just "drag" -- ?
>
> In my world I can assume nothing, so pedantic it is.
>
> I don't think I'd instruct them to release the mouse button, however.
> They're going to have difficulty going on break (or home) if this gesture isn't inherent.
>
> > Chris
>
> On Tue, Oct 23, 2012 at 10:46 AM, Kathleen MacDowell < kathleen -dot- eamd -at- gmail -dot- com<mailto:kathleen -dot- eamd -at- gmail -dot- com>> wrote:
>
> > How ponderous would it be to say
> >
> > You can move Tool One by clicking on it and dragging it into the
> > desired position.
> >
> > I wouldn't add anything about releasing it; people will find out soon
> > enough, unless there's something tricky about how that should happen
> > or the function doesn't work correctly...
> >
> > I start wondering about how pedantic I need to be after I've written
> > lots of descriptions like this. But the thing is, if you keep them
> > short, you make sure your audience at least knows the minimal
> > capabilities of the product.
> >
> > At least that's how I approach it. YMMV :-)
> >
> > On Tue, Oct 23, 2012 at 9:20 AM, Cardimon, Craig <ccardimon -at- m-s-g -dot- com
<mailto:ccardimon -at- m-s-g -dot- com%0b>> > >wrote:
> >
> > > I was wondering how pedantic I need to be, and how brief I could be.
> > >
> > > Why wouldn't "drag" suffice?
> > >
> > > The audience should be computer literate.
> > >
> > > I am pondering just how "ponderous" I need to be.
> > >
> > > From: Kat Kuvinka [mailto:katkuvinka -at- hotmail -dot- com]
> > > Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 10:06 AM
> > > To: Cardimon, Craig; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com<mailto:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
> > > Subject: RE: "Click-and-drag" or just "drag" -- ?
> > >
> > > Depends on your audience and if you have attempted somewhere to
> > > teach
> > them
> > > what it means to drag. And drop. They should drop after dragging, yes?
> > >
> > > >
> > > > Maybe I've been staring at this too long, but if some items need
> > > > to be
> > > dragged around, would you say:
> > > >
> > > > "Click-and-drag Tool One where you want it."
> > > >
> > > > Or Just:
> > > >
> > > > "Drag Tool One where you want it."
> > > >
> > > > --Craig
> > > >
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> > Kathleen MacDowell
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