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Subject:Re: "Click-and-drag" or just "drag" -- ? From:Chris Morton <salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:50:40 -0700
Same. I once religiously used a "conventions" page, modeled after my
favorite user manual of all time (the original Aldus PageMaker set). Now,
nothing.
> Chris
On Tue, Oct 23, 2012 at 11:43 AM, Cardimon, Craig <ccardimon -at- m-s-g -dot- com>wrote:
> At one time I had a mini guide in my docs. ****
>
> ** **
>
> 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<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
> > 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> 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
> <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<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
> > > > 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
> > > kathleen -dot- eamd -at- gmail -dot- com
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