Typing vs. pressing vs. entering

[Jim Grey <jwg -at- ACD4 -dot- ACD -dot- COM>]

Judith Grobe Sachs brought up this whole type v. enter thing.  This was a
major fight inside this (then three-person) Technical Writing Department
about three years ago.

One writer wanted to "type" everything:

   Type RECALL.                  By convention, all commands UPPER.
   Type a CTRL-X.
   Type a <return>.              <return> = return key
   Type "george" in the field.

His argument that the word "type" always means to press and release one
or more keys or a key combination, and that using one term for all forms
of keyboard interaction was the clearest way to go.  He wrote an excellent
argument for this convention, which I can't find.

I prefer:

   Enter RECALL.
   Press CTRL-X.
   Press <return>.
   Type "george" in the field.

This is all based on using manuals for years before writing them.  I had
come to learn that:

 -  "enter" means type the indicated word and then press <return>
 -  "press" means to press and release a key or key combination
 -  "type" means to press and release one or more keys in sequence but
    specifically does *not* include pressing <return> when done

Either way, though, a user beyond the parrot level ought to know that
CTRL-X, ^X, Control X, etc. all mean the same thing:  press and hold
the control key, type X, release the control key.  That user ought also
to know that <return> or any graphic that looks like a return key means
the return key, not the six letters r e t u r n.  I claim that it's
mostly parrot users that have trouble with this stuff.  Our users are
at least computer-literate.

Peace,
jim grey
--
jim grey          |"Ain't nothin' better in the world, you know
jwg -at- acd4 -dot- acd -dot- com  |Than lyin' in the sun, listenin' to the radio" - D. Boone
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