Re: appears vs is displayed

Subject: Re: appears vs is displayed
From: Brad Barnes <kiwi -at- BEST -dot- COM>
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 22:52:44 -0800

Mike:

I didn't make my assumptions clear. I'm assuming that a window or dialog box
opens up in a prominent part of the screen and that the window or dialog box
has a title bar. True, if it is not obvious or if the GUI is sloppy and puts
the window off to the side or hidden some place, then I would mention that
the Add Patient window is displayed/opens/whatever.

Brad Barnes

At 10:55 AM 3/26/97 -0600, you wrote:
>I guess it depends on the environment the document is being used in.
>
>I don't see the simple inference in a windowed software system, unless
>you can assume the reader is running the software while reading the
>document. It's quite possible that there is an Add Patient window off to
>the side or something. I just don't see the causality, and when I've
>experienced the triple-failure that causes me to read the manual, and
>I'm not patient or confident enough to make inferences, no matter how
>simple.
>
>Now, as procedural online help, it would work: the reader reads step 1,
>clicks Add, sees the Add Patient window, and moves on.
>
>-----------
>Mike Huber
>mike -dot- huber -at- software -dot- rockwell -dot- com
>
>Opinions expressed are mine alone, any resemblance to those of Rockwell
>Software (as if a corporation had opinions) are strictly coincidental.
>
>
>>----------
>>From: Brad Barnes[SMTP:kiwi -at- BEST -dot- COM]
>>Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 1997 1:54 AM
>>To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>>Subject: Re: appears vs is displayed
>>
>>Consider a minimalist approach:
>>
>>1. Click Add.
>>2. From the Add Patient window, choose blobbity-blah-blah.
>>
>>By simple inference, the reader knows that there must be an Add Patient
>>window on the screen after they have clicked Add. Furthermore, the above
>>approach helps *orient* the reader without being overly wordy or redundant.
>>
>>
>
>

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