Choosing a menu option

Subject: Choosing a menu option
From: Oona Sullivan <oona -at- ABC -dot- GOV -dot- AU>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 16:06:07 +1000

> "From the Create menu, choose Message."

To me, the word "choose" implies a choice, and if I want to create
a message I have no choice about which menu option I use - I must
use the Message option on the Create menu, therefore, my preferred
word is "select", as in either:
From the Create menu, select Message, or, Select Message from the
Create menu.

I just checked the dictionary definitions of select and choose,
but "select" still wins my vote.

And about the order of the sentence: Consider the following:
You're giving instructions to a car driver, would you say Turn
right at the next set of traffic lights, or, At the next set of
traffic lights, turn right.
If you choose the first one, chances are that the driver will
react when you say "turn right" and not wait til the end of the
sentence.


oona

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