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Subject:Re: Not selecting... From:Scott Esbrook <Scott_Esbrook -at- COMPUWARE -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 11 Nov 1997 10:50:56 EST
Karen Felker said:
In the matter of checkboxes, where you can click the feature once and a
check appears; click it again and the check disappears-- I'm wondering
how others describe the process of clicking a checkbox when you don't
want the feature selected.
I'm sure there are writers who feel perfectly comfortable saying saying:
"Deselect the Flimflamming checkbox."
The word Deselect is what bothers me. Is it becoming acceptable English
or can someone suggest an alternative?
Allow me to DEsuggest this trend of creating UNwrong (correct) computer
terminology by NONpostfixing (prefixing) every new term with an
ANTIpositive (negative).
As writers, we should be suggesting terms that everyone, not just
programmers, can easily understand.