TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: mouseover. Is it a word? From:"Merrick, Tim" <tim -dot- merrick -at- LSIL -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 21 Jun 1999 13:31:01 -0500
Chris Hamilton asks:
"Do you mouse over something to make associated text appear? Do you
mouse over it? Or do you do something else to it. Mouseover seems to be the
slang, but is it the phrase that a happening technical writer would use?"
For what it's worth, the Microsoft Manual of Style says:
"hover, mouse over
"Avoid these terms, especially in end-user documentation, to refer to refer
to the action of briefly resting the mouse pointer on a button, link, and so
on to see a definition or description. Instead use rest on, pause on, or a
similar word or phrase.
"Do not use mouse over as a verb phrase. To describe the action of moving
the mouse to a button, use a phrase such as 'move the pointer over the
button.'"
Tim Merrick
Technical Publications
LSI Logic Storage Systems
