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.
Jane Bergen [mailto:jbergen1 -at- earthlink -dot- net] said:
> Sorry, Katie, but you lose here. Login and Logout are commonly
> recognized as the names of the dialogs (not "screens" --- "screen" is
> the entire visible area of your monitor! You clean your monitor
> "screen") for logging in and logging out.
I think you're assuming too much. I don't believe Katie actually specified
the sort of system she was documenting; what you say may be true for a
Windows95/98/NT system, but on a UNIX box it *isn't* a "login dialog" - it's
the whole screen. (Even an X terminal shows you nothing more than a login
prompt at first, so it's fair to call it a "login screen.")
And if it *is* a Microsoft system, then the correct terminology would be
"dialog box," not "dialog." 8-) Microsoft style, if you follow it,
specifically says not to call those little windows "dialogs."
Take care,
Scott
--
Scott A. McClare - Technical Writer
Neptec Design Group Ltd., Kanata, Ontario, Canada
(613) 599-7603 x504
smcclare -at- neptec -dot- com