Re: Word-a-Day: button, command button, toggle button



On Wed, 2008-04-23 at 11:52 -0500, Shaun McCance wrote:

...

> button

...

> Correct:
> Click the 'Theme Details' button.
> Click 'Close'.
> 
> Some buttons do not have labels.  For these buttons, use
> either the tooltip or the accessible name as the label
> when referring to the button.  If possible, insert the
> icon after the label in parentheses.
> 
> Correct:
> Click the 'Attach a file' (#) button on the toolbar.
> 
> The word "button" can also be used to refer to mechanical
> buttons.  Use the verb "press" for mechanical buttons.
> 
> Correct:
> Press the reset button on your computer.
> Press the left mouse button.
> 
> Incorrect:
> Click the left mouse button.

These examples touch upon a subject that has pained me for a decade now.
What are the correct verbs to describe how to use a button? This may
apply to a hyperlink too.

The 'click' is associated with the mouse, and we are avoiding the mouse
in our documentation. 'Click' is also considered bad form when
describing Web UI. I'm certain I have never 'clicked' a real button. I
have 'pushed', 'pressed', 'sat upon', and 'kicked' buttons, but never
'clicked'

I use 'press' sometimes in documentation, but I attribute that to my
heavy keyboard usage. Are we using 'clicked' in these examples to infer
the use of the mouse?

-- 

__C U R T I S  C.  H O V E Y_______
Guilty of stealing everything I am.

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