Re: Word-a-Day preview round

[Shaun McCance <shaunm gnome org>]

On Thu, 2008-04-24 at 16:16 +0100, Calum Benson wrote:
> On 23 Apr 2008, at 18:59, Shaun McCance wrote:
> 
> > There are a number of -bar and -box terms where there's
> > disagreement on whether they should be one word or two.
> > Rather than have separate debates for each term, let's
> > just take a look at a few all at once.  I'm not making
> > any recommendations at this point.  I'm just soliciting
> > opinions.
> 
> Ah yes, I remember Pat Costello getting quite animated about these  
> ones when the original terms were chosen :)
> 
> > check box (Gnome, Microsoft)
> > checkbox (Apple)
> 
> "Checkbox" seems to be more commonly used, at least if you believe  
> Google's hit counts.  I also slightly favour it because "check the  
> checkbox" looks slightly less awkward than "check the check box".
> (Assuming we're going to use "check" as the verb, which is slightly  
> contentious in itself as nobody over here "checks" boxes, they "tick"  
> them...)

Actually, most style guides agree that you "select" a check
box.  Gnome and Apple both say "select" and "deselect", and
Microsoft says "select" and "clear".  I have to say that I
hate the word "deselect", but "clear" doesn't fit right with
most things you'd select, such as icons or text.  I don't
know any better terms.  (And that conversation should have
its own Word-a-Day thread, of course.)

> > menu bar (Apple)
> > menubar (Gnome)
> >
> > status bar (Microsoft)
> > statusbar (Gnome)
> >
> > title bar (Apple, Microsoft)
> > titlebar (Gnome)
> >
> > tool bar
> > toolbar (Gnome, Apple, Microsoft)
> 
> 
> I prefer the non-compound version of all of these except "tool bar",  
> but it's hard to say why.  Some of the compound ones (esp.  
> "statusbar") just don't look right as words, whereas "toolbar"  
> probably looks okay because it's somewhat akin to "toolbox".

There does seem to be agreement on "toolbar".  I put it
in the list not so much because I expected argument, but
rather to show precedent.

The current Gnome recommendations seem to favor one word
for -bar words, but two words "check box".  I don't think
anybody says "textbox" instead of "text box".  But then,
I don't know how much word-to-word consistency matters.

--
Shaun