Re: About: About





> > This kinda stuff falls right into line with what has been proposed by the
> > addition of a (Program/Gnome/(foot)) entry in the menu bar. Pick one, I
> > suppose:
> > 
> > Program  File  Edit  View  Options  Help  Preferences
> > Gnome    File  Edit  View  Options  Help  Preferences
> > (foot)   File  Edit  View  Options  Help  Preferences
> > 
> 
> Just curious, what's the distinction between between Options and
> Preferences?

Sure -- Thanks for asking, Tim.

The difference between Options and Preferences is simple -- Lets
use an example. A word processor. 


Options has to do with stuff like determining whether Word Wrap has been
turned on or off. Whether or not you want to have the first letter of each
new line capitalized, etc.. Simple yes/no toggles which are often changed
by the user, on the fly, in the process of using a paticular program.

Preferences, on the other hand, has more to do with rarely changed stuff.
Like where you always want the file manager to point when loading and
saving files, how many minutes you want to go by before an auto-save
of your document occurs, etc. That kinda stuff--Stuff you really should
only need to enter once, and never need to worry about again. Margain
settings for your printer, specific to THAT PROGRAM, to give
another example. :)

A preference -- An underlying setting -- Something which will rarely
change. 

An option -- A thing which changes frequently, and needs to be at the
user's frequent & immediate reach.


Bowie


> 
> Tim Moore
> 
> 



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