Re: About: About

[Joachim Schlesener <jos tp heise de>]

Bowie Poag writes:
 > 
 > 
 > > > 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.
 > 

Why not make 'Preferences' always the last entry in the 'Options'-Menu 
and the Preferences Dialog can contain a tabbed notebook if there are
lots of preferences.