Re: [Usability] Close vs Exit vs Quit definitions.



Sorry I took so long in getting back.

On Tue, 2004-04-20 at 09:17 +0100, Patrick Costello wrote: 
> "James M. Cape" wrote:
> > 

[snip]

> > Quit means "quit this task".
> 
> Our investigations caused us to conclude that "quit" is an abrupt cessation
> of activity. Often not particularly desirable or chosen. 

Well, obviously quitting any application is evil, because all users
should always use the same app.

> > Exit should not be used, because one doesn't "exit" a task.
> 
> I'm not entirely sure. The AHD says: "Task (5): A computer programming
> technique for ending a repeated cycle of operations." 

I guess I always thought that the most common synonym of the term "Exit"
is not "stop" but "leave". In the same vein I belive "quit" means "stop"
in it's most common usage. 

This was the rationale for the HIG's choice, IIRC.

> > http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/hig/1.0/language.html#id2862949
> > http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/hig/1.0/menus.html#the-file-menu
> > 
> > So, any "Exit" items which appear in the desktop are a bug according to
> > the HIG.
> > 
> 
> Problem is, "Exit" is used in the Desktop and applications. So what are
> documentors supposed to document? Ok, we can log a bug, but the term is
> still present for users.

I'd recommend logging a bug and adding a note where appropriate that
states "Exit" is a deprecated alias for "Quit".

So far as the bugs are concerned, it's typically more work to make the
app use "Exit" rather than just use the GTK_STOCK_QUIT stock item.

-- 
Peace,

    Jim Cape
    http://ignore-your.tv

    "We still name our military helicopter gunships after
     victims of genocide. Nobody bats an eyelash about
     that: Blackhawk. Apache. And Comanche. If the
     Luftwaffe named its military helicopters Jew and
     Gypsy, I suppose people would notice."
       -- Noam Chomsky, "Propaganda and the Public Mind"



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