Re: [Usability] remove vs delete



On Wed, 2006-07-19 at 19:35 +0200, Andre Klapper wrote:
> hej hej,
> 
> can anyone please clarify the usage of the terms "remove" vs "delete"
> with regard to dialogs and buttons? i've searched the archives (yes, via
> google ;-) and took a look into the HIG but could not find anything.
> (i'd like to fix http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=307443 ,
> that's why i ask.)

The HIG defers to the Documentation Style Guide for terminology
recommendations:

http://developer.gnome.org/documents/style-guide/gnome-glossary-user-actions.html

As Calum said in comment #10, "delete" is for permanent actions,
while "remove" is for things that could be re-added.  You remove
an applet from the panel, for instance, because you can put it
back on the panel easily.

This is, perhaps, not a clear-cut case.  You can certainly add
your account back by entering all the information anew.  Then
again, you can add back a file by entering all its contents
from memory.  I would tend to use "delete" only when actual
user data is being lost, not just some configuration stuff.

In the case of removing/deleting an account, I'd be worried
that "delete" would carry the implication that the downloaded
mail would disappear.  With POP, that doesn't happen.  With
IMAP, the mail will disappear, but it's not really deleted.
It's still on a server somewhere.

Ultimately, if no real user data is lost, then I'd say remove.

--
Shaun





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