New Guy again
We had our monthly department meeting today. And because New Guy has been asking a lot of questions, and because our doc mangles terminology, at the end the meeting I led a little discussion about standardizing terminology for what we call things in the user interface. Like, when to use window (local applications), screen (web applications), page (web applications), form (never, it’s developer jargon), dialog box (screen that pops up over the main application screen where you can perform tasks), message (popup where all you can do is click OK/Yes/No/Cancel), etc. I’m trying to gently guide the group into following the Microsoft Manual of Style, but it’s pretty clear that New Guy would rather be doing his own thing. *le sigh*
For example, in our existing documentation I’ve seen the term window used for all of the following:
• Application pages
• Dialog boxes
• Message boxes
• Data entry fields
• Menus
I find this incredibly confusing, and I’m sure it would give translators fits.
So today’s headdesk moment… While discussing the difference between screens, dialog boxes, and messages boxes, New Guy pipes up with “Why don’t we just call them all windows? Users don’t know the difference between all these things. Wouldn’t it make it much simpler to just call everything a window?”
Um, because I just got finished explaining how we use that term for everything and it’s confusing? Didn’t I already make the point that some of these changes are for when we start translating? HAVE YOU NOT BEEN LISTENING TO ME?!?!? Or do you just want to argue because you have some sort of passive-aggressive need to be contrary?
For example, in our existing documentation I’ve seen the term window used for all of the following:
• Application pages
• Dialog boxes
• Message boxes
• Data entry fields
• Menus
I find this incredibly confusing, and I’m sure it would give translators fits.
So today’s headdesk moment… While discussing the difference between screens, dialog boxes, and messages boxes, New Guy pipes up with “Why don’t we just call them all windows? Users don’t know the difference between all these things. Wouldn’t it make it much simpler to just call everything a window?”
Um, because I just got finished explaining how we use that term for everything and it’s confusing? Didn’t I already make the point that some of these changes are for when we start translating? HAVE YOU NOT BEEN LISTENING TO ME?!?!? Or do you just want to argue because you have some sort of passive-aggressive need to be contrary?