I was thinking about stupidity in software documentation. I saw this in a manual:
and I thought "How stupid!" Here's the problem. While the menu option may be "technically" called "Open Patients..." the ... in the menu option mean something different in software documentation. In writing, ... means etc or I can't think of anything else to say so I'll let my thoughts just trail off into nothingness. In a software UI that is based upon Microsoft, the ... means there is another window that will open. Menu options without ... mean that there is likely not another window. For examples, in Microsoft Word, you have File ==> New... because selecting New means a different window will display. Also in Microsoft Word, you have File ==> Save and there aren't any ... because there is no window that displays. The File ==> Save As... option does have the ... because another window displays.
What I think happened is some idiot didn't understand the difference between UI design and a set of instructions in a user manual. Hence, you get a TWer who was probably told the doc had to match the UI *exactly* and that is really sad in our profession. Our job, my job, is to communicate to the user. The above blurb with the ... is insulting the user because they have to redefine what ... means and translate it from UI to software documentation. I would venture a guess that there is anyone who isn't a tech writer that knows about ... and yet, the software doc makes... requires... demands the user define something. That last sentence is an example of the ... being used correctly.
The other thing going on in life is that I am too busy. It's that simple.
Monday is lessons @ 5:30 and Megan has a band concert @ West. Probably won't get home until after 9.
Tuesday is haircut for me and Susie/Jonathan down for supper.
Wednesday is RE, which is actually our slow night.
Thursday is Karen/Megan getting a haircut, which is actually another slow night. We also need to prepare the house for Saturday.
Friday is going to National Car Rental in CR and renting a mini-van and dropping off our taxes in Swisher. Lou and Jean come down.
Saturday is when the real fun begins. Mark/Susie, Karen/I are all going to Memphis, TN. We should arrive in Memphis no later than 8 PM, hopefully earlier than that!
Sunday is when we are going to 10 AM Mass @ a Catholic church that is only a few blocks from our hotel. After Mass, we are going to see Graceland. I'd like to eat breakfast @ a Waffle House, but that remains to be seen (Karen ate @ one in Orlando, FL, and thought the food was gross).
Monday - Wednesday, I am attending the WritersUA conference @ the Peabody Hotel. That is during the day.
At night, I'm not exactly sure what we will do. I think the only night to eat BBQ @ the Rendezvous is Monday night. I want to pick up a bottle of their delicious BBQ sauce.
Tuesday, I'm not sure what is going to happen. I would like to find a good local band on Beale Street.
Wednesday, the tentative plan is to go to Tunica, MS, where there is a casino and spend Wednesday night.
Thursday AM, we will get up and drive back home. I am on vacation Friday so I will have a 3 day weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment