use of terms - screen, page, and window (long response)

[Charles Beck]

Hi Tammy,

OK, here's my working definitions for all these plus a few other related
ones (not necessarily those of my employer, but in common use in my
experience):

*	Screen - The display portion of a monitor or other visual
display device (such as a PDA). I think this agrees with the MS manual. 
*	Window - That part of the display that an application uses to
display information, interactive fields, etc., within a defined frame.
It might or might not include navigational devices and/or menus,
toolbars, and the like. This is a highly generic term, and it includes
all sorts of things, from windows used by applications such as Word,
FrameMaker, etc., to dialog boxes and pop-up windows. My conviction is
that this term should be used only when a subtype of window cannot be
identified or used.
*	Dialog box - A subtype of window in which the user is asked for
more information or required to make selections the system requires to
process whatever requests. This is usually used within the context of a
wizard or form function within a larger context.
*	Pop-up window - A specialized window in which a very limited
amount of information is displayed. These are commonly used for
(glossary) definitions, expanded illustrations, and the like. They are
always secondary to the primary window from which they are called and
usually closed when the user is done with them. They are typically used
to provide ancillary information withou taking the user away from the
primary window. Note that the use of "pop-up" by itself is, IMO, not
appropriate, as it is my conviction that "pop-up" is an adjective and
not a noun. I am not so hardcore on this, however, as to want to argue
the point with anyone. 
*	Message box - These are small pop-up type windows that are
extremely limited, usually presenting an alert or warning message and
providing only a button or three to the user to make a choice as to how
to proceed (if applicable). 
*	Page - The display area within a window where the user accesses
and/or interacts with the application. In my experience, this is usually
used primarily within the context of a Web browser window, for such
things as "Web pages." This is basically the window minus the border,
menus, toolbars, status bar, etc. However, in the context of an
application such as Word, FrameMaker, Visio, Firefox, or whatever, I
might call this either a workspace, a pane, or a frame, depending on the
context. 
*	Workspace - Usually used within an application the user works
in. For instance, in FrameMaker, the workspace is the area (similar to a
page) in which the user composes text to be output.
*	Pane - Usually used within the context of an application with
multiple workspace areas divided by frames or borders. 
*	Frame - Similar to a pane, but I use this term typically ONLY in
the context of a Web page. 

Of course, this is all INMSHO, and YMMV, but I do HTH. (Aren't
e-acronyms wonderful?)   ;o)
 
Chuck Beck



-----Original Message-----
From: framers-bounces+charles.beck=infor.com at lists.frameusers.com
[mailto:framers-bounces+charles.beck=infor.com at lists.frameusers.com
<mailto:framers-bounces+charles.beck=infor.com at lists.frameusers.com> ]
On Behalf Of Tammy Van Boening
Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 4:01 PM
To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: OT: use of terms - screen, page, and window

For all the writers on this list who have had to define a solid list of
terms in their Styles and Standards:


Working on a design doc., some of which will translate into the User's
guide information. My developer's are referring to everything as a
screen. However, I am working in an HTML-rendered environment, so I
would like to use "page", especially since (as per MS's Manual of Style
for Tech. Pubs), a "screen" is defined as the graphic portion of  a
visual output device and this definition cross-references display and
monitor. For the "pop-ups" that may open when a user clicks on an option
on the page, the developers are using the term window. At other gigs, we
have used dialog box, pop-up dialog box, pop-up, and pop-up window, so
obviously, the terminology can be all over the board. Summation - I am
wanting to use the following terms:

Page
Window (for the classic pop-up available on a web page) Tabs (available
on the page)

Any thoughts, suggestions, comments, disagreements, comments from
similar experiences?

TIA,

TVB


Tammy Van Boening
Engineering Technical Writer
InsureWorx, now a Fiserv Company
303-729-7733
tvanboening at insureworx.com
***********************************************************************
Keep Smiling - At least until you get your own way

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