Cocoa mail archive
Re: "untitled" vs "Untitled"
FROM : Brian K.
DATE : Sun Jul 10 09:28:33 2005
On Jul 10, 2005, at 2:58 AM, Ali Ozer wrote:
> Lowercasing a name is a technique that doesn't apply in all languages;
It doesn't have to apply to all languages. I don't expect it to be
done in Japanese. It can be done for the English localization, and
probably a few latin based languages.
Also, in the latest HIG text, there's also that big figure on page
182 that takes up half the page. In that figure is a screenshot of
an example of proper untitled window name (i.e. "untitled") that has
a "Do this" checkmark next to it, along with four examples of what
NOT to do with red "Do NOT do this" symbols next to them; included in
this bunch of what NOT to do is an example of "Untitled".
> in addition, these days we have the proxy icon, which more clearly
> states whether the document has been saved on disk,
Yes, but it's not all that obvious in comparison to the name itself
indicating such.
> in addition to the dot in the close box, which indicates whether it
> is currently saved or not.
Which is a good supplemental feature, but it is no excuse for
removing an excellent guideline (which has really good psychological
roots in its reasoning).
> Neither of these techniques was around when this guideline was
> written up.
True, but that doesn't mean it's still not a good guideline. Change
for change's sake is not a reason.
> But these days the lowercasing of "untitled" is unnecessary
I beg to differ. A lot of things that might not be considered
"necessary" really are necessary for the elegance---adding finesse to
the subtle details of the work environment. In my experience, a lot
of programmers miss this concept, but the great ones don't. If you
start ignoring the niceties of the details, then you start getting
Windows and Linux GUIs.
> in addition to being incomplete and unsightly.
How is it incomplete? And it's not unsightly, it's just SUPPOSED to
draw attention to the fact that it's not saved. The people who wrote
up the core guidelines long ago really did know what they were
doing. I'd hate to see this good thing messed up. I see it all the
time---the new engineers who do not have the upmost intimate
knowledge of the design, destroy well thought-out and excellent
design aspects.
I further quote from Apple texts:
"Never capitalize the word 'untitled' in a new window title. It
makes the window look like it has a name and discourages people from
saving the document with a meaningful name. Don't number the first
new window with the numerical one. Usually people open only one
window, use it, save and name it, and then go on with other work. In
this case, numbering one instance of a window doesn't make sense and
is distracting. Also, don't add punctuation of any kind to untitled
window titles. Figure 5-11 shows several examples of window titles
that use naming techniques you should avoid; it includes an example
of the right way to title a window."
I agree with these guidelines wholeheartedly.
DATE : Sun Jul 10 09:28:33 2005
On Jul 10, 2005, at 2:58 AM, Ali Ozer wrote:
> Lowercasing a name is a technique that doesn't apply in all languages;
It doesn't have to apply to all languages. I don't expect it to be
done in Japanese. It can be done for the English localization, and
probably a few latin based languages.
Also, in the latest HIG text, there's also that big figure on page
182 that takes up half the page. In that figure is a screenshot of
an example of proper untitled window name (i.e. "untitled") that has
a "Do this" checkmark next to it, along with four examples of what
NOT to do with red "Do NOT do this" symbols next to them; included in
this bunch of what NOT to do is an example of "Untitled".
> in addition, these days we have the proxy icon, which more clearly
> states whether the document has been saved on disk,
Yes, but it's not all that obvious in comparison to the name itself
indicating such.
> in addition to the dot in the close box, which indicates whether it
> is currently saved or not.
Which is a good supplemental feature, but it is no excuse for
removing an excellent guideline (which has really good psychological
roots in its reasoning).
> Neither of these techniques was around when this guideline was
> written up.
True, but that doesn't mean it's still not a good guideline. Change
for change's sake is not a reason.
> But these days the lowercasing of "untitled" is unnecessary
I beg to differ. A lot of things that might not be considered
"necessary" really are necessary for the elegance---adding finesse to
the subtle details of the work environment. In my experience, a lot
of programmers miss this concept, but the great ones don't. If you
start ignoring the niceties of the details, then you start getting
Windows and Linux GUIs.
> in addition to being incomplete and unsightly.
How is it incomplete? And it's not unsightly, it's just SUPPOSED to
draw attention to the fact that it's not saved. The people who wrote
up the core guidelines long ago really did know what they were
doing. I'd hate to see this good thing messed up. I see it all the
time---the new engineers who do not have the upmost intimate
knowledge of the design, destroy well thought-out and excellent
design aspects.
I further quote from Apple texts:
"Never capitalize the word 'untitled' in a new window title. It
makes the window look like it has a name and discourages people from
saving the document with a meaningful name. Don't number the first
new window with the numerical one. Usually people open only one
window, use it, save and name it, and then go on with other work. In
this case, numbering one instance of a window doesn't make sense and
is distracting. Also, don't add punctuation of any kind to untitled
window titles. Figure 5-11 shows several examples of window titles
that use naming techniques you should avoid; it includes an example
of the right way to title a window."
I agree with these guidelines wholeheartedly.
