C H A P T E R 1 3

Language

Although Mac OS X uses graphics as a primary means of user-computer interaction, text is still very prevalent throughout the interface for such things as button names, pop-up menu labels, dialog messages, and onscreen help. Using text consistently and clearly is a critical component of interface design.

Your product team should include a skilled writer who is responsible for reviewing all user-visible onscreen text as well as creating the instructional documentation.

Style

The Apple Publications Style Guide (APSG) defines style and usage issues, and is the key reference for how Apple uses language. This document is available at the Mac OS X developer documentation website; consult it whenever you have a question about the preferred style of particular terms.

For information about specific Mac OS X interface terms, see “Mac OS X Terminology Guidelines” (page 273).

For issues that aren’t covered in the APSG or the Mac OS X terminology appendix, Apple recommends three other works: The American Heritage Dictionary, The Chicago Manual of Style, and Words Into Type. In cases where these books give conflicting rules, The Chicago Manual of Style takes precedence for questions of usage and the

American Heritage Dictionary for questions of spelling.