click on / click

AmIsmart   Wed Dec 28, 2005 12:36 pm GMT
If you want to open a file, click twice on the icon for it.
When you have selected the file you want, click the 'Open' box.
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I don't understand how 'on' makes the meanings different.
César   Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:56 pm GMT
AmIsmart,

According to the book "Manual of Style for Technical Publications, Third Edition" from Microsoft Press, you never say "click on."

I had the same doubt some months ago and I decided to double check a tecnical book.

Thus, the first sentence should be rephrased like this:

If you want to open a file, double click its icon.

Or

If you want to open a file, click its icon twice.


I hope this helps.
AmIsmart   Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:36 pm GMT
Thank you, but those examples are from Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
I need someone else's more help.


Manual of Style for Technical Publications? What is the book for?
Did it say 'why' about that?
César   Wed Dec 28, 2005 3:08 pm GMT
The book is for technical writers (computer related).

It's interesting to note that Oxford mentions such an example. I believe it is due to different opinions; as usual.

Nope, the book does not say why "click on" should not be used.
Tiffany   Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:30 pm GMT
I've never heard that rule, César. As an American, I'd interpet "click" and click on" to mean the same thing.
César   Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:36 pm GMT
Yeah, I know, Tiffany; but, like I said, it is a technical book and it's meant to deal with this kind of things.

Also, keep in mind that technical jargon has always been a difficult matter (nobody agrees on everything... they usually agree on nothing, hehe).
AmIsmart   Thu Dec 29, 2005 6:48 am GMT
So, Tiffany, do you mean the two mean exactly the same thing?
hmm..
These seemingly-different-but-indentical things make it harder to learn.
Tiffany   Thu Dec 29, 2005 7:03 am GMT
No one ever said it was easy! Wait, a few people have, but I think they wanted to believe English was inferior...

Yes, I say they mean exactly the same thing.
Kirk   Thu Dec 29, 2005 7:06 am GMT
"Click" and "click on" don't seem different to me in this context, either.
Mxsmanic   Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:12 am GMT
Click and click on mean the same thing in this context. I prefer click on, however, as the click is what you do with the mouse button, strictly speaking, and then the results of that click are directed to an element on the display. Clicking an icon sounds like you press on the icon itself with your finger. But that's being bit pedantic and everyone will understand both forms.
César   Thu Dec 29, 2005 4:22 pm GMT
I usually include "on" when using this verb. Sometimes I don't, and it's fine, like:

- Double-click on the "My Computer" icon.
- On "My Computer?"
- Yes, double-click it.

Mxsmanic, I see no reason to find it pedantic. And that idea of "sounding like you press on the icon itself with your finger" is a very personal opinion. When you're helping a person with his/her computer and you tell him/her "click the icon" or something like that, the person is not going to touch the screen with his/her finger.

The Cambridge Advanced Leaner's Dictionary contains this entry:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?dict=CALD&key=23379

Notice that they put "on" between parenthesis. You can either use it or not.

But again, technical books never agree on everything.
AmIsmart   Thu Dec 29, 2005 4:55 pm GMT
How weird.. I don't see "on" in parentheses, but see it in bold type.
In the dictionary, a word in bold type means that it is usually used with the prior word or something.

Anyway, I got my thing.
I appreciate it very much.
César   Thu Dec 29, 2005 4:59 pm GMT
AmIsmart,

It is in bold type between parentheses.
AmIsmart   Thu Dec 29, 2005 5:10 pm GMT
César,

Aha, my bad. I looked up the word "click", not knowing it's directly linked to "double-click".

Thanks!
César   Thu Dec 29, 2005 5:19 pm GMT
AmIsmart,

You're welcome, my friend.