Galacticomm, Inc.  Development Standards                            23 Jun 1994
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.MSG files
----------

Phrases that are in the form of a question (if they cannot be re-written as a
statement) should end with a "?".  This is the only form of punctuation that
should be used in short descriptions in .MSG files.  All Level 1, Level 3, and
Level 4 options must have help describing what the option is designed to do.
Level 6 Text Blocks in BBSMAJOR.MSG must also have help.  Abbreviation in Level
6 Text Blocks should be used only when it is absolutely necessary.


Color scheme in general
-----------------------

All colors should be bold.
Special information should be yellow.
Prompts and user input should be cyan.
Error messages or alert-type notices should be magenta.
General information (or everything else) should be green.

Menus
-----

Green title, left-justified.
Cyan select character.
Descriptions should be formatted "D ... Option description". A cyan select
     character <space> three yellow periods <space> yellow description.
Menu select characters should be indented three spaces from the left margin.
     The actual menu select character should be at column four.
Long menus should not display "X" as an option.  This will be taken care of on
     the prompt.
Long menus should not have blank lines separating options unless it is critical
     that the options stand out.
Only the first word on a menu should be capitalized unless the word is
     capitalized on the Terms and Phrases list.

Prompts
-------

Prompts should be cyan.
The last option listed on a prompt should be the default option selected
     should a user hit RETURN.  This option should not be "X".
Hitting RETURN should never exit a user from a module.  It should re-prompt
     the user or redisplay the menu.
Single quotes should never be used to delimit a character.
Yes and no questions should end with "(Y/N)?".

Short Prompts
-------------

"X" should be listed on the short prompt as an available option but should not
     be listed on the long menu.
Short prompts should end with "or ? for menu" and redisplay the long menu when
     RETURN is pressed.  Short prompts should never display long help.

     Example:  Select an option (A,B,C,D,E,F,X to exit, or ? for menu):

Long Prompts
------------

"X" should be listed on the prompt as an available option but should not be
     listed on the long menu.
Long prompts should end with "or ? for help" and help should be available if
     it is necessary.  If no help is necessary, prompts should end with "or ?
     for menu" and the long menu should be redisplayed.

     Example (with help):
          Select an option (A,B,C,D,E,F,X to exit, or ? for help):
     Example (no help):
          Select an option (A,B,C,D,E,F,X to exit, or ? for menu):

Help Boxes
----------

Help boxes should be blue and surrounded by a cyan double-bar border.
Help text within boxes should be yellow.
Help boxes should only be displayed when in a full screen application.  In TTY
     mode, help should be scrolling TTY text.


Full Screen Interfaces
----------------------

The standard should follow suit according to the File Libraries.  This is the
     first Galacticomm product to implement this type of interface.
Tagging a file should advance the cursor to the next line.
The right and left arrow keys should select the next and previous page,
     respectively.
Information above and below the area where a user can navigate should be green,
     with cyan highlighting available choices.  Available options should not
     use quotations.
Select characters for file names (or data within the scroll region) should be
     cyan. File names (data) should be yellow.  Descriptions (file size, date,
     time) should be green.
Tagged items should be marked with an asterisk (*) on both sides of the file
     name (data).
Help text in full screen applications should be in the form of a pop-up
     display.

Full Screen Data Entry Interfaces
---------------------------------

FSD sessions should follow the standard, minus the following exception:
     Text to be de-emphasized should be in dim green.  (This would be any text
          describing what a particular FSD option is, etc.)
     Where possible, all error messages should be displayed on the 24th line of the
          display and beep the user's terminal.

Miscellaneous
-------------

Be judicious in the use of ellipses and quotation marks.
Offline Utilities should be using the "half-bar" borders.
All offline options need to have ample space for it's longest possible option.
     (I.e., all options requiring the name of a key must be 16 characters
     long.)
In a module with branching menus, pressing RETURN can exit the user from his
     current menu.  It should not allow the user to exit the module.


The Galacticomm Terms and Phrases List                              12 Jul 1994
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This is a list of non-standard terms and phrases commonly used in Galacticomm
publications, literature and correspondence.  In general, if a term or its
usage is covered in a standard reference, such as a dictionary or style manual,
it is not included here.

Some of these terms are trademarks.

Terms and phrases are shown with minimum capitalization.  More capitalization
may be appropriate in certain contexts, as in beginning a sentence with
"Activation code" or using "ADD-ON OPTION" as a major subhead.

Where appropriate, parenthetical notes are added after the term.  Where
variations on similar terms are shown, the notes distinguish them.  Notes that
end with "only" generally describe the less-often-used variation.

The list is in ASCII-alphabetical order without regard to case.

activation code
add-on option (a specifically named one)
Add-On Options (title on binder)
add-on Utilities (use offline add-on Utilities)
Advanced LAN Option
Alternate Language add-on option
alternate path prefix
Androids!
ANSI
ASCII
Audit Trail
Audit Trail Detail screen
auto-cleanup
autosensor (custom detection subroutine)
autosense (verb, what an autosensor does)
Basic Utility (use offline Basic Utility)
BBS
BBS's (possessive)
BBSDRAW
BBSes (plural)
BBSetup
BSD/386
bulletin board
bulletin board system (when not shown as an elaboration of BBS)
Bulletin Board System (when shown next to BBS)
C source (in sentences)
C source code (in sentences)
C Source Code (part of the title of an add-on option)
carbon copy
ChatLink
class
class keyring
Configuration (use offline Configuration)
connectivity disk
Connectivity Options (as X.25, LAN, User Six-Packs, etc.)
Co-Sysop
Customer-Service Model BBS
Demo System (in formal contexts, use Galacticomm Demo System)
Developer-ID
Developer's Guide for The Major BBS
Dial-Out (in formal contexts, use Dial-Out add-on option)
disk (as opposed to diskette)
distribution list
Door (application program)
Doors (feature or the online service)
Doors support (feature)
DOORWAY (product by TriMark Engineering)
DOS
E-mail
Electronic Mail (the online service, a proper noun, or the messages, a regular
     noun)
electronic mail (in general discussion, e.g. non-Galacticomm)
Emulation screen
enter (verb, user typing something and hitting RETURN)
Enter (noun, key on the Sysop's BBS console keyboard, should appear as
     "<Enter>" in italics if possible, when referring to user keystrokes, use
     RETURN)
Entertainment Collection (in formal contexts use Entertainment Collection
     add-on option)
Entertainment Teleconference
extended ASCII (the 256 IBM-PC display characters)
fax
Fax/Online (in formal contexts use Fax/Online add-on option)
FAZUUL
File Libraries (online service)
File Library (adjective, as in File Library files)
filename
filescan
Flash games
Flash Attack!
Flash Maze
Flash Protocol
Flash Tanks
Flash SpaceWars
For-Profit Model BBS
Forum (a subgrouping of messages within the Forums online service)
Forum Operator
Forum-Op
Forums (the online service)
FTP (service, application, used in most discussion, or anywhere you could
     substitute "File 	Transfer Protocol")
ftp (typed command line, or as a verb only, never where you could substitute
     "File Transfer Protocol")
Full Screen Data Entry
Full Screen Editor
functionality
GB (abbreviation for gigabyte)
G-Board
G-Box
GalactiBoard
GalactiBoard Interrupt Register
GalactiBox
GalactiBox Interface Card
GalactiBox mode
GalactiBox motherboard
Galacticomm
Galacticomm Demo System
Galacticomm, Inc.
Galacticomm Software Breakthrough Library
Galacticomm Software Breakthrough Library Reference Guide
GHost (used with Doors)
GSBL
GSBL Reference Guide
Hardware Setup (use offline Hardware Setup)
hard-wired
Hayes-category hardware
host program (used with Doors)
in-box (regarding Electronic Mail)
internaut (Internet user)
Internet (the worldwide collection of networks, etc.)
internet (a multi-network in general, only)
Introductory Menu
IPX
IPX Direct circuit
IPX Virtual circuit
IPX/D (only use after a reference to "IPX Direct circuit")
IPX/V (only use after a reference to "IPX Virtual circuit")
Kermit
key (privilege given to users)
keyring
Kyrandia
LAN-category hardware
Level 1 Hardware Setup option <name>
Level 3 Security and Accounting option <name>
Level 3 Security option <name> (for security options only)
Level 3 Accounting option <name> (for accounting options only)
Level 4 Configuration option <name>
Level 6 Text Block <name>
Lib-Op
Library (a subgrouping of files within the File Libraries)
Library Sysop
Line Editor
Linear Data Entry
Linux
Local login screen
lock (restriction on a feature)
Locks and Keys (trademarked feature)
log off (verb)
log-off (adjective or noun, don't use "logoff")
login (UNIX reference)
log on or log in (verb)
log-on or log-in (adjective or noun, don't use "logon" or "login")
Main Menu
Major Gateway/Internet (in formal contexts, use Major Gateway/Internet
     add-on option)
Major QWK-mail
master key
MB (abbreviation for megabyte)
Menu Tree (the offline service, trademarked feature)
menu tree (the hierarchy of menus)
Message Handling Service
MHS
Monitor screen
Mosaic
multiport
multiplayer
multitasking
multi-user
multilingual
Newsgroup
non-hardware channel
non-privileged (regarding Forum access)
offline (not off-line)
offline add-on Utilities Menu
offline Basic Utilities Menu
offline Basic Utility
offline Configuration Options (the service)
offline Configuration option <name> (an option)
offline Hardware Setup (the service)
offline Hardware Setup option <name> (an option)
offline Menu Tree Design
offline Report
offline Reports Menu
offline Security and Accounting option <name> (an option)
offline Security and Accounting Options (the service)
offline Text Block Editing (the service)
online (not on-line)
Online User Information screen
option (CNF)
out-box (regarding Electronic Mail)
packet-switching network (not switch or switched)
PC XNet Card
Phar Lap 286|DOS-Extender SDK
Polls and Questionnaires
Private Model BBS
privileged (regarding Forum access)
pseudo-keys
Public Model BBS
quickscan
recompile
Registry of Users (online service)
Remote Sysop Menu
Reports Menu (use offline Reports menu)
RETURN (noun, key on a user's terminal keyboard, when referring to Sysop
     keystrokes, use <Enter>)
return receipt
RFC (Request For Comment, usually refers to an Internet standard)
RIPaint ("aint" should be in italics)
RIPaint add-on option (with BBS V6.2x)
RIPscrip ("scrip" should be in italics)
RIPscrip add-on option (with BBS V6.1x)
RIPterm ("term" should be in italics)
runtime
Search and Retrieve (in formal contexts, use Search and Retrieve add-on option)
Search and Retrieve Indexing Engine (offline service)
Security and Accounting Options (use offline Security and Accounting Options
     if possible)
Shopping Mall (in formal contexts, use Shopping Mall add-on option)
Sign-up Model BBS
software registration number
Solaris
SPX
SPX circuit
Summary screen
Sub-Library
Super Kermit
SYSOP (a class, key, lock, or the master key indicator)
Sysop (a User-ID, person, or adjective referring to online operation of the
     BBS)
Sysop chat mode
System Operator
System Operations Manual
tagspec (for downloading)
TCP/IP
Tele-Sysop
Teleconference (the online service, a proper noun)
Teleconference link-up
telnet (a verb, or as typed on a command line)
TELNET (service, application)
text block (the data, for the offline service, use "offline Text Block
     Editing" if possible)
text option (CNF)
text variables
The Major BBS (a registered trademark)
The Major BBS Developer's C Source Kit
The Major BBS Extended C Source Suite
The Major Database (in formal contexts, use The Major Database add-on option)
The Major Database Configuration Utilities (offline service)
The Major News
third-party application
third-party developer
UART-category hardware
Universal Disable Register
Universal mode (GalactiBox)
UNIX
Usenet
User Account Detail screen (the online Sysop service)
User Account Display/Edit (the online user service)
User-Defined Application
User Information (use Online User Information screen)
user-language
user matrix (on the Summary and Online User Information screens)
User Registry (usually use Registry of Users)
User Six-Pack
User's Guide to The Major BBS
User-ID
User-ID's (possessive)
User-IDs (plural)
UUCP
UUPLUS
Version N.NN (software version number/code)
VN.NN (abbreviation for Version N.NN)
virtual circuit
Volatile Data Area
WWW (World Wide Web)
X Window System
X.25 Software Option
X.25-category hardware
Xecom-category hardware
XMODEM
XMODEM-1K
XMODEM-CRC
YMODEM (same as YMODEM-Batch)
YMODEM-Batch
YMODEM-g
ZMODEM
