Options, Settings, Properties, Configuration, Preferences — when and why?

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礼貌的吻别
礼貌的吻别 2021-01-29 17:21

There are several words with similar (in some sense) meaning:

Options, Settings, Properties, Configuration, Preferences

English is n

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  • 2021-01-29 17:49

    I just did a quick scan and wanted to post this list for reference.

    Edge                        Settings
    Google Chrome               Settings
    Google Chrome DevTools      Settings > Preferences
    Mozilla FireFox             Options (about:preferences) > Network Settings
    Mozilla FireFox DevTools    Settings > Editor Preferences
    Opera                       Settings
    
    DeviantArt                  Settings
    Facebook                    Settings, News Feed Preferences
    GitHub                      Settings
    Google                      Settings
    IMDb                        Account Settings > Preferences
    Instagram                   Options (aria-label)
    JSFiddle                    Settings
    StackOverflow               Settings > Preferences
    Twitter                     Settings
    YouTube                     Settings
    
    FileZilla                   Edit > Settings
    GitHub                      File > Options
    Notepad++                   Settings > Preferences
    VS Code                     Preferences > Settings
    
    Audacity                    Preferences
    IcoFx                       Options > Preferences > Options
    Process Explorer            Options
    TeamViewer                  Tools > Options
    uTorrent                    Options > Preferences
    Windows Media Player        Tools/Organize > Options
    
    phpmyadmin                  Settings
    XAMPP                       Config > Service and Port Settings
                                       > Log Options
    
    MS Word                     File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options
                                                          > Writing Style Settings
    
    Photoshop                   Edit > Color Settings
                                Edit > Preferences
                                Type > Language Options
                                3D > 3D Print Settings
                                Viev > 32-bit Preview Options
                                Window > Options
    
    Windows                     Settings
    

    Used as the parent (window/choice):

    • Settings : 20 times
    • Options : 10 times
    • Preferences : 4 times
    • Config(uration) : 1 time

    Total mentions:

    • Settings : 24
    • Options : 15
    • Preferences : 12
    • Config(uration) : 1

    Based on this, I'd sort these in this order (from general/fixed/app-related to specific/dynamic/user-related):

    Settings > Options > Preferences

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  • 2021-01-29 17:51

    I think that one point of view is missing here namely the relation between configuration/settings/options/preferences.

    To me a configuration or preferences contain many settings or options so there can be one setting or one option.

    You usually say "Change this option/setting" and not "Change this preference/configuration", don't you?

    When someone says preferences or configuration I understand it as a set of settings or options.

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  • 2021-01-29 17:52

    I believe it's largely a matter of personal preference.

    However, I feel that I usually see properties as referencing one single part of an appliation, where as Options/Settings are usually a more global property.

    In addition, Preferences are probably not things that have as large of an impact as something labeled options or settings. Things such as a minor change in the display or something similar.

    The most important thing is to have consistency across the application.

    And personally, I prefer the term 'options', as it sounds less intimidating than settings, properties, or configuration.

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  • 2021-01-29 17:53

    Apart from Properties (which usually applies to a document or object inside a document, except when it doesn't), they're pretty much all the same. No-one agrees which terminology is best.

    For example for program config, Apple style is ‘Preferences’ in the application menu, GNOME style is ‘Preferences’ on the ‘Edit’ menu. KDE style is a whole ‘Settings’ menu of its own. Windows style was ‘Options’ on the ‘Tools’ menu, though all bets are off now as more MS apps drop the menu bar and throw the old predictable controls all over the place with no consistent pettern.

    RISC OS style was ‘Choices’ on the icon bar menu, just to add yet another pointless possibility.

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  • 2021-01-29 17:55

    Tricky, this, as there's no one single consistent style followed by all applications. As you say they are (broadly) synonyms.

    In truth it doesn't really matter so long as your expected audience understands what you mean.

    The biggest difference is between Properties, which usually affect a component or object, and the others, which affect the whole application.

    Following an approximate lead from Visual Studio and other Microsoft products:

    • Properties represent the characteristics of a single component or object in the application.
    • Options alter global ways that the application works. Microsoft products use this to customise the UI toolbar, for example. There's an implication here that you can disable UI elements altogether (e.g. a "Simple" user interface or an "Advanced" user interface).
    • Settings and Preferences change qualities of how the application works. The implication here is to change, not disable: for example, "Metric measurements" or "British Imperial measurements".
    • Configuration is often where an application is customised for each user or group.

    But there's no single rule.

    I'd suggest you use Properties for object characteristics and Settings for everything else that's application-wide.

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  • 2021-01-29 17:57

    Settings: Thinking of a slider to select a value from 1 to 10 for example

    Options: Thinking of an on/off button

    Preferences: Thinking of a choice from multiple choices, like morning, afternoon or evening

    Configuration: Technical settings probably end users should not know about. Like what is the data source?

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