On naming defaults

This is sample writing for layout review. It is not a real essay, and it is not about anyone in particular.

A name is often the first interface. It sets an expectation before a control is used, before a page loads, before a command runs. Defaults do the same work more quietly: they choose for someone who has not chosen yet.

The interesting part is not cleverness. It is whether the word still makes sense six months later, when the feature has grown edges. If the name has to be explained, it is probably doing too much.

Sample copy only.