Thank you pharaoh and hapyfrustrated for answering my (and marlene's) questions. I spoke with the people at the company that will be fabricating/installing our shower door. They mostly use channels (for the base of the fixed panels) in their installs, but could use the clips if that was our preference. In our situation it would really be a matter of esthetics (the shower isn't that large). They do feel that over time, with regards to "security" (leaking) a channel will generally hold up better than the clips, but this particular shower really won't see a ton of use, so we could go either way and be totally fine. We decided to stick with the channel. The shower (especially the fixed panel section) will be blocked partially from view by the toilet as one enters the room, so the lower profile of the channel (vs 2" square clips) might be a slightly less-visible option for us anyway. There is also an additional upcharge for the clips (over the price for using the channel). Since we've already added on to the cost of the door; starfire glass, Clear Shield coating, contemporary handle, and 76" ht (rather than 72")--for a downstairs/guest bathroom, it's not something we really feel we need to do. I thank you very much for helping with the terminology and info so we could make an informed decision.

There are some pictures on Houzz with the shorter door, just have to look a bit. You should see if you like the way it looks. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/reaume-construction-and-design-traditional-bathroom-los-angeles-phvw-vp~203787) [traditional bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by los angeles general contractor Reaume Construction & Design [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/glasgow-bathroom-traditional-bathroom-toronto-phvw-vp~81568) [traditional bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by toronto design-build Schnarr Craftsmen Inc [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/commercial-wharf-condo-boston-ma-contemporary-bathroom-boston-phvw-vp~242701) [modern bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/modern-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2105) by boston design-build Serret Construction and Design [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/white-marble-contemporary-bathroom-toronto-phvw-vp~69836) [contemporary bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by toronto showroom Peel Tile

ok, I've just never bought a shower door before, or done a remodel before, and couldn't find any comparable prices on line, and I'm in a small town where nobody has much competition. I'll go talk to my lumberyard today, I hadn't thought about them until this morning. If I knew this guy did great work, but I don't, and somehow writing that big a check to a guy with an air mattress and pillow rolled up in the corner of his office gives me pause.

Our gap is less than 1/4" with no plastic strip. That shower stall is very small, so that frameless door gets more splashing than most of yours ever will, and the only 'leakage' we get is a few drops right at the gap line -- none 'through' the gap and out into the room. In order to be able to have a gap that small, the walls and tilework need to be REALLY, REALLY straight and flat, and most contractors are not that particular. The larger gaps and plastic strips cover the 'fudge factor'...