Question Unnecessary exclamation marks

[Galaxiom]

MsgBox "This is the last record!", vbInformation, MT

This is just one example of a pet hate I have with most programs. The widespread use of exclamation marks in messages is simply not justified. Some programmers use them for every message. I actually consider their use quite rude in most situations.

Would you exclaim to someone who had just flipped past the last sheet of paper in a filing drawer? Do you write in large print on the inside of the folder "You have passed the last sheet of paper!"

Are the consequences so dire that you could not calmly inform the user? Then why exclaim the message?

Particularly since you had not warned them before they reached the last record that something terrible would happen if they went past. Oh that's right, nothing bad does happen.

Now if you are saying "Continuing will delete all data" then an exclamation might be justified. But certainly not for something as trivial as reaching the last record.

 

[Guus2005]

There, there, calm down.

Aren't you glad you got that of your chest!
Oops sorry!

Enjoy!

 

[Atomic Shrimp]

I think we probably need a thread "deadly sins committed by unprofessional programmers", or something. I agree with the exclamations, but I think just as bad are:

- Poor spelling in interface elements
- Bad alignment of controls (it makes me feel like someone put sand in my eyes, that one)
- Ambiguous or confusing message dialogs "Failure to save before exiting will discard the current record(!) - you should save your data - are you sure you don't want to save it? - Yes/No/Cancel"

 

[MSAccessRookie]

This is just one example of a pet hate I have with most programs. The widespread use of exclamation marks in messages is simply not justified. Some programmers use them for every message. I actually consider their use quite rude in most situations.

Would you exclaim to someone who had just flipped past the last sheet of paper in a filing drawer? Do you write in large print on the inside of the folder "You have passed the last sheet of paper!"

Are the consequences so dire that you could not calmly inform the user? Then why exclaim the message?

Particularly since you had not warned them before they reached the last record that something terrible would happen if they went past. Oh that's right, nothing bad does happen.

Now if you are saying "Continuing will delete all data" then an exclamation might be justified. But certainly not for something as trivial as reaching the last record.

Maybe all they meant was that all of the work that has been done, there is no more, and you are at the end. If you have been working on a lot of records, that might be worthy of an exclamation.

 

[Banana]

- Ambiguous or confusing message dialogs "Failure to save before exiting will discard the current record(!) - you should save your data - are you sure you don't want to save it? - Yes/No/Cancel"

Ach. That's my pet peeves.

I've long ago given up on Messagebox and simply implement my own dialog boxes just so I could put the caption on the buttons and avoid all that headache of deciphering what each button would do.

Instead of this:

( {} represents a button)

There are unsaved edits. Do you want to save them?

{Yes} | {No} | {Cancel}

I do this:

There are unsaved edits. 

{Save} | {Discard Edits} | {Cancel}

 

[gemma-the-husky]

Banana is correct

a couple of things about msgboxs

1. yes, you ought to be able to relabel the buttons,
2. you ought to be able to specify a font (fixed width would be great)
3. (input boxes) you ought to be able to use a password mask

 

[SOS]

I can't hear you! (nah nah nah nah... )

 

[Galaxiom]

All jokes aside, those exclamation points do contribute to a poor relationship between the user and the program. It might as well say "You idiot, that was the last record".

Perhaps a extra button with a random selection of Dr Smith's insults to the robot in "Lost In Space" could be added to give the user a sense of retaliation.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art3316.asp

Ok. I admit I haven't put the jokes aside.

 

[Banana]

Here's an interesting anecdote.

Way long ago, they were beta-testing the UI for Macintosh, (remmy those beige box with 9 inch monochrome screen and 128K of memory?) they actually didn't want to use "OK' as a default button because they felt it was too informal.

Thus, they had it as "Do it" and went on beta testing by having people off street trying it out. A guy was increasingly getting angry as he repeated an operation over and over to a point that he shouted in frustration. They stopped the test and asked him what was the problem. He replied, "This thing is calling me an idiot."

The thing was that they had used a san serif font and the kerning was so that it looked closer to saying "Dolt" rather than "Do It". Thus, "OK" was used instead.

 

[Simon_MT]

My pet hate is useless help functions that led to a page that is totalling irrelevant.

There is never an option on MS comments of totally factuous(!)

Simon

 

[gemma-the-husky]

actually, as in hitchhikers guide to the galaxy

the best way is, if thety dont click the default button, select the default choice anyway!!!!!

"i knew you didnt mean it ... "

 

[DCrake]

The one that really annoys me is the message you get when installing an application that has shared files and you get a message, something like.

The file you are using is not newer that the existing one. Do you want to keep it or not?

Not Newer?? Also it is very confusing as to whether to click yes or no.

David