Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tank!ncar!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!udel!rochester!cornell!vax8530!ke2y
From: ke2y@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: System Error Handling (Was: Mac interface bashing
Summary: If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Keywords: mac, interface, system errors
Message-ID: <3453.25d9361c@vax5.cit.cornell.edu>
Date: 14 Feb 90 14:42:36 GMT
Distribution: comp
Lines: 46

My two cents:

  I, for one, am strongly against modifying the user interface such that things
such as system errors are better explained.  I feel that this could be a HUGE
mistake.
  In my job, I deal with hundreds of users each day, most of which use the
Macintosh like they would a toaster, microwave oven, or automobile:  while
knowing the basics of using it (if I'm lucky), they have ABSOLUTELY no clue
as to how it works.  It just does.  That's all that they care.

  Except when it doesn't.

  Then, they will either come to an operator or consultant and ask us for
help or will panic, do something incredibly stupid which does even more
damage, and then come to an operator or consultant and ask for help.
  Needless to say, I prefer those that come to us first - chances are we
can fix what they've done.  Those who try to 'fix it themselves' usually
end up with a greater mess than what they started with - frequently one
that we cannot help them to recover from.
  (To see how common this is -
    USER:  'Hi.  I wanted to change the font, so I selected all the text.
            Then it all disappeared.  (I might have hit, like 'Tab', or some
            other key.)
            So I saved it.  Can you help me get my text back?'
    OP:    'Um... You SAVED it??!  Did you have a backup?  'Undo'
            isn't working...  Um - sorry.')


  Anyway, to 'improve' the user interface so that system errors were better
explained would mean that the average user would have even more chance for
problems - it sounds more like something they could fix themselves.
  The current system error method works well - it's cryptic enough to
scare them into asking a consultant.
  It works and works well.  Again, if you are a power user, there are simple
remedies such as the wonderful 'System Errors' DA (Now up to v2.5)

  Sorry to waste all this bandwidth, but I didn't want to leave this topic
untouched.

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|  John T. Chapman               |  DISCLAIMER:  The opinions presented    |
|                                |          above are exclusively mine.    |
|  ke2y@vax5.cit.cornell.edu     |            If Cornell wants them,       |
|  ke2y@crnlvax5.bitnet          |          they'll have to start paying   |
|                                |          me more.                       |
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