Re: [Usability] Chabada's Suggestions

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

On Tue, 27 Jun 2006, Matthew Paul Thomas wrote:

[...]

> > Yes, they often don't. But have to assume they do and plan our UI
> > around that assumption. Otherwise we'd have no messages at all, and
> > probably no user documentation either.
> > ...
>
> That's a long-term goal to work towards: alerts replaced by bug fixes
> and better design, and "user documentation" replaced by helpful help
> and better design.

> But that's not the issue here. The issue is, given that there is an
> error alert, which alert text is better:

I agree with your sentiment but ...


> "Nautilus could not open the
> file because the filetype is unknown", or

> "&operatingsystem; cannot play MP3 files, because some countries allow
> software patents and Free Software cannot pay patent licenses".

... there are so many things wrong with that second sentence I will not
criticize it other than to say I hope you will retract it, or rephrase it.

-- 
Alan H.