The social contract between the user and the OS is broken

Re:The social contract between the user and the OS is broken by _wire_ on Tuesday May 12, 2026 @05:20PM (#48114777)

The social contract was void the first time any consumer device displayed "Welcome" or "Hello"

Windows got obscenely shifty at 11 when depending on the liability or gain of the interaction at hand the initiative of the dialog switches from MSFT to the user:

Windows will install updates...

(updater running) You're XX% there. Don't turn off your PC.

Copilot: What do you want to do?

Defender: Your PC is unprotected

(Installation) We're getting a few things ready

With Tesla cars, "Full" Self Driving does not include a crash; when the system determines a crash to be unavoidable it takes its hands off and "returns control to the driver" in the moment of impact, such that Tesla can deny liability in the episode.

Consider intentionality and design patterns of the "click wrap" license agreement, or terms of use updates that are implicitly accepted by "continuing to use".

The shifty BS is pervasive

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The social contract between the user and the OS is broken by m348e912 on Tuesday May 12, 2026 @10:15PM (#48117039)

>With Tesla cars, "Full" Self Driving does not include a crash; when the system determines a crash to be unavoidable it takes its hands off and "returns control to the driver" in the moment of impact, such that Tesla can deny liability in the episode.

I didn't know about this one, interesting

[ Parent | on HN ]