"The machine does not need to affirm its lower status. It's a machine."
I think many 'normal' users need frequent reminders about that lower status. Many users, when confronted with a message such as "could not find file 'foo'", will feel that that is their fault.
I didn't say I agree with it, I was just giving you the back story :-) Personally I'd prefer it say something like "Brain the size of a planet and they have me scanning groceries, really, like I care about your groceries? Sure if you hold them up I'll have a look but really how about a nice game a 3D chess or a number factoring contest.." but that is because I recognize that I am amused by irony :-)
That said, perhaps the most correct thing it could do is use visual iconography and not say anything. I'm sure the non-english speakers don't really "get" what it is saying but they have learned which steps go after each utterance.
Re:Should error messages apologize?
by unclebucknasty on Wednesday April 09, 2014 @06:26PM
(#7562907)
On the flip-side, a machine that simply gives commands without saying please may be perceived by some as affirming its higher status. Or, at least, this may be the designer's concern.
Exactly. A machine affirms its lower status by simply doing what it is supposed to do. Machines that incorrectly second-guess the user, or offer apologies often make people feel as though the machine is being condescending, or trying to control them instead.
When it becomes sentient, then it earns the right to talk to me like human would. Until then, don't pretend to be something that you are not.
Edit: Maybe I'm weird, but I would prefer it to say something like "SCAN NOW", in a robot voice. Maybe add an "OK" if you want to soften it up a bit.