 |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
To me, one of the most important things a piece of code (whether it's an
entire program, or just a single routine) can do is fail gracefully. If
it fails, enough context and information should be given that you know
why it failed.
iTunes is absolutely horrible at this. Apparently, Apple thinks that
"failing gracefully" means quietly ignore the error with no record of it
being kept anywhere. In other words, you don't even *know* there's an
error. Your only clue is that the expected result didn't actually
occur. Once you figure out there's been an error, you have no idea what
caused it.
Talk about bad practice.
...Chambers
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Chambers wrote:
> Talk about bad practice.
I remember spending 15 minutes or so on an original Mac trying to figure
out why I couldn't save my work, or make a copy of it on the floppy, or
etc etc etc, because the floppy was write-protected. No message or
anything - just failure to highlight the drive icon when you drag the
folder over it, a greyed-out save menu, etc.
I liked the Amiga mechanism much better. You drag a file onto a disk
icon, it pops up a window saying the drive is write-protected, you take
the disk out, unprotect it, put it back in, and it automatically clicks
"retry" for you.
--
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
Helpful housekeeping hints:
Check your feather pillows for holes
before putting them in the washing machine.
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Chambers <ben### [at] pacificwebguy com> wrote:
> To me, one of the most important things a piece of code (whether it's an
> entire program, or just a single routine) can do is fail gracefully. If
> it fails, enough context and information should be given that you know
> why it failed.
>
> iTunes is absolutely horrible at this. Apparently, Apple thinks that
> "failing gracefully" means quietly ignore the error with no record of it
> being kept anywhere. In other words, you don't even *know* there's an
> error. Your only clue is that the expected result didn't actually
> occur. Once you figure out there's been an error, you have no idea what
> caused it.
>
> Talk about bad practice.
>
> ...Chambers
I've had repeated problems over the years with Quicktime to the
point where I dread installing it.
-Mike
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Chambers wrote:
> To me, one of the most important things a piece of code (whether it's an
> entire program, or just a single routine) can do is fail gracefully. If
> it fails, enough context and information should be given that you know
> why it failed.
>
> iTunes is absolutely horrible at this. Apparently, Apple thinks that
> "failing gracefully" means quietly ignore the error with no record of it
> being kept anywhere. In other words, you don't even *know* there's an
> error. Your only clue is that the expected result didn't actually
> occur. Once you figure out there's been an error, you have no idea what
> caused it.
>
> Talk about bad practice.
For the average iTunes user (think: grossly ignorant teenager),
feedback would be useless.
Regards,
John
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
John VanSickle wrote:
> For the average iTunes user (think: grossly ignorant teenager),
> feedback would be useless.
I disagree.
If you're an idiot, you won't understand what the error message is
saying. But knowing that there was an actual error is still useful.
PS. Not all teenagers are ignorant. Some of them use WinAmp. *rimshot*
--
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Darren New wrote:
>
> I liked the Amiga mechanism much better. You drag a file onto a disk
> icon, it pops up a window saying the drive is write-protected, you take
> the disk out, unprotect it, put it back in, and it automatically clicks
> "retry" for you.
>
That can't be good, 'cause it assumes that user can and will do
something to prevent the error, while computers Should Just Work (or be
delivered to service company).
--
Eero "Aero" Ahonen
http://www.zbxt.net
aer### [at] removethiszbxtnetinvalid
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
From: Orchid XP v8
Subject: Re: Failing Gracefully... iTunes doesn't
Date: 6 Jul 2008 05:39:44
Message: <487092e0@news.povray.org>
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
>> I liked the Amiga mechanism much better. You drag a file onto a disk
>> icon, it pops up a window saying the drive is write-protected, you
>> take the disk out, unprotect it, put it back in, and it automatically
>> clicks "retry" for you.
>>
>
> That can't be good, 'cause it assumes that user can and will do
> something to prevent the error, while computers Should Just Work.
Yes. Silently refusing to do what the user asked without telling them
why would be a far superior solution. Especially when the problem is
trivially fixable.
--
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Eero Ahonen wrote:
> Darren New wrote:
>>
>> I liked the Amiga mechanism much better. You drag a file onto a disk
>> icon, it pops up a window saying the drive is write-protected, you
>> take the disk out, unprotect it, put it back in, and it automatically
>> clicks "retry" for you.
>>
>
> That can't be good, 'cause it assumes that user can and will do
> something to prevent the error,
You had always the option of cancelling in stead of solving the problem.
> while computers Should Just Work (or be
> delivered to service company).
I also like the MS solution of giving the error but no retry option (at
least unto XP). Works great when copying lots of files and after 10
minutes one of the last ones encounters a disk full.
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
andrel wrote:
> I also like the MS solution of giving the error but no retry option (at
> least unto XP). Works great when copying lots of files and after 10
> minutes one of the last ones encounters a disk full.
Ooo yes, it's *great* when a file copy or move operation fails.
Especially with a move - half the files are now in one place, and half
in another place. Good luck manually undoing the operation so you can
try again! ;-)
(Particularly if you have millions of files in a complex directory
structure. Merging the two halves back together is really not fun...)
--
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Eero Ahonen wrote:
> That can't be good, 'cause it assumes that user can and will do
> something to prevent the error, while computers Should Just Work (or be
> delivered to service company).
I haven't any idea what that means, I'm afraid.
Not even knowing that there was something I could do to un-dim the
option on the Mac is what confused me. I had no idea it was done on
purpose, and it wasn't just something I was doing wrong.
Kind of like in an adventure game where there's no difference between
"you can't do that" and "I don't understand that" and "you can't do that
here and now".
--
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
Helpful housekeeping hints:
Check your feather pillows for holes
before putting them in the washing machine.
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
John VanSickle wrote:
> For the average iTunes user (think: grossly ignorant teenager),
> feedback would be useless.
It's far better than my wife asking me, "Why won't iTunes play this
MP3?" and my saying, "I have no frackin' idea, it doesn't even give an
error message!"
...Chambers
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
"andrel" <a_l### [at] hotmailcom> wrote in message
news:487### [at] hotmailcom...
> I also like the MS solution of giving the error but no retry option (at
> least unto XP). Works great when copying lots of files and after 10
> minutes one of the last ones encounters a disk full.
Ah yes, one of the truly great GUI designs. I also like the omission of "yes
to all" button, to save precious screen estate no doubt. Speaking of which,
the ellipsis were a great invention too, as are small, fixed size dialog
boxes - after all, I paid good money for my 24" screen and cluttering the
beautiful desktop background image with those ugly filenames would be a
virtual crime. On the matter of dialogs, I find it a masterful touch of
uncertainity, when one window disappears but the next takes its sweet time
to appear, that seems to be the trend with recent applications, especially
installers. Installers provide another amusing touch when they spawn
multiple windows during the process. I particularly like the non-modal ones
that cleverly hide each other due to strategic placement. It's always so
exiciting to slide over the top one and experiment with different orderings
of component installations. The hardware manufacturers are also keeping up
with the latest advances in software development. My new laptop has close to
two dozen LEDs. I don't think I'll need a Christmas tree this year. Nor do I
need a mirror, for I can shave perfectly fine staring at the screen, which,
in addition to being absolutely beautiful, was even almost readable 800 feet
down in an abandoned mineshaft, after I placed about two dozen little strips
of black tape over the keyboard and the case. One amazes at the advances in
the science of ergonomics.
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
"somebody" <x### [at] ycom> wrote in message news:48716848$1@news.povray.org...
> "andrel" <a_l### [at] hotmailcom> wrote in message
> news:487### [at] hotmailcom...
>
> > I also like the MS solution of giving the error but no retry option (at
> > least unto XP). Works great when copying lots of files and after 10
> > minutes one of the last ones encounters a disk full.
>
> Ah yes, one of the truly great GUI designs. I also like the omission of
"yes
> to all" button, to save precious screen estate no doubt.
Isn't it the "No to all" button that's missing (on file copies when prompted
for overwrite). There is a work around, but yeah, it's an irritating
ommission. At least that got fixed in Vista.
> My new laptop has close to
> two dozen LEDs. I don't think I'll need a Christmas tree this year.
LOL. Mine too.
I was quite astonished last night when I realised that my new 20" widescreen
LCD does a better job of lighting up the study than the 2 spotlights in the
ceiling. And that's on 60% brightness
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
>> My new laptop has close to
>> two dozen LEDs. I don't think I'll need a Christmas tree this year.
>
> LOL. Mine too.
I'm jelous. All the laptops I have access to have only a power light and
a HD light. (No activity light for the CD drive at all! Oh, and good
luck figuring out whether the NIC is receiving a carrier signal...)
--
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
somebody wrote:
> Ah yes, one of the truly great GUI designs. I also like the omission of "yes
> to all" button, to save precious screen estate no doubt.
I truly love the way "yes to all" does not in fact mean "yes to ALL".
"Are you sure you want to delete this file?" Yes to all.
"Are you sure you want to delete this one though? It's read-only." Yes
to all.
"But are you sure you want to delete THIS one? It's a System file." Yes
to ALL!
"Even this one? It's an executable file. Some of your programs might not
work properly if you do this." Yes to ALL, FFS!!
"What about this one? It's a hidden file." JUST DELETE THEM ALL, DAMNIT!!!
Sheesh...
--
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Invisible wrote:
>
> I'm jelous. All the laptops I have access to have only a power light and
> a HD light. (No activity light for the CD drive at all! Oh, and good
> luck figuring out whether the NIC is receiving a carrier signal...)
>
When my laptop's mobo gets out of warranty, I'll rip off one and change
color of another of the bluetooth leds. Those blue leds are bright and
irritating.
--
Eero "Aero" Ahonen
http://www.zbxt.net
aer### [at] removethiszbxtnetinvalid
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
"Gail Shaw" <initialsurname@sentech sa dot com> wrote
> "somebody" <x### [at] ycom> wrote in message news:48716848$1@news.povray.org...
> > Ah yes, one of the truly great GUI designs. I also like the omission of
> "yes
> > to all" button, to save precious screen estate no doubt.
> Isn't it the "No to all" button that's missing
Yes, "No...".
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
"SharkD" <nomail@nomail> wrote in message
news:web.4870470320c25d9a1a157cba0@news.povray.org...
> I've had repeated problems over the years with Quicktime to the
> point where I dread installing it.
I take it that you don't find startup spammer applications charming.
MS gets a lot of (deserved) flak, but Apple and others are usually no
better, often worse.
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
"somebody" <x### [at] ycom> wrote in message news:48725b8c$1@news.povray.org...
> "SharkD" <nomail@nomail> wrote in message
> news:web.4870470320c25d9a1a157cba0@news.povray.org...
>
> > I've had repeated problems over the years with Quicktime to the
> > point where I dread installing it.
>
> I take it that you don't find startup spammer applications charming.
RealPlayer, anyone?
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Gail Shaw wrote:
> RealPlayer, anyone?
You know, people sometimes *ask* me to install that.
I'm serious.
And then they look all puzzled when I tell them it's a bad idea...
--
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:48726436$1@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
>
> > RealPlayer, anyone?
>
> You know, people sometimes *ask* me to install that.
>
> I'm serious.
>
> And then they look all puzzled when I tell them it's a bad idea...
>
I installed it once. I then spent the next three weeks cleaning it off my
machine, piece by piece.
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
"Gail Shaw" <initialsurname@sentech sa dot com> wrote in message
news:48725bf0@news.povray.org...
> "somebody" <x### [at] ycom> wrote in message news:48725b8c$1@news.povray.org...
> > "SharkD" <nomail@nomail> wrote in message
> > > I've had repeated problems over the years with Quicktime to the
> > > point where I dread installing it.
> > I take it that you don't find startup spammer applications charming.
> RealPlayer, anyone?
Well, if we are going to start listing viruses...
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Gail Shaw wrote:
>
> RealPlayer, anyone?
>
RealPlayer makes me want to hurt people ...
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Mike Raiford wrote:
> RealPlayer makes me want to hurt people ...
http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/04/07/funny-pictures-kill-dem-all/
--
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
From: Eero Ahonen
Subject: Re: Failing Gracefully... iTunes doesn't
Date: 10 Jul 2008 10:48:36
Message: <48762144@news.povray.org>
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Gail Shaw wrote:
>
> RealPlayer, anyone?
>
Yes. Eight years ago.
--
Eero "Aero" Ahonen
http://www.zbxt.net
aer### [at] removethiszbxtnetinvalid
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
On Mon, 7 Jul 2008 20:08:44 +0200, "Gail Shaw" <initialsurname@sentech sa dot
com> wrote:
>
>"somebody" <x### [at] ycom> wrote in message news:48725b8c$1@news.povray.org...
>> "SharkD" <nomail@nomail> wrote in message
>> news:web.4870470320c25d9a1a157cba0@news.povray.org...
>>
>> > I've had repeated problems over the years with Quicktime to the
>> > point where I dread installing it.
>>
>> I take it that you don't find startup spammer applications charming.
>
>RealPlayer, anyone?
>
My biggest bitch with the BBC website, is that they use RealPlayer for the
listen again service. I've not noticed any nasties, what should I be looking
for?
--
Regards
Stephen
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Eero Ahonen nous illumina en ce 2008-07-07 12:33 -->
> Invisible wrote:
>>
>> I'm jelous. All the laptops I have access to have only a power light
>> and a HD light. (No activity light for the CD drive at all! Oh, and
>> good luck figuring out whether the NIC is receiving a carrier signal...)
>>
>
> When my laptop's mobo gets out of warranty, I'll rip off one and change
> color of another of the bluetooth leds. Those blue leds are bright and
> irritating.
>
Just put a bit of electrical tape over those LEDs.
--
Alain
-------------------------------------------------
Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
From: Eero Ahonen
Subject: Re: Failing Gracefully... iTunes doesn't
Date: 10 Sep 2008 15:13:26
Message: <48c81c56@news.povray.org>
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Alain wrote:
> Eero Ahonen nous illumina en ce 2008-07-07 12:33 -->
>>
>> When my laptop's mobo gets out of warranty, I'll rip off one and
>> change color of another of the bluetooth leds. Those blue leds are
>> bright and irritating.
>
> Just put a bit of electrical tape over those LEDs.
Won't work. One led is on the button that controls BT (on/off) and
another one is halfly on the front of the laptop. Practically electrical
tape won't hold even on one of these places (and the solution would be
incredibly ugly, especially when all other stickers got to go when the
laptop was brand new).
--
Eero "Aero" Ahonen
http://www.zbxt.net
aer### [at] removethiszbxtnetinvalid
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
From: Doctor John
Subject: Re: Failing Gracefully... iTunes doesn't
Date: 10 Sep 2008 15:30:58
Message: <48c82072@news.povray.org>
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Eero Ahonen wrote:
> Alain wrote:
>> Eero Ahonen nous illumina en ce 2008-07-07 12:33 -->
>>>
>>> When my laptop's mobo gets out of warranty, I'll rip off one and
>>> change color of another of the bluetooth leds. Those blue leds are
>>> bright and irritating.
> >
>> Just put a bit of electrical tape over those LEDs.
>
> Won't work. One led is on the button that controls BT (on/off) and
> another one is halfly on the front of the laptop. Practically electrical
> tape won't hold even on one of these places (and the solution would be
> incredibly ugly, especially when all other stickers got to go when the
> laptop was brand new).
>
A dab of black paint perhaps?
John
--
"Eppur si muove" - Galileo Galilei
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
From: Eero Ahonen
Subject: Re: Failing Gracefully... iTunes doesn't
Date: 10 Sep 2008 16:09:54
Message: <48c82992@news.povray.org>
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Doctor John wrote:
>
> A dab of black paint perhaps?
Nnope, it would take a bunch of time to find out how much and what paint
I'd need to make the blue leds tolerable and one of them still visible
(there still is the informational value). It really is easiest to just
remove one and change another of the leds.
> John
--
Eero "Aero" Ahonen
http://www.zbxt.net
aer### [at] removethiszbxtnetinvalid
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Eero Ahonen nous illumina en ce 2008-09-10 15:13 -->
> Alain wrote:
>> Eero Ahonen nous illumina en ce 2008-07-07 12:33 -->
>>>
>>> When my laptop's mobo gets out of warranty, I'll rip off one and
>>> change color of another of the bluetooth leds. Those blue leds are
>>> bright and irritating.
> >
>> Just put a bit of electrical tape over those LEDs.
>
> Won't work. One led is on the button that controls BT (on/off) and
> another one is halfly on the front of the laptop. Practically electrical
> tape won't hold even on one of these places (and the solution would be
> incredibly ugly, especially when all other stickers got to go when the
> laptop was brand new).
>
Electrical tape come in many colours, not just black.
You can also put a dab of paint. You can find that in about every possible
colour you want.
Or, some nail varnish. A little red on those pesky blue LEDs can be nice...
Or, some liquid paper, it you can still find the thing.
Or, some masking tape cut to fit.
Or anything that you can put over those blinding LEDs.
By the way, blue light is about the worst. It kills your night vision, causing
your iris to contract. Red light, as well as yellow, even very bright, don't
cause iris contraction. Blue light bleed everywhere, red, and yellow don't. Red
and yellow pierce fog and smoke, blue light illuminate any fog and smoke.
Blue should be banned from cars dashboards for security reasons. Those
exessevely bright and bluish argon headlight should go the dinosor's way.
--
Alain
-------------------------------------------------
My bologna has a first name.
Oscar Mayer
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Alain wrote:
>
> Electrical tape come in many colours, not just black.
Yes. My laptop is black.
> You can also put a dab of paint. You can find that in about every
> possible colour you want.
> Or, some nail varnish. A little red on those pesky blue LEDs can be nice...
> Or, some liquid paper, it you can still find the thing.
> Or, some masking tape cut to fit.
> Or anything that you can put over those blinding LEDs.
Yes. None of those is going to change blue light to green (which is what
I want for one of those LEDs).
> By the way, blue light is about the worst. It kills your night vision,
> causing your iris to contract. Red light, as well as yellow, even very
> bright, don't cause iris contraction. Blue light bleed everywhere, red,
> and yellow don't. Red and yellow pierce fog and smoke, blue light
> illuminate any fog and smoke.
Yep.
> Blue should be banned from cars dashboards for security reasons.
I agree.
> Those
> exessevely bright and bluish argon headlight should go the dinosor's way.
>
I've driven with xenons from June now, and if I could choose, I'd rather
take halogens. The spectre of xenons is annoying and it won't show eg.
mooses from the woods like halogens do. They also make all road signs
shine more than they give light to the road and woods ahead and near the
road.
--
Eero "Aero" Ahonen
http://www.zbxt.net
aer### [at] removethiszbxtnetinvalid
Post a reply to this message
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
