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Re: Re-post: Error Messages: Text for the title bar

Subject: Re: Re-post: Error Messages: Text for the title bar
From: "Kat Nagel, MasterWork Consulting" <mlists -at- masterworkconsulting -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 18:58:10 -0500


At 5:13 PM +0200 1/19/03, David Rapport wrote:

I have been doing a little Web research into the art of writing error
messages.

Interesting topic. I was involved in a similar sort of project---reworking error messages for a new data analysis package so they actually communicated something---back in a previous incarnation as an R&D chemist. As I recall, we came up with a similar hierarchy. (Never got it implemented, of course. None of the managers wanted to include it in their share of the budget.)

While I'm digging through boxes of old files trying to find my notes, here are a couple of weekend thoughts.

(1) These folks have come up with a novel approach to error message design.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?G21625623

(2) My all-time favorite error message [those of you who have heard this before, can press Delete now <g>.] was in an early shareware version of Eudora for the Mac. The message box gave the error number and a cryptic phrase (obviously from the system documentation) that <mumblety> "will be explained in the next version of the Developers Kit". The last sentence in the message box was from a justly frustrated error message writer: "Fat lot of help THAT is."

I like honesty (and evidence of humanity) in error messages. That was the first shareware I actually plunked down money for.

--
Kat Nagel
Owner, MasterWork Consulting Services
Phone: (585) 820-4045 Fax: (585) 244-3565
Business: katnagel -at- masterworkconsulting -dot- com
Personal: katnagel -at- bluefrognet -dot- net


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Re-post: Error Messages: Text for the title bar: From: David Rapport

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