Comments on: Two Anti-Patterns: Geek Speak & Needless Fanfare

By: Lakeside Home Search

Lakeside Home Search — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:31:05 +0000

I had to watch my refund number fall from a very nice green 4 figure refund to a red 4 figure payment I owed. It felt like it took an eternity to finally settle in on the number. Uncool. Lakeside Home Search

By: Leucadia Real Estate

Leucadia Real Estate — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 17:41:39 +0000

I had to watch my refund number fall from a very nice green 4 figure refund to a red 4 figure payment I owed. It felt like it took an eternity to finally settle in on the number. Uncool. Leucadia Real Estate

By: Mission Hills Real Estate

Mission Hills Real Estate — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:49:02 +0000

I had that EXACT same experience last year right after I added my K-1's to my taxes. It sucked big time. I had to watch my refund number fall from a very nice green 4 figure refund to a red 4 figure payment I owed. It felt like it took an eternity to finally settle in on the number. Uncool. Mission Hills Real Estate

By: DOG LIFE JACKET

DOG LIFE JACKET — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 06:50:36 +0000

thanks a lot for your valuable sharing ,right from the beginning till end it was really very informative .i can witness the experience and steps you have taken to accomplish this wonderful work………….

By: San Diego Real Estate

San Diego Real Estate — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:04:44 +0000

This was actually an issue on the online version for me. I'm not trying to turn Bill's post into a public gripe session; I just wanted to clarify. Dog Life Jacket

By: San Diego Real Estate

San Diego Real Estate — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 12:53:15 +0000

probably like to know if it’s a tumor or infection or an auto-immune disease.That is all they need to know. Knowing it is a database error means nothing and adds nothing to their understanding. San Diego Real Estate

By: Simi Valley Real Estate

Simi Valley Real Estate — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:35:39 +0000

The three words “Database Write Failed” strung together like that is ‘bad’, but the rest of the message is acceptable.If it is a “black box” that I use I don’t need to know the details. Remember you are trying to create an experience. Simi Valley Real Estate

By: San Diego MLS

San Diego MLS — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:28:21 +0000

I had a database inside me and it failed then yes I want to know the details of the database error. But we are not talking about something in my body. San Diego MLS

By: Sarong

Sarong — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:04:13 +0000

It was a good blog. That is all they need to know. Knowing it is a database error means nothing and adds nothing to their understanding. Sarong

By: Bill Scott

Bill Scott — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:44:13 +0000

Michael. So users should “suss out” our geek speak?

Your point about different levels of vocabulary is too complex. Isn’t it easier to write simpler statements?

How about something simple:
Title: “Action Failed”
Message: “An error occurred while trying to complete this action. Please try again later or contact customer support.”

The user is trying to do something and it didn’t work (In this case I had clicked the “like” button). That is all they need to know. Knowing it is a database error means nothing and adds nothing to their understanding.

Your analogy of the doctor visit falls apart under closer scrutiny. If I had a database inside me and it failed then yes I want to know the details of the database error. But we are not talking about something in my body. If it is a “black box” that I use I don’t need to know the details. Remember you are trying to create an experience that spans 200 million users. Having worked at Yahoo! and now at Netflix in this space, believe me only the simplest things work.

I actually have others that are worse than this one — like the one that explains there is a “transport error with ajax” … also from facebook.