slightly OT: preventing user stupidity

[Tim Fischer]

The problem is, it doesn't sound like they're posting by accident. (i.e.
hitting the wrong button and posting before they're ready.)  It sounds like
it's more an issue of "I thought I wanted to post, but realized later that I
didn't - it's your fault that I thought I wanted to post in the first
place."

I think, instead of making the posting process more in-depth, this may
require an un-posting process.  Either that or better training.  

The people that do the posting here realize that there is no "undo" feature
and that when they post, it's posted.

Just my $.02

Tim Fischer

> -----Original Message-----
> From: filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com [mailto:filepro-list-
> bounces at lists.celestial.com] On Behalf Of Joe Chasan
> Sent: Monday, February 07, 2005 12:09 PM
> To: filepro-list at lists.celestial.com
> Subject: slightly OT: preventing user stupidity
> 
> meaningless rant of the day:  how far do you go to prevent user stupidity?
> 
> program:  Q.  Do you wish to post now? (Y/N)
> user: Y
> 
> program: Q. Are you SURE you wish to post? (Y/N)
> user: Y
> 
> program:  Q. Are you REALLY REALLY REALLY SURE you want to post now? (Y/N)
> user: Y
> 
> user:  SH*T.  i didn't want to post.  time to call the consultant to drop
> everything and unpost the 63 places that get affected by my careless
> posting of data that was certainly not my fault that was posted in error.
> 
> 
> what to do?  obviously, the more questions you ask the more the user
> just answers by rote without thinking.  its not always appropriate or
> helpful to the end-user to have a corresponding unpost/undo routine.
> 
> i've thought of;
> a) mixing up yes/no answers so that they can't press "yes" all the time
> 
> (e.g. do you want to post? / enter Y to cancel post, N otherwise...)
> 
> b) forcing type out of word "Yes" or "Agree" instead of Y or N
> 
> c) creating a random character sequence each time and ask user to
> type in to confirm post.
> 
> draconion?  what have other people tried that would not make them the
> one least likeley to be invited to christmas party?
> 
> --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ---
> -Joe Chasan-                      Magnatech Business Systems, Inc.
> joe at magnatechonline.com           Hicksville, NY - USA
> http://www.MagnatechOnline.com    Tel.(516) 931-4444/Fax.(516) 931-1264
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> 
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