I received a note recently that there were updates for Windows that I needed to deploy on my machine. I've configured Windows to ask me since I don't like reboots that occur without me being aware. I sometimes have my desktop set up with various windows and I want to finish things before I close them. Often these are links that I've gotten opened in a browser and possibly haven't copied to my editorial document.
So I clicked the balloon from the system tray, checked which updates were coming and clicked "Install". The dialog minimized to the system tray, and I continued working. After a bit, I saw the dialog pop up above. I clicked later since I was in the middle of things, but about 10 minutes later, it dialog popped up again.
I understand the need to remind people that the updates will not be applied until a reboot, but I'm not sure that I think this is the best way to do it. I've had some update be applied and there actually be a counter on this dialog to reboot the machine. If I've walked away, say for lunch, my machine is locked, and I'm not expecting a reboot, I shouldn't have one occur.
What's even worse in my mind is the way this dialog pops up in modal fashion and assumes context. If I'm typing, and I often am, then I could potentialy be hitting "Enter" when this pops up, setting off a reboot that I can't stop. And I've had that very thing happen to me before.
Instead, I'd prefer that notifications happen as they do with Outlook or my Trillian IM application, where a window is created, but it doesn't assume the context. Instead it highlights or flashes in the taskbar, and I can then decide when and how to deal with the item.
This is a great example of where the developers have tried to force an action on a user, at a particular time, when they shouldn't be trying to determine how a user interacts with their computer. Too often I think we try to force a user to do soemthing in a certain way without considering that users may interact with our systems in many different ways.
Another example is assuming a user is moving from one web page to another can cause problems, especially when it is a long process, or the user might get disconnected. More and more applications save data in intermediate pages to allow a user to restart.
When building an application, we should allow for users to interact and use the software in different ways. And at different times. Too often I see developers assuming that users will react in a certain way and building something that annoys the end users. Just like TiVo, give me my computer, my way.
Steve Jones
The Voice of the DBA Podcasts
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