Re: Improving the first contact with Ada

[Georg Bauhaus <rm.dash-bauhaus@futureapps.de>]

> What about an operator continuing repeating the same sequence of actions
> ignoring popping up message dialogs crying that it FAILED.

(See below)

The idea is that as an application interface designer, you provide
a GAI, not a GUI.  That is, a Graphical Application Interface that
is somewhat like a scripting interface.

This obliges the GAI (sic) programmer to provide rock
solid GAIs that can not mess things up yet will provide all
possibilities to operators with suitable knowledge.
No damage, many degrees of freedom.

> Record the time between window creation and the cancel button press. If the
> delay is too short, give another warning. After tree warnings the operator
> receives one point. Three points are mailed to his superior. (:-))

Credit point systems won't work here, though repeated pop ups
could create more work heat throughout the organization.
Case in question: an operator sees a dialog window and has a healthy
attitude towards dialog windows. That is, he/she presses ENTER after
ignoring both any text and, quite naturally, the consequences
of dismissing the dialog which is actually a rescue dialog.  Using a
big red button instead of a standard gray OK did not change behavior.
(Some handbags are red, too, after all...)

The dialog said, in attempt to get the operator's attention,

"If you press ENTER, you will get fired!"

Guess what?
This message has no effect on the operators' attitude
towards dialog windows. The dialogs look exactly like
at home where they get in the way (and out of the way!)
without noticeable consequence. Like blowflies on the screen.

He/she won't get fired, either.

Reasons:
- Firing requires work in superior organizational units,
and recruiting efforts.
- There isn't a massive threat from the insurance company
in case of not so massive consequences of dialog dismissal.
- Effects on others (clients, passengers, ...) overall are such
that they do not affect superiors' standing, hence provide
no incentive to request effort and/or money for a solution.

Therefore, occasional itching (error dialogs) can be safely
ignored.

Solution?
Ignorance is not so easily employed when there is nothing to
ignore! Therefore, a strategy might be to disable all
interface functions after dialog dismissal and require attention:
Print in bold letters:

  "You Lose!"

This creates ... panic, cynicism, lies?

But! There is attention, at last!
And ... a need for work, making phone calls, experts sent for etc.
Work that nobody wanted to know about in the first place,
right? :-)