Newfound frustrations at work
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UGH! :mad: WTH is wrong with management? We've had a public website running for 13 years. We have thousands of people using our site daily. And all of a sudden the corporate leaders (or maybe it's just the IT manager) has decided:
- Links that lead to a page containing a link for visitors to send email must have an email icon link next to the other link. The email link will send the user directly to the email page.
- People are too stupid to know what an email link is so we need a text link under the icon that says (email).
- People are too stupid to click sortable column headings which are labeled with "click to sort" so we need to put large text on the page that reads more prominently.
- People are too stupid to click on links in a listing to bring up details on an item in the list so we have to prominently display "click the item to see details" in text on the page.
- Links on our site are dark blue. These need to be black text now. WTH? Hide all links? :confused:
I swear I am going insane. I keep telling myself that it's just a job and I get paid to make whatever is asked for, but I can't shake the shame of fulfilling stupid requests. I envision our website eventually looking a mess. Every link will have the text "<-- click here" next to it. All link images will have the text "(click the picture)" under it. Every page with tabs will have 24pt bold red text saying "click the tabs to sort". :wtf: :doh:
As a techie, I share your frustration. However, you started many of your bullet points with the phrase "people are too stupid to..." and so, unintentionally, you have validated your management's thinking. Never underestimate the power of human stupidity. :)
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes www.PracticalStrategyConsulting.com
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Tom Welch wrote:
Every link will have the text "<-- click here" next to it. All link images will have the text "(click the picture)" under it. Every page with tabs will have 24pt bold red text saying "click the tabs to sort".
I like the idea. It sounds very 1996. Bung in a few of these animated gifs[^] while you're about it. Quality ;)
Simon Capewell wrote:
I like the idea. It sounds very 1996. Bung in a few of these animated gifs[^] while you're about it. Quality
:wtf: :laugh:
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Marc Clifton wrote:
I need my work to be meaningful and satisfying.
Ah, Marc, always the snob. Most days, i'm thankful to get one of the two. :rolleyes:
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Shog9 wrote:
Ah, Marc, always the snob. Most days, i'm thankful to get one of the two.
Actually, I was going to write "or" instead of "and", but I decided to push the limits. :) Snob? Nah. Drop the 'n', and you'll be more be more accurate most likely. Marc
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith -
I can come up with some metrics and maybe that will help. Unfortunately, logical reasoning hasn't won the day. Somehow standards and practices just can't compete with "some guy just called and didn't know blah blah blah"
During a customer support call I once asked someone to double-click an icon and they responded "what do you mean double-click?" It can always be get worse :mad:
Todd Smith
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UGH! :mad: WTH is wrong with management? We've had a public website running for 13 years. We have thousands of people using our site daily. And all of a sudden the corporate leaders (or maybe it's just the IT manager) has decided:
- Links that lead to a page containing a link for visitors to send email must have an email icon link next to the other link. The email link will send the user directly to the email page.
- People are too stupid to know what an email link is so we need a text link under the icon that says (email).
- People are too stupid to click sortable column headings which are labeled with "click to sort" so we need to put large text on the page that reads more prominently.
- People are too stupid to click on links in a listing to bring up details on an item in the list so we have to prominently display "click the item to see details" in text on the page.
- Links on our site are dark blue. These need to be black text now. WTH? Hide all links? :confused:
I swear I am going insane. I keep telling myself that it's just a job and I get paid to make whatever is asked for, but I can't shake the shame of fulfilling stupid requests. I envision our website eventually looking a mess. Every link will have the text "<-- click here" next to it. All link images will have the text "(click the picture)" under it. Every page with tabs will have 24pt bold red text saying "click the tabs to sort". :wtf: :doh:
Tom Welch wrote:
People are too stupid to know what an email link is so we need a text link under the icon that says (email).
Translation: Managment is to stupid...
Tom Welch wrote:
People are too stupid to click sortable column headings which are labeled with "click to sort" so we need to put large text on the page that reads more prominently.
Translation: Again, managment is to stupid...
Tom Welch wrote:
People are too stupid to click on links in a listing to bring up details on an item in the list so we have to prominently display "click the item to see details" in text on the page.
Translation: And again, managment is to stupid... Etc.
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Tom Welch wrote:
People are too stupid to know what an email link is so we need a text link under the icon that says (email).
Translation: Managment is to stupid...
Tom Welch wrote:
People are too stupid to click sortable column headings which are labeled with "click to sort" so we need to put large text on the page that reads more prominently.
Translation: Again, managment is to stupid...
Tom Welch wrote:
People are too stupid to click on links in a listing to bring up details on an item in the list so we have to prominently display "click the item to see details" in text on the page.
Translation: And again, managment is to stupid... Etc.
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Shog9 wrote:
Ah, Marc, always the snob. Most days, i'm thankful to get one of the two.
Actually, I was going to write "or" instead of "and", but I decided to push the limits. :) Snob? Nah. Drop the 'n', and you'll be more be more accurate most likely. Marc
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh SmithLogical or includes logical and if you're not short circuiting. :rolleyes:
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Logical or includes logical and if you're not short circuiting. :rolleyes:
David Stone wrote:
Logical or includes logical and if you're not short circuiting.
But logical and excludes logical or unless both conditions are true. ;P Marc
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith -
David Stone wrote:
Logical or includes logical and if you're not short circuiting.
But logical and excludes logical or unless both conditions are true. ;P Marc
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh SmithOnly if you're talking about exclusive or. ;P
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UGH! :mad: WTH is wrong with management? We've had a public website running for 13 years. We have thousands of people using our site daily. And all of a sudden the corporate leaders (or maybe it's just the IT manager) has decided:
- Links that lead to a page containing a link for visitors to send email must have an email icon link next to the other link. The email link will send the user directly to the email page.
- People are too stupid to know what an email link is so we need a text link under the icon that says (email).
- People are too stupid to click sortable column headings which are labeled with "click to sort" so we need to put large text on the page that reads more prominently.
- People are too stupid to click on links in a listing to bring up details on an item in the list so we have to prominently display "click the item to see details" in text on the page.
- Links on our site are dark blue. These need to be black text now. WTH? Hide all links? :confused:
I swear I am going insane. I keep telling myself that it's just a job and I get paid to make whatever is asked for, but I can't shake the shame of fulfilling stupid requests. I envision our website eventually looking a mess. Every link will have the text "<-- click here" next to it. All link images will have the text "(click the picture)" under it. Every page with tabs will have 24pt bold red text saying "click the tabs to sort". :wtf: :doh:
That's a pretty common mistake for a non-UI person to make, thinking that if the UI has problems, the solution is to put more text on it instead of, you know, fixing the problems. I feel your pain.
--Mike-- Visual C++ MVP :cool: LINKS~! Ericahist | PimpFish | CP SearchBar v3.0 | C++ Forum FAQ Ford, what's this fish doing in my ear?