July 25, 2007

Where did this concept of congratulating a user upon completion of an installation come from? I just paused to think about it and realized both how many installers seem to do it, and also how patronizing it is.

Why should a user be congratulated for clicking "Next" several times through a carefully scripted sequence of stages, where the most likely cause for failure is the programmer not handling some system condition they should have known about? Congratulations for navigating our crappy code?

This goes I think to a bigger societal shift. People are being applauded for being "special" without actually accomplishing anything. It's worse when this mentality is forced upon everyone, look at the NCEA in New Zealand as a good example. It creates a society of entitlement.

 

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I think it just extends from product packaging/warranties. I can't count how many times I've seen:

"Congratulations on purchasing the best male enhancement product on the market, please take a moment to read the directions...."

Software is a product I guess.

I disagree. It is not patronizing, but customary to congratulate someone on some attainment, acquisition, milestone or completion. "Congratulations on joining the company." "Congratulations on your purchase of this Slapple product." "Congratulations -- your account balances." Suggestions that this somehow leads to a culture of entitlement is Newt Gingrich bull.