Error messages displayed to users are rude, unclear

[Dave Baker]

Invision Power Board's biggest user interface weakness, in my opinion, is the way error messages are presented to board users.

Most of the error messages use clumsy English, treat the user as if it's his fault, and don't clearly tell the user how to fix the problem.

They're so bad that I'm reluctant to use IPB for a site to be used by the general public (not people who are familiar with message boards already or who understand computer terms).

Can these error messages be customized by me, the webmaster? I've never been able to get under the hood enough to find out.

Let me give an example. The corporate web page at http://www.invisionpower.com/ip.dynamic/corporate/news/ says that one can keep up with the latest corporate news: "use the Subscribe to this Forum feature in the News & Updates forum."

So I click on the hypertext link. Now I seem to be in a News & Updates forum. But where the heck is the "Subscribe to this Forum feature"? I look through the page, scroll up and down, read the dozen or so different buttons. No luck. Is it the "Forum Options" button? Ah, found it! It's in a pop-up menu. (That's the subject for another rant. This is not supposed to be an Easter Egg hunt.)

OK. Now I select "Subscribe to this Forum."

Crap. First I get a box that says "Sorry, an error occurred. If you are unsure on how to use a feature, or don't know why you got this error message, try looking through the help files for more information."

I caused an error? I don't think so... didn't do anything bad. Am I "unsure on how to use" a feature? (which is very bad English, but let's move on.) I just want to use the "Subscribe to this Forum feature" that I clicked on... I don't think I'm "unsure" about anything. The screen suggests that I should "try looking through the help files." Where are these "help files"? But wait-- I don't care where the "help files" are. I just want to subscribe to the damned forum, not go through documentation.

Now I notice there's yet another message, this one in a pink box under the first box. It says, "Sorry, but this function isn't available to guests."

What's a "function"? All I did was select an option in a drop-down menu.

Who is a "guest"? I guess I'm a guest, but I'm not sure what my relationship with the board has to do with wanting to subscribe to a forum.

Hmmm, now I notice yet ANOTHER colored message--this one in blue--below the pink box. This message says, "You are not logged in, you may log in below" (Bad English again; the comma should be a semi-colon or a dash, but let's move on.)

Why do I need to log in? So I won't be a "guest"? And if I'm no longer a "guest" will I be able to finally subscribe to the forum?

I don't have a username or a password... what do I do now?

Three boxes; three different messages; undefined terms; overly broad remedies ("read the help files")... this is crazy.

This is what a better error message would look like:

---

Thank you for asking to subscribe to this forum, but we can't do that for you until you are "logged in." To log in, please enter your username and password below.

(No username and password yet? Get these by registering yourself as a user. Just click on "Register," which you'll see near the top of each page.)

---

Just one color, just one box, with two complete sentences that explain what's going on. Plain language, not computer-speak terms like "function," undefined terms like "guest," or implications that the user has committed an "error."

Is it just me, or isn't this important?

[C_ind]

I'm not entirely sure if you're joking or not, but you can just open up cache\lang_cache\en\lang_error.php and edit the error messages to your heart's content.

Of course, if you're a guest (what would be the term of your liking btw? Simply 'not logged in'?) then how can you expect to subscribe to a forum? The board doesn't know who you are, you haven't left an email address. It can not happen often that someone with so little understanding of how a board works, would know what subscribing to a forum means at all and I expect they therefore wouldn't go looking for it.

There is some computer speak, but I don't see how you can avoid it. If you want to buy some flowers, you generally don't ask for "those red things", you ask for roses. There's a terminology for everything.

Finally, I don't think there are many people that actually get insulted by error messages anymore. In this case they're even correct, pointing out that you're not familiar with how the board works. Beats a blue screen anyday, those are just plain rude.

[Vitaly]

Dave's notes are reasonable. Sometime, it worth to personalize texsts.

But during update, lang files are renewed every time and should be patched again. It whould be nice to have "override" systems like for skin bits, to store changes in separate place.

[arcticblue]

I can only agree with Dave, the error messages that are used by IP.Board and its components, is not optimal.
I have several times though that they could be 'improved', but have learnt that when something 'red' shows up, something is wrong.
A new board user might very well be turned awy by the lack of clearness and the way the error messages are presented (by thinking that it is too complicated for him/her)?

Sure, the text can be changed and the layout can be changed as well (manually), but the point is that the default setup ought to be good enough, so that most users shouldn't need to change them. In my opinion, the error message presentation could be made much clearer and more informative, which is especially important if you have a board with non technical members (not used to forum at all).
Hopefully there are more IP.Board users that will agree with this view. Thxs Dave for bringing this up!

I do know it is easy to complain, but harder to provide a constructive example of how it could be made better :whistle:
IP.Board is the best board available, and would be even better if the error message system could be made 'clearer' and more intuitive!

[bfarber]

Error management is expected to be overhauled in the next *major* release.

[Dave Baker]

Of course, if you're a guest (what would be the term of your liking btw? Simply 'not logged in'?) then how can you expect to subscribe to a forum? The board doesn't know who you are, you haven't left an email address.

Good point, but Too Much Information. I considered that in an earlier draft of my suggested revision.

There is some computer speak, but I don't see how you can avoid it. If you want to buy some

See my suggested language. It can be avoided.

Finally, I don't think there are many people that actually get insulted by error messages anymore. In this case they're even correct, pointing out that you're not familiar with how the board works. Beats a blue screen anyday, those are just plain rude.

The message board is "even correct"? Hmmm. Guess that justifies telling the user he's caused an "error." Following that reasoning, why not say something more assertive, like "screw you, dunce"? That'll teach him.

I write software myself. I have dealt with user interface problems a lot. We software writers and message board "power users" generally take a condescending attitude to newbies. It doesn't help. These users are our customers. We're in a service business. Time to get that programmed into our ROM.

[Mark]

I do agree that far too much information is on the error page and hardly any of it is very useful

[C_ind]

The message board is "even correct"? Hmmm. Guess that justifies telling the user he's caused an "error." Following that reasoning, why not say something more assertive, like "screw you, dunce"? That'll teach him.

I write software myself. I have dealt with user interface problems a lot. We software writers and message board "power users" generally take a condescending attitude to newbies. It doesn't help. These users are our customers. We're in a service business. Time to get that programmed into our ROM.

I think you're exaggerating just a little. If you're unfamiliar with the board and make mistakes, then it's not insulting to point it out. Saying that IPB might as well say 'screw you' is taking it to the extreme.

I imagine that when developers write error messages, they care mostly about getting the error system in place. Initially, just as much for their own benefit, for debugging purposes. From the users side, we all know that software can be buggy and that we're not interacting with a human being, just a stupid machine when it comes down to it.

[Dave Baker]

I think you're exaggerating just a little. If you're unfamiliar with the board and make mistakes, then it's not insulting to point it out. Saying that IPB might as well say 'screw you' is taking it to the extreme.

I was exaggerating a lot :)) -- I apologize; I got a little overheated.

Thanks very much the for the info re cache\lang_cache\en\lang_error.php

I imagine that when developers write error messages, they care mostly about getting the error system in place. Initially, just as much for their own benefit, for debugging purposes.

Agree 100%. But then it becomes important to polish the interface before releasing it to the public, in order to smooth the error messages into something that your grandmother can figger out. Don't make her have to think. (I think somebody came up with that meme for what users want out of navigating and reading web pages: "Don't make me think.")

[GreedyCapitalist]

Over the years, I must have gotten at least a dozen emails from users who thought they were banned because they were not logged in and saw "Sorry, you do not have permission to..."

Other users see the text "Sorry, an error occurred" first and automatically assume a bug with the software.

At the top I see "This menu has been disabled" Why add a fourth error message to the page?

My guess is that 90% of users ignore the error text and only notice the login prompt, 5% read it, but ignore it because it's confusing and login anyway, and 5% assume either a technical/account problem and give up.