6 ms·

> Microsoft displays a big blue accept button to encourage Windows users to enable the feature, with a darker “not now” button if you want to opt out. I know I

> Microsoft displays a big blue accept button to encourage Windows users to enable the feature, with a darker “not now” button if you want to opt out. I know I’m preaching to the choir, and “dark patterns” are a very surface level observation of a product, so forgive me for yelling into the HN void but… I am still so annoyed seeing “not now” in a UI. It’s so ubiquitous. I know why it’s like that, I’ve been in meetings where I’ve discussed it with UI design folk. You want to make sure users aren’t stressing about making some final un-revokable decision before they even use the app. People think it’s actually a user respecting decision. I still hate it. My proudest achievement at work in 2023 was getting an up-sell pop up to say “no” with details about where to find the deal again in the billing page displayed underneath the button.

dimask 3y ago
I interpret "no (you can change the decision later)" as respecting user decision. I interpret "not now" as "you can say no, but we may keep harassing you until you say yes" as very often is actually the case.
pyrale 3y ago
> People think it’s actually a user respecting decision. Absolutely not. "Not now" means "Fine, but we will harass you in the future, until you accept". If it was really about respecting the user, the "OK" button would also be rebranded "OK for now", which it, obviously, is never.
anonymousab 3y ago
> You want to make sure users aren’t stressing about making some final un-revokable decision before they even use the app It has never come across that way as an end user. As it has always been on some terrible change or option where the answer should be "no, now bugger off forever", I have viewed "not now" as the same as "ask me again later": an explicit thumb in the eye and statement by the software developers that they think their mandate takes priority over my preferences and that I am not qualified to make decisions about the software I run. It is a very easy way to maximize my disdain for a developer/team/org.
- dotancohen 3y ago
  > I am not qualified to make decisions about the software I run. You, anonymousab, might be qualified. But the proverbial you which includes Joe Public most certainly is not.
  - tremon 3y ago
    This attitude is patronizing and malicious. It's the same logic that allows the Supreme Court to revoke women's autonomy about what's happening inside their own body.
  - gpvos 3y ago
    Yes, they are, by definition as the owner of the device.
    - wddkcs 3y ago
      Amen, 'not now' is belittling no matter the users experience level. The idea that I or anyone would be 'stressed' by an app settings update is absurd, hard to believe anyone believes it. Am I also supposedly 'stressed' by not wanting to review your app on the app store? Those 'not now' pop up review suggestions are the worst offenders here, and impossible to justify from any perspective.
- tiltowait 3y ago
  The IMDB app's constant "enable notifications? yes/not now" is what got me to pay a subscription to a competing app. You can't even tap yes, then go and disable the notifications in system settings; the app checks and immediately starts nagging again. What a contemptible practice.
- rrr_oh_man 3y ago
  What boils my blood and made me use it less: Google Maps' navigation feature absolutely FORCING their alternative "better" route when I have REPEATEDLY chosen otherwise.
coffeeling 3y ago
The hero we need.
JohnFen 3y ago
> I am still so annoyed seeing “not now” in a UI. It’s so ubiquitous. When I see that, I take that as the company being honest about the deep disdain with which they view their customers.
AlexandrB 3y ago
"Not now" is pretty annoying, "Later" is worse, but the nadir has to be "Ask me later". No don't ask me later. Please, just don't.
- spywaregorilla 3y ago
  Please enter your password to confirm that "later" meant "yes, just later, specifically tonight"
amatecha 3y ago
I saw a comment online recently that was something to the effect of, "not taking 'no' for an answer is rape culture", and as I thought about it, I can't say I disagree. The whole "take action now" / "take action later" with no option to say "no" is a really toxic and coercive position software vendors put on the people using their software. It's a trend that needs to eff off into the sun ASAP, if you ask me. Yet another "reminder", whether accurate or not, that tech consumers are essentially powerless against the unilateral might of the corporations whose products and services they use.
solarkraft 3y ago
At least "not now" can also mean "and not ever". What really gets me angry is "maybe later".
lazycouchpotato 3y ago
> You want to make sure users aren’t stressing about making some final un-revokable decision before they even use the app I've seen solutions like "if you change your mind you can access it from xyz setting". I'd much rather prefer that than constant nagging that won't go away.
nuancebydefault 3y ago
After clicking 'not now' 10 times over a period of a month, you will eventually think: this must something useful/common/the new normal, if this is such a hot topic. You click yes. Meanwhile I find Edge a very handy browser.
calamari4065 3y ago
I just wish UI designers could use all of that "beautiful" miles of whitespace to make these dialogs "yes/no/ask later" It's really not hard.
- jdiff 3y ago
  Why throw designers under the bus here? It would be just as easy to add one additional <button> or <a> if it weren't for the same reason the designers didn't do it: management.
riddley 3y ago
It's worse than helping users feel like they can decide later. Much worst IMO. As a life long android user, I recently purchased an iPad to see if I could stomach IOS because I'm really sick of Android's shit. In going though the initial setup, I elected not to set up face unlock..."maybe later." Same with iCloud and one other thing, I forget. In trying to use the device for the next hour or so I was nagged constantly to "finish setting up your device" because I hadn't turned this crap on that I never ever wanted to use. Do you want to go stomp some puppies? What!? No!! I'll take that as a "maybe later."

dimask 3y ago

I interpret "no (you can change the decision later)" as respecting user decision. I interpret "not now" as "you can say no, but we may keep harassing you until you say yes" as very often is actually the case.

pyrale 3y ago

> People think it’s actually a user respecting decision. Absolutely not. "Not now" means "Fine, but we will harass you in the future, until you accept". If it was really about respecting the user, the "OK" button would also be rebranded "OK for now", which it, obviously, is never.

anonymousab 3y ago

> You want to make sure users aren’t stressing about making some final un-revokable decision before they even use the app It has never come across that way as an end user. As it has always been on some terrible change or option where the answer should be "no, now bugger off forever", I have viewed "not now" as the same as "ask me again later": an explicit thumb in the eye and statement by the software developers that they think their mandate takes priority over my preferences and that I am not qualified to make decisions about the software I run. It is a very easy way to maximize my disdain for a developer/team/org.

dotancohen 3y ago
> I am not qualified to make decisions about the software I run. You, anonymousab, might be qualified. But the proverbial you which includes Joe Public most certainly is not.
- tremon 3y ago
  This attitude is patronizing and malicious. It's the same logic that allows the Supreme Court to revoke women's autonomy about what's happening inside their own body.
- gpvos 3y ago
  Yes, they are, by definition as the owner of the device.
  - wddkcs 3y ago
    Amen, 'not now' is belittling no matter the users experience level. The idea that I or anyone would be 'stressed' by an app settings update is absurd, hard to believe anyone believes it. Am I also supposedly 'stressed' by not wanting to review your app on the app store? Those 'not now' pop up review suggestions are the worst offenders here, and impossible to justify from any perspective.
tiltowait 3y ago
The IMDB app's constant "enable notifications? yes/not now" is what got me to pay a subscription to a competing app. You can't even tap yes, then go and disable the notifications in system settings; the app checks and immediately starts nagging again. What a contemptible practice.
rrr_oh_man 3y ago
What boils my blood and made me use it less: Google Maps' navigation feature absolutely FORCING their alternative "better" route when I have REPEATEDLY chosen otherwise.

coffeeling 3y ago

The hero we need.

JohnFen 3y ago

> I am still so annoyed seeing “not now” in a UI. It’s so ubiquitous. When I see that, I take that as the company being honest about the deep disdain with which they view their customers.

AlexandrB 3y ago

"Not now" is pretty annoying, "Later" is worse, but the nadir has to be "Ask me later". No don't ask me later. Please, just don't.

spywaregorilla 3y ago
Please enter your password to confirm that "later" meant "yes, just later, specifically tonight"

amatecha 3y ago

I saw a comment online recently that was something to the effect of, "not taking 'no' for an answer is rape culture", and as I thought about it, I can't say I disagree. The whole "take action now" / "take action later" with no option to say "no" is a really toxic and coercive position software vendors put on the people using their software. It's a trend that needs to eff off into the sun ASAP, if you ask me. Yet another "reminder", whether accurate or not, that tech consumers are essentially powerless against the unilateral might of the corporations whose products and services they use.

solarkraft 3y ago

At least "not now" can also mean "and not ever". What really gets me angry is "maybe later".

lazycouchpotato 3y ago

> You want to make sure users aren’t stressing about making some final un-revokable decision before they even use the app I've seen solutions like "if you change your mind you can access it from xyz setting". I'd much rather prefer that than constant nagging that won't go away.

nuancebydefault 3y ago

After clicking 'not now' 10 times over a period of a month, you will eventually think: this must something useful/common/the new normal, if this is such a hot topic. You click yes. Meanwhile I find Edge a very handy browser.

calamari4065 3y ago

I just wish UI designers could use all of that "beautiful" miles of whitespace to make these dialogs "yes/no/ask later" It's really not hard.

jdiff 3y ago
Why throw designers under the bus here? It would be just as easy to add one additional <button> or <a> if it weren't for the same reason the designers didn't do it: management.

riddley 3y ago

It's worse than helping users feel like they can decide later. Much worst IMO. As a life long android user, I recently purchased an iPad to see if I could stomach IOS because I'm really sick of Android's shit. In going though the initial setup, I elected not to set up face unlock..."maybe later." Same with iCloud and one other thing, I forget. In trying to use the device for the next hour or so I was nagged constantly to "finish setting up your device" because I hadn't turned this crap on that I never ever wanted to use. Do you want to go stomp some puppies? What!? No!! I'll take that as a "maybe later."