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But this change breaks functionality for some people, without correspondingly improving anything for others. So what's the point? In my experience, software th

by Plont 2mo ago

But this change breaks functionality for some people, without correspondingly improving anything for others. So what's the point? In my experience, software that is designed to work only for the most average user ends up feeling terrible for most everybody, because most people deviate from the average in one way or another, at one time or another. It feels especially bad when the software makes assumptions about what the user wants, to the point of including a button that doesn't always do the same thing when pressed, and which doesn't even tell the user it doesn't always do the same thing when pressed. Just look at all the complaints Microsoft gets for the way Windows constantly reverts or ignores user settings. Or the way it feels to google a very specific set of search terms, only to receive back 20 completely irrelevant listicles that answer a statistically more likely question you didn't ask.

xp84 2mo ago
Put yourself in the shoes of someone who has no idea what systemwide dark and light mode settings are. There is exactly one reason they are seeking out this control: "It's in dark mode and I want it light" or "It's light mode and I want it dark." The improvement for them is that when they get here and see "Dark, Light, System" with System selected, they wonder "What's System?" Is System important? Will I break something if I change it from System? Is this even the right setting or is this something else? If I want it changed back to Dark later, do I need to choose "System" or should I choose "Dark"? Will this have unexpected effects on my whole computer if I choose "System" in this webpage? > including a button that doesn't always do the same thing when pressed The non-engineer would say the "System" one "doesn't always do the same thing when pressed" and that the "Light" and "Dark" in the 2-way control absolutely always do the same (and desired) thing: Immediately change it to Light or Dark. The side-effect of saving it as an override is, to be fair, a guess at their intent, but it's a very good bet.

by Plont 2mo ago

xp84 2mo ago

Put yourself in the shoes of someone who has no idea what systemwide dark and light mode settings are. There is exactly one reason they are seeking out this control: "It's in dark mode and I want it light" or "It's light mode and I want it dark." The improvement for them is that when they get here and see "Dark, Light, System" with System selected, they wonder "What's System?" Is System important? Will I break something if I change it from System? Is this even the right setting or is this something else? If I want it changed back to Dark later, do I need to choose "System" or should I choose "Dark"? Will this have unexpected effects on my whole computer if I choose "System" in this webpage? > including a button that doesn't always do the same thing when pressed The non-engineer would say the "System" one "doesn't always do the same thing when pressed" and that the "Light" and "Dark" in the 2-way control absolutely always do the same (and desired) thing: Immediately change it to Light or Dark. The side-effect of saving it as an override is, to be fair, a guess at their intent, but it's a very good bet.