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From a dumb user POV, I would say that it depends on frequency. If I see a one off apology, for a one off issue, perhaps with a mild sense of humour, then that
by alan_cx 14y ago
From a dumb user POV, I would say that it depends on frequency.
If I see a one off apology, for a one off issue, perhaps with a mild sense of humour, then that's good, I like that. I might even have sympathy.
If, however, I see a regular, frequent issue and get the same apology over and over again, it begins to feel insincere, and that they are trying to cover an inherent issue with an insincere apology, or humour. I then begin to feel that they simply cant be bothered.
I think sincerity is the most important thing.
- vlaube 14y agoYes, "I'm sorry" always carries the connotation of "this won't happen again" with it. If you are sorry all the time, it doesn't actually mean anything. Like everywhere else the basic design principle of contrast also holds in the tone of error messages. If you shout all the time, nobody will listen when you really mean it. Likewise, if you are sorry all the time, nobody will take your apology serious.
- dragonwriter 14y agoI don't think "I'm sorry" always carries the connotation of "this won't happen again". "I'm sorry" has two very different uses -- it can mean, roughly, either "I accept responsibility for this thing which is my fault" or "I regret this occurrence, independent of whose fault it is". When used in the former sense, it doesn't necessarily imply that there will be no recurrence, but certainly implies that the speaker will make an effort to prevent recurrence. When used in the latter sense -- which I'd argue would be the usual sense in which an error message would have to be understood -- it certainly does not imply even that there will be an effort to prevent recurrence.
- barking 14y agoI find firefox's Well this is embarassing phrase irritating.