June 24th, 2008

Don't require your users to have a degree in philosophy, episode 3

Raymond Chen
Raymond Chen

While signing up for online bill payment for one of the services I use, I encountered the following check box:

Uncheck this box if you do not wish to receive electronic communications from XYZ.

This is not simply a negative-sense checkbox; it’s a double-negative-sense checkbox! What’s wrong with this:

Send me electronic communications from XYZ.

Oh, right, I know what’s wrong with it: It’s too easy for people to opt out! Marketing is all about making users ask for something they don’t want.

Category
Old New Thing
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Author

Raymond Chen

Raymond has been involved in the evolution of Windows for more than 30 years. In 2003, he began a Web site known as The Old New Thing which has grown in popularity far beyond his wildest imagination, a development which still gives him the heebie-jeebies. The Web site spawned a book, coincidentally also titled The Old New Thing (Addison Wesley 2007). He occasionally appears on the Windows Dev Docs Twitter account to tell stories which convey no useful information.

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