Re: LOGO-L> FW: Error messages and common decency

[George Mills <mills@softronix.com>]

Note that in general we need to keep seperate
requests for the Logo interpreter to produce good error
messages from a Student Logo programmer adding his/her own
to his/her own code.

Yes, the Logo interperter can make the student Logo
programmer's life easier. But the "user" of the students
program may not be a Logo Programmer (though often is).

The request for smarter errors in the Logo interpreter
is a classic example of users requesting that the application
to produce better error messages (a pretty common thing).

By the way part of the success of the Graphical User Interface
is due to reducing error cases. By presenting only "valid"
options (by greying out illegal ones etc.) you don't have
to try something and then be told you can't do that after the
fact.

Bob Gorman wrote:
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:   Bob Gorman [SMTP:bgorman@seresc.net]
> Sent:   Monday, April 27, 1998 2:16 PM
> To:     'logo-list@gsn.org'
> Subject:        Error messages and common decency...
> 
> Many software error messages are to put it bluntly rude and inconsiderate!
> When as a programmer you issue an error message, you are down a particular
> branch of your code tree because:
> A) You expected something...
> B) You got something else!!!
> 
> IF you wanted to help the user (the one who ultimately pays your salary),
> rather than play a cheap form of oneupmanship, your message might  be:
>         I was expecting........
>         But I received..........
>         You can fix it by.......
> Often the third part is unnecessary if the 1st part is clear enough!
> Example:
> I was expecting a fully qualified path name, such as
> C:\DIR1\DIR2\FILENAME.EXT
>         I received (or you typed) FILENAME
>         So I looked in MY default directory, which is C:\MYPROG for FILENAME.ABC
> 
> As to whether "I don't know how to" or  "You haven't said how to" is chi
> ldish or not,
> In my opinion, neither is terrible nor great, but both are polite.
> 
> However,
>         SYNTAX ERROR
>         (Which loosely translated means, I know WHAT you did wrong, I know WHERE
> you did it wrong, but I'm not going to tell you either; nah nah, na nah
> nah!
> Is INFANTILE!!!
> 
> Any thoughts?
> Bob Gorman
> 
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-- 
===============================================================
George Mills
email: mills@softronix.com
http://www.softronix.com
The www page contains some very powerful educational software.
Our single most important investment is our kids.
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