Guilt Trips and Devices that Nag

[ralphm]

Apparently, the Web is entering a guilt trip phase, where we’re made to feel bad about the choices we make.

I’m not sure whether that’s worse, or the fact that my devices keep on nagging me and not taking NO! for an answer. So, for example, I’m doing stuff on my phone. Yeah, OK, I see the bright notification that there’s a software update. Fine, I’ll deal with it later, when I’ve got a broadband connection or whatever—just later.

Not good enough. The phone decides to nag:

Argh—that pops up just when I’m in the middle of something. I just want it to go away. I guess I’d better hit Later, as that’ll make it go away, right?

Nope. In the great tradition of nagging, this pops up next:

In other words, “Well then, when? Come on, you—when are you going to do it? Tonight? Will I have to remind you again later? You know I’m just going to keep on nagging you, don’t you?”

Ah heck, OK, remind me later … as that’s the only option you’re going to offer.

Sigh … O well, at least I got rid of this incredibly annoying nagging for now. So, where was I? …

Except that, just as I’m getting back into what I was doing …

[John_Betong]

I quite like the approach Linux Mint has adopted for updates. Hovering on the “Update Manager” taskbar icon shows the the number of updates available. Clicking opens a menu showing a selected list of updates and their levels (tested, recommended, safe, unsafe, dangerous). Each update is optional and most most important of all, whenever is convenient.

[DarthGuido]

iOS

[Mittineague]

Years ago I had different media players installed. They leap-frogged each other with updates.
Every time I updated one, it would hi-jack my OS “file associations” so that whenever I opened a media file locally it would open in whatever app I updated last.

Confusing at first, Then annoying once I figured out what was happening. So annoying that I learned how to go into Win 98 and reset the associations.

At that time I had 3 browsers installed IE 6, Netscape and Opera.
I used to get annoyed with all the “make this browser your default browser?” nags.
At least now they’re pretty much buried in the Settings.

What gets me about “Update Available” nags these days is they don’t say enough.
One can assume “Oh-oh, must be a security patch” or “Oh boy! Feature improvements” and be quick to just click “update now”. But I’ve learned the hard way that it’s best to look at the change logs first. At least that way if something is going to break I have a better chance of knowing what to expect.

[SamA74]

I hate machines nagging. It’s about time they re-learned who’s the boss.
In Windows I always disable auto-updates, then you have to disable the thing that nags at you for not having it enabled. Then you can get some peace and do the things you want to do on the computer and use the bandwidth for what you are doing. Then you may install updates at a time that is convenient for you, as in not while I’m trying to work on other stuff.