[IxDA Discuss] Badly behaved applications - how do you prevent?

[Daniel Szuc]

I was excited to try this new service.

* 5 minutes - "excitement", downloads software

* 10 minutes - install and not working well, "excitement" turns to "puzzled"

* 15 minutes - uninstall and re-install x 2, "puzzled" turns to "I want to
beat this thing"

* 30 minutes - installed, runs software (slow to load, forces a login) - "I
want to beat this thing" turns to "will wait to see what Apple comes up with
next"

Demonstrates how you can lose a user within a short time and how genuine
product excitement can soon turn to complete frustration. Anyone else
experienced a similar path?

Rgds,

Daniel Szuc
Principal Usability Consultant
Apogee Usability Asia Ltd
www.apogeehk.com
'Usability in Asia'

-----Original Message-----
From: discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com
[mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com] On Behalf Of
Sherman, Paul
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 10:42 PM
To: discuss at ixda.org
Subject: [IxDA Discuss] Badly behaved applications - how do you prevent?

Listening to a CNET podcast today, I learned that Amazon's new "Unbox"
service commits a few faux pas  - and arguably some unpardonable sins - in
how it interacts with users. 

Amazon Unbox, a video download service, does the following: 
-Requires users to download a media management and player application. -The
application sets itself to start when you start Windows - without asking the
user's permission. -The program doesn't provide an option to not start with
Windows. (You have to manually configure your system to prevent Unbox from
starting - a skill that is beyond the average user.) -Even when the
application is prevented from starting with Windows, it launches a service
and tries to phone home. 
-When the user attempts to uninstall the program, Unbox requires the user to
provide their Amazon username and password before permitting Windows to
uninstall it.