Re: Strange user interface design

On 17/03/2025 04:49, Sylvia Else wrote:

Warning - slight rant content.
 I've been coming across multiple instances where a program displays what appears to be a prompt screen, e.g. "Choose between cash or card." only to immediately display some other screen. In the example given, on a self-checkout device, if the only option is card, then it goes immediately to the screen telling me to use my card.
 

This to me sounds like your local program is engaging a communication with a remote program, driving the commands to the latter as if a physical user was there.
Maybe the latter program, some payment processor I guess?, is a HTTP web page delivered encrypted from elsewhere over HTTPS, and is very locked down with regard to possible API routes and return responses? Your local program is unable to shield you from this clunkiness, in fact it probably is unable to "see" any of it due to the encryption.

I thought this practice might reflect the Android development environment, but I see it (as in my example) on machines that are running some version of Windows.

If the above, this would display identically on various different OS's.

 I don't understand this philosophy. It's bad enough that user interface seems to have degenerated to the point where there is no feedback as to whether one has managed to select something, other than an eventual response which sometimes takes a minute (yes, that's a separate gripe). But these days one doesn't even know whether a selection is required.

Flat UI, and bad low contrast of radio buttons, are bad. Even worse is forcing these systems on people that are not the best experienced at IT, have vision and keyboard/mouse operation issues, but need to use it to order medication.

 I've even tried to select something only to select something completely different, and unwanted, on the subsequent screen.
 Every paragraph above, except the first, starts with 'I'. Hmmm....
 

I do something similar with some systems, just to break them ;-)
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Adrian C