Another Meaningless Tech Syndrome, This Time With A Grain Of Truth
from the sounds-familiar dept
By now it barely needs mentioning that health professionals love to ascribe various syndromes and dangerously addictive properties to new technology. Usually the pronouncements are exaggerated and silly, but sometimes there's something that rings true. A new study of web users says everyone is susceptible to "Mouse Rage Syndrome", which can be brought on by poorly designed websites, and can result in the tightening of facial muscles and even lead to diminished cardio functions. If you're unsure whether you've had mouse rage or not, just think of the irritation caused from an advertisement that covers the whole screen that you can't click off, or a menu that requires you to scroll over a certain word to open, but when you go to click on a menu item, the menu disappears and you have to start over again. Now, did we really need a study to show that the internet, just like everything else in the world, can from time to time be a source of extreme frustration?Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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ohhh, irritation leads to stress.
Conclusive proof that irritation leads to stress.
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You just don't get it
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Mouse Rage!
Mouse rage is when an annoying Flash ad is covering up what you want to read and no matter where you move the mouse it won't go away.
Mouse rage is the leading factor in many of todays problems and I propose governmental legislation to deal with this horrid problem. We should start the War on Mouse Rage and stop this from becoming an epidemic.
First we start bombing every flash developer and every PC company that still ships those ancient non-laser mice. Sure their will be some "collateral" damage, but this is WAR.
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Re: Mouse Rage!
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No more frustration here
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Re: No more frustration here
Ubuntu and Solaris, but I prefer learning to use my systems, over abandoning them.
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Re:
no, but we do need those smug bloggers going around to various blog sites leaving idiotic, pointless remarks in an attempt to bring life to their unread pages.
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Re: No more frustration here
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Re: Re: No more frustration here
Also, he never said he couldn't use windows, he said it didn't give him any control, which is obvious. Any competent computer user that reads this site would realize that.
Honestly, maybe you should stick with physics and shy away from tech.
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Re: Re: No more frustration here
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no, but we do need those smug bloggers going around to various blog sites leaving idiotic, pointless remarks in an attempt to bring life to their unread pages.
Ha ha. I thought I was on-point, actually. Joe wrote:Now, did we really need a study to show that the internet, just like everything else in the world, can from time to time be a source of extreme frustration?
Yes, we do because it can tell us how to improve our interfaces. Real data is important for this; you can't just rely on intuition, even if you think your intuition is better than anyone else's.
I'll go back to my hole now.
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Sic 'em
Point 1: the "(sic)" comes after the erroneous word, not before it.
Point 2: only a dickweed flames someone for their typos.
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not more competent, more happy
I've seen it in many other users too, of all levels of computer competence, what really gets people annoyed is the absolute lack of control they have over the technology they use.
And you have to admit that Microsoft Windows is a law unto itself.
If it's doing things you don't like 99% of the time you just have to suck it up.
For what it's worth switching to Linux is what saved me from throwing out my computer and taking up a career in landscape gardening. There is nothing "elite" or "more competent" in using it either. I can be a complete idiot on Linux just the same as Windows when not knowing the simple command to do something - and considering I have a computer science degree that's not something that's easy to say, a little embarrasing at times. The difference is that when I want to do something in Linux I can find out. It is an *enabling* rather than a restrictive OS, I can search online and find the exact code or package to fix my problem.
Here's the kicker. Now that I have full control over my computer I have to take ***responsibilty*** for it and its failings. With Windows there was legitimate anger and frustration, it was always someone elses problem getting in my way and I was angry that I had no recourse to solve it. I couldn't control the behaviour. Now, if my computer fails it is because *I* didn't set it up right and the only person who can fix it is me. That gave the self discipline, confidence and esteem to be in real control, and getting angry is only really getting angry at myself since I have the power to change things now.
This is important psychology and manufacturers of technology who want to nanny their users and take away their control of what they own would do well to heed it.
And, btw I am not advocating Linux, if you honestly think you are in control of your Windows machine and it does your bidding then good luck to you. but if you are getting "mouse rage" then maybe it's time for you to question why and look at the alternatives to being a slave to your own equipment.
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flash sites
Who do I sue?
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FireFox2
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Another solution
Windows does what I tell it to, because I ask nicely.
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Oh noes!
Where's my coffee?
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meece rage
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Eh...
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