A Great Upgrade Experience
It's helpful when applications let me know that new versions have been released, especially when it's a browser letting me know about a security update.
In most cases, though, the timing sucks - just as I open the application with a specific goal in mind, I'm given a choice to make. Either I allow myself to be hijacked down a upgrading detour, taking me away from my immediate goal, or I dismiss the upgrade dialog and have to remember to do it myself later on. Neither option is particularly helpful.
Today, I opened Paint.Net to trim a screenshot for another blog post, and saw this dialog:
What a superb idea - I can agree to upgrade the application with the latest version without interruption. I'm able to get on with my immediate task with the upgrade deferred until I'm finished with the application.
More applications should work this way ... FileZilla, FireFox, Thunderbird, I'm thinking of you.
Comments
100%
I also noticed this change in paint.net and thought it was great. It's huge contrast to Notepad++ for example, which always interrupts!
PS: Your blogs captcaha for comments in annoying, respect lower and upper case when entering are you serious?
CAPTCHA
Hi Steven.
I know the CAPTCHA is really annoying - I'm trying to find the right balance between making it easier for readers (like yourself) and the volume of spam that gets through.
I started off with a fairly simple CAPTCHA, but the volume of spam got too high, forcing me to wind up the complexity.
Perhaps it's time to wind the level back down, or to check into alternatives. I'll look into it.
Thanks for your comment,
Bevan.
Asirra
It would be interesting to see if Asirra is more effective:
http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/projects/asirra/
Asirra
Interesting - I'll look into it.
Thanks for the link.