Trial And Error

Ahhhh, there are just so many things not to understand. Error messages are certainly among them.

I have seen them on the dishwasher, on the coffeemaker, and when I am filling out a form online, among others. Usually it says “E” followed by a digit or two, so you can imagine how very honored I once felt when I got — filling out that online form — “Error 510”.

Granted this gives a certain amount of information, but not, unfortunately, to me.

Is it too much to ask to have, instead of an error message, some kind of feedback? For starters, how about this: Whose error was it? If it was mine, I wouldn't mind a little hint as to how to avoid it the next time. If it wasn't, don't make me hunt for the answer in a manual that, most likely, never included it in the first place.

As for manuals, the paper ones are being replaced by QR codes that you can scan and link to an online manual This is just like the old paper ones, except with teeny print, making it a lot harder to find out that it still doesn't list your error message.

That coffeemaker, by the way, still provides a paper manual, but it has been upgraded to have, instead of words, a series of confusing little drawings, so it can be misunderstood in any language.

Progress.

**********

Thanks for tuning in.

Know someone who might like this? Please consider passing it along.

Comments? Yes, please! I read them all.

No charge to subscribe. If you do subscribe, Getting On will automatically be delivered to your Inbox every Wednesday morning.