Confusing Pocket PC ActiveSync add/remove program UI? |
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Recently, I wanted to quickly remove one program using the add/remove programs list on my Pocket PC via ActiveSync and DOH! I managed to delete/remove all the programs! Check out the user interface (UI) to the right. A check box indicates a program is already installed (that’s what it says anyway), so uncheck them to delete programs, right? So if I uncheck the box and hit “ok” it will delete from the Pocket PC, but if I click the “Remove” button then it removes from the desktop and Pocket PC (???) The message at the top of hte interface says:
“Select a program’s check box if you want to install it on your mobile device, or clear the check box if you want to remove the program from your device.”
Is it just me or is this somewhat confusing? Why isn’t this a similar interface to the Windows add/remove programs in the control panel? Perhaps in the next version of ActiveSync this will be made clearer and the “Remove” [from both mobile device and desktop] will be a separate option after choosing to remove. Convenience can sometimes lead to ambiguity in UI design. I should send this post over to somebody who draws comic strips about user interface / usability issues.
on a similar note my battery died so i lost everything. i restored all except the programs. which appear in the add\remove programs but not for me to access on my pda.
Comment by rich — February 5, 2005 @ 1:32 pm PST
Yes, this is a typical example of extremely bad UI design, in fact it should be included as a prime example of how NOT to do things in all future UI design books. On more than one occasion I’ve just wanted to remove one program and then hit ok afterwards by sheer instinct, and poof all my apps are gone. Whoever designed this dialog wasn’t thinking…at all.
Comment by Bjorn — September 11, 2007 @ 2:11 am PST