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Some systems have technical limitations that may constrain the amount of information an error message can contain. For example, a printer with a sixteen-character alphanumeric display can only show a very limited amount of information at once, so it may need to display very terse error messages.
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When designing error messages, software designers should take care to avoid creating security vulnerabilities. The designer should give the user enough information to make an intelligent decision, but not so much information that the user is overwhelmed or confused. Extraneous information may be
382:
started to be displayed with whimsical characters, termed Fail Pets or Error
Mascots. The term "Fail Pet" was coined, or at least first used in print, by Mozilla Engineer Fred Wenzel in a post on his blog entitled "Why Knowledge might need a fail-pet — and why Mozilla does not." Dr. Sean Rintel
554:
appear to notify a user about a condition without interrupting their work. On
Windows, notification icons appear in the System Tray. On Mac OS X, notification icons may appear in the menu bar, or may take the form of an application's icon "bouncing" in the Dock. The
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Error messages on hardware devices, like computer peripherals, may take the form of dedicated lights indicating an error condition, a brief code that needs to be interpreted using a look-up sheet or a manual, or via a more detailed message on a display.
50:, often display error messages using dialog boxes. Error messages are used when user intervention is required, to indicate that a desired operation has failed, or to relay important warnings (such as warning a computer user that they are almost out of
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The nature of the error determines the amount of information required to effectively convey the error message. A complex issue may require a more detailed error message in order to adequately inform the user of the problem.
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in the user interaction. In many cases the original error can be avoided by error prevention techniques. Instead of raising an error message the system design should have avoided the conditions that caused the error.
109:
This error message is commonly seen when the hard drive of the computer is having problems. If the computer can boot from a network, it may instead display the message "Media test failure, check cable".
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may have caused the error. Alternatively, the file might not exist, or the user has mistyped its name. This is most commonly seen on the internet with outdated links to web pages that
247:. DFS stores files in non-fragmented contiguous disk space, this error is caused when trying to extend an open random-access file into space that is already occupied by another file.
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The three main factors that influence the design of error messages are technical limitations, the amount of information to be presented, and what kind of user input is required.
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Even with computer monitors, the programmer must consider the smallest monitor that a user might reasonably use, and ensure that any error messages will fit on that screen.
218:- On Microsoft Windows and ReactOS operating systems, this screen appears when Windows or ReactOS can no longer run because of a severe error. It is roughly analogous to a
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While various graphical user interfaces have different conventions for displaying error messages, several techniques have become common:
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usage) and delete some files (normally temporary files, or other files after they have been backed up), or get a bigger hard drive.
859:
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30:
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391:). "However, that same recognition carries the danger of highlighting service failure." The most famous fail pet is Twitter's
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544:, appears in a window on the screen, blocking further interaction with the computer until it is acknowledged. On Mac OS X,
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hidden by default or placed in a separate location. Error message should not expose information that can be exploited by a
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891:
334:) that occurs when the program has detected an error condition, yet the actual error message printing routine relies on
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which may show either "invalid user" or "invalid password" depending on which is incorrect, and the error page in the
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and loyalty. Fail pets are of interest to marketers because they can result in brand recognition (especially through
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On computers, error messages may take the form of text printed to a console, or they may be presented as part of a
324:
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This error occurs when the hard drive is (nearly) full. To fix this, the user should close some programs (to free
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293:- An error on several HP laser printers that simply asked the user to add "Letter" size paper in a confusing way
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This error occurs when the system has run out of memory or tries to load a file too large to store in
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which provides a complete technical description of the error including a source code fragment.
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This message and similar ones are displayed by several operating systems when program causes a
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287:", and which is sometimes output when the nature of the error is seemingly entirely different
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103:(or a bad disk) in the disk drive and the system tries to perform tasks involving that disk.
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271:, usually resulting from a link to a page that has been moved or deleted, or a mistyped URL
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776:"The Evolution of Fail Pets : Strategic Whimsy and Brand Awareness in Error Messages"
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devices, which states a current running application unexpectedly stops working or crashes.
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space). Error messages are seen widely throughout computing, and are part of every
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353:- Error occurs on Mac systems when it takes more time to connect wireless networks.
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283:- A Unix error message that is confusing due to its now obsolete use of the word "
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will infamously reply with a single question mark for nearly all error conditions.
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The form that error messages take varies between operating systems and programs.
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463:: Televisions (on main site), light static inside video window (embedded video)
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is the information displayed when an unforeseen problem occurs, usually on a
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to obtain information that is otherwise difficult to obtain. Examples are
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user interface for Unix systems can display notification icons in a panel.
323:<application name> has stopped - An error message commonly found on
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Error 1603 - An error that states that a problem during installation of a
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The following error messages are commonly seen by modern computer users:
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803:
The Humane
Interface: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems
430:: Cloud with Apple System 7 emoticon-style face and a magnifying glass
448:
427:
421:
415:
192:
62:
device. The proper design of error messages is an important topic in
277:- A Unix warning that the printer may be "on fire", literally or not
157:. The fix is to close some programs or install more physical memory.
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to print the error reported by the operating system (in this case,
34:
An error message when attempting to use the
Knowledge Visual editor
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361:
331:
254:
231:
223:
195:
29:
876:
208:- Another notoriously common and confusing error message seen in
754:"why wikipedia might need a fail-pet — and why mozilla does not"
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are a form of dialog box that are attached to a specific window.
227:
880:
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The file concerned may have been damaged, moved, deleted, or a
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argues that error messages are a critical strategic moment in
827:"Non-Fatal Errors: Creating usable, effective error messages"
309:
stating that a gateway timeout occurred in the internet link.
85:
This error occurs if the user does not have privileges to a
860:
Avoid being embarrassed by your error messages (UX Matters)
729:"LaserJet turns 25 ... 'PC LOAD LETTER' still unfathomable"
704:"Blue Screens of Death (BSOD): Everything You Need to Know"
330:
Success - one of the error messages (in this instance,
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Tumbeasts gnawing on servers, used by Tumblr in 2011
1116:
1090:
1049:
1003:
977:
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346:have succeeded and report no errors (in this case,
865:Oops! I ruined your life. :) (Cooper Journal)
805:. ACM Press Series. Addison-Wesley. p. 178.
191:- A notoriously confusing error message seen in
123:. On a local computer, this is more frequent on
46:or other device. Modern operating systems with
99:This error most often occurs when there is no
892:
8:
457:: Fail Whale / Twitter Robot (July 30, 2008)
399:service outages). Other fail pets include:
899:
885:
877:
520:. Error messages are often presented as a
370:With the rise of Web 2.0 services such as
200:An example of an Error message .vbs script
445:: Between the cushions (January 31, 2018)
374:, end-user facing error messages such as
18:Secure error messages in software systems
668:
524:, which makes them cause a following
267:- A file not found error seen on the
7:
316:, this error particularly occurs on
27:Computer message indicating an error
562:Minor errors may be displayed in a
678:"How to Write Good Error Messages"
25:
135:and users do not type file names.
1108:List of SMTP server return codes
855:A more useful 404 (A List Apart)
774:Rintel, Sean (2 November 2011).
1103:List of FTP server return codes
676:Minhas, Saadis (May 30, 2018).
451:: Tumbeasts (January 25, 2011)
424:: Broken robot (March 2, 2011)
1:
799:"6-4-2: Messages to the User"
727:McNamara, Paul (2009-04-29).
752:Wenzel, Fred (August 2009).
500:: Giga scratching their head
406:: Moon Shark (March 3, 2013)
253:- an error message from the
1176:
1160:Human–computer interaction
702:Fisher, Tim (2019-01-16).
622:Human–computer interaction
617:Definitive diagnostic data
485:with a helmet floating in
131:where files are presented
68:human–computer interaction
1134:2024 CrowdStrike incident
1098:List of HTTP status codes
129:graphical user interfaces
48:graphical user interfaces
1062:Bad command or file name
518:graphical user interface
342:), while the underlying
305:- An error found on the
240:- an error message from
206:Bad command or file name
165:general protection fault
93:by some program or user.
176:Specific error messages
125:command line interfaces
1004:Device and data errors
367:
201:
35:
990:Fatal exception error
642:User interface design
412:on Facebook: Sad cow.
365:
199:
74:Common error messages
33:
797:Raskin, Jef (2000).
216:Blue Screen of Death
160:has stopped working.
89:, or if it has been
66:and other fields of
1129:Windows wait cursor
1067:Halt and Catch Fire
1057:Abort, Retry, Fail?
978:Application failure
494:: Sad Vkontakte dog
189:Abort, Retry, Fail?
995:Segmentation fault
927:Fatal system error
870:2014-08-25 at the
647:Exception handling
627:Interaction design
552:Notification icons
443:Palliser Furniture
368:
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36:
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1124:Spinning pinwheel
947:Red Ring of Death
942:Linux kernel oops
812:978-0-201-37937-2
320:computer systems.
106:Disk Boot Failure
60:computer hardware
16:(Redirected from
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1082:Does not compute
1036:Not a typewriter
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96:Device not ready
56:operating system
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467:Cartoon Network
385:brand awareness
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251:Guru Meditation
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121:no longer exist
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1041:PC LOAD LETTER
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291:PC LOAD LETTER
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833:on 2009-05-08
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778:. UX Magazine
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937:Kernel panic
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835:. Retrieved
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780:. Retrieved
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736:. Retrieved
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652:Medium error
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469:: BMO : Domo
404:Ars Technica
389:earned media
369:
344:system calls
297:SYNTAX ERROR
238:Can't extend
220:kernel panic
77:
39:
37:
1031:lp0 on fire
275:lp0 on fire
167:or invalid
101:floppy disk
1149:Categories
837:2007-02-16
782:8 February
759:8 February
738:2019-01-30
713:2019-01-30
663:References
637:User error
597:web server
564:status bar
538:dialog box
526:mode error
522:dialog box
393:Fail Whale
348:errno == 0
285:typewriter
259:VirtualBox
169:page fault
133:iconically
922:Bomb icon
632:Usability
434:Macintosh
418:: Octocat
410:FarmVille
358:Fail pets
336:C library
143:swap file
64:usability
52:hard disk
1072:HTTP 418
1026:HTTP 500
1021:HTTP 404
1016:HTTP 403
1011:HTTP 402
868:Archived
708:Lifewire
606:See also
582:Security
380:HTTP 500
376:HTTP 404
303:HTTP 504
265:HTTP 404
181:? - the
127:than on
44:computer
1117:Related
952:Sad Mac
687:Jan 30,
600:IIS 5.0
593:systems
589:cracker
498:Scratch
483:Red fox
479:Patreon
475:: T-Rex
461:YouTube
455:Twitter
438:Sad Mac
397:Twitter
372:Twitter
340:errno.h
325:Android
318:Windows
809:
546:sheets
449:Tumblr
428:iCloud
422:Google
416:GitHub
210:MS-DOS
193:MS-DOS
91:locked
1091:Lists
1050:Other
985:ABEND
967:Black
557:GNOME
540:, or
487:space
395:(see
332:POSIX
255:Amiga
242:Acorn
232:macOS
230:, or
224:Linux
962:Blue
807:ISBN
784:2012
761:2012
689:2019
378:and
228:Unix
214:The
87:file
245:DFS
222:on
155:RAM
117:bug
58:or
38:An
1151::
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682:UX
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536:A
492:VK
481::
436::
226:,
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900:e
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20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
