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Monday, July 25, 2011

Dear Programmers...

Please wait.

When you're making a Windows or Web App I have a few words of advice.

Some processes - like complex database queries - take a lot of time, especially over a large network. This gives a user experience where they click a link or button and nothing happens for a very long time.  Wouldn't it be better if you popped up a little I'm working... animation to let the user know you haven't just dropped his request on the floor?  Not doing so leads to the following user reactions:
  1. Screaming in a high-pitched voice, "go! GO! Goooooooooooo!"
  2. Clicking the offending link or button 32,500 times (submitting repeated requests to the server)
  3. Hating technology and vowing to leave this over-digitized world to seek a simpler life.


Bryan Valencia is a contributing editor and founder of Visual Studio Journey.  He owns and operates Software Services, a web design and hosting company in Manteca, California.

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