Abort, Retry, Fail...

[Anatole Wilson <awilson -at- VNET -dot- IBM -dot- COM>]

I think OS/2 has come a long way in abolishing the Abort/Retry/Fail
problem--at least as far as terrifying or confusing the user.  (My
problem has always been that abort and fail seemed synonymous to me.)

For example, if I try to access the A: drive when there's no disk in it,
I get the following message:

           SYSTEM ERROR
           SYS0039
           The A: Device is not ready.

           Options
           o Return error code to program
           o End program/command/operation
           o Retry command or operation


So the message told me what the problem was (generally) and reworded
the Abort/Retry/Fail options in a way that better explained what would
happen when I chose that option (though at first glance I wouldn't have a
clue what good sending a "return error code to program" would do me).

At least with this message I don't get that sinking feeling in the pit of
my stomach that no matter what I do next, I've destroyed my system.

Heck--until this discussion, I didn't even realize that this *was* the
abort/retry/fail message.

================================
Anatole Wilson                       "We are all interested in the
Sr. Assoc. Information Developer     future, for that is where you
IBM, Santa Teresa Labs               and I will spend the rest of
awilson -at- vnet -dot- ibm -dot- com                 our lives."
all company disclaimers apply                 --Griswell
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