Stupid dialog boxes

Summary:
Dialog boxes are program-driven, not user-driven. Care must be taken that dialog boxes not only present useful options but also that they allow users to select those options.

These dialog boxes look useful, but they are not. The first is manipulative and the second is redundant, almost useless, and undermines learning of the program.

Notice that after checking the "do not show again" box, one cannot progress to the next window without contradicting that choice.

The only buttons to advance past this box are to "Register now!," "Remind me later," or to close (X) the window.

These contradict the ability of the user to "do not show..." and not register.

Kind of pushy, isn't it?

This post-splash screen options menu is redundant and unnecessary. It should be noted that the "type in data," close window (X), and cancel all accomplish the same thing.

Perhaps worse than the redundancy is the fact that this is an absolutely unnecessary dialog box. All of the options are more easily accessible on the main program toolbar (one click is needed) than to operate in this menu (two clicks are needed).

If a person only learns to use this menu, then they will have to restart the program to perform these functions.

[To give this company a break, they have to deal with a history of training manuals that refer to this dialog box, so getting rid of this problem may be problematic.]

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