I was going to open my Machine Head mp3. My finger slipped and I hit the delete key. A window came up asking "Are you sure you want to delete ..." I couldn't believe it. Who in his right mind could conceive of such an action? Even a brainless machine should have better sense than this, let alone a programmable one.

For instances such as this, I want a third option: reprimand. If the computer prompts something obviously not in your best interest (download spyware, delete command.com, etc.), you can press the reprimand button, which will display an small apology. Next time, if your finger slips, the computer will think twice before asking you the same question (i.e., it makes you enter the command twice.)
-- Cuit_au_Four, Dec 24 2006

Reminds me of something Douglas Coupland wrote, can't remember whether it was in 'Microserfs' or 'JPod'.

Anyhow, one of the characters describes how she would like to have a button on the keyboard marked 'fuck off', to be pressed anytime the 'puter did something stupid. Pressing this button would cause the computer to experience the electronic equivalent of pain. If you were really pissed off, you could press the 'fuck off and die'-button, which was, according to her, the equivalent of 'a razor being raked across your nipples'. [+]
-- Trickytracks, Dec 24 2006


Bun only if the computer 'pain' is coupled with some kind of user pain as well... maybe a big stiff foam hand could punch out from the monitor housing and smack you in the head.

F*ck it, it's your fault anyway.
-- m_Al_com, Dec 24 2006


the first Macintosh I ever used, with operating system 6, (about 18 years ago - yikes !) used to have a great voice warning on it which said: "back off man, I'm a scientist"
-- xenzag, Dec 24 2006


I can't find it, but I think I remember an idea similar to this. Something like "Are you sure you really want to do that?".
I've typed some pretty obscene things into the command line before. I know that the error was on my end, but knowing it didn't really help. Verbally abusing the computer made me feel better. (& it didn't seem to mind all that much).
-- Zimmy, Dec 26 2006


Too easy to use maliciously, a virus or some spyWare tells your computer (through the registry or however it works) to ask you 100 times before you can delete/change/whatever the virus... Ouch.
-- emjay, Dec 26 2006



random, halfbakery