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  • CiviCRM Community Forums (archive) »
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  • Can we re-phrase "A non-recoverable error has occured." to reduce enduser panic?

Poll

Can we re-word a different phrase to introduce fatal errors?

We've encountered an issue on this page.
2 (25%)
Sorry, there's been a change in plans.
0 (0%)
I'm sorry, I'm afraid we can't do that.
0 (0%)
Read below for more details on why this page cannot be displayed.
1 (12.5%)
Sorry but we are not able to provide this at the moment.
5 (62.5%)
To hell with the user, just keep it the way it is.
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 8

Voting closed: June 20, 2012, 11:40:38 am

Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Can we re-phrase "A non-recoverable error has occured." to reduce enduser panic?  (Read 1906 times)

CiviTeacher.com

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Can we re-phrase "A non-recoverable error has occured." to reduce enduser panic?
May 21, 2012, 11:40:38 am
Has the phrase
Quote
! Sorry. A non-recoverable error has occurred.
reached the end of its usefulness?  Has it become so overused as to be invisible to devs and terrifyingly inappropriate to non-techies?   This is not a technical discussion.  I know the fatal.tpl exists for a reason ... because fatal errors occur.

But can't we be a bit nicer about it?

Non-techie stream of consciousness: Non-recoverable?  Error?  Do I have a virus?  Is Civic-R-M broken?  Did my developer screw me over?  What's WROOOOOOOONG?

The message is followed by a more detailed error description such as:
Quote
The page you requested is currently unavailable.

Oh, that's all?   As devs we understand the contribution page has been disabled, that's it.  No big deal.  The end-user probably did this themselves, and unwittingly gave themselves a panic attack.

This is a branding and UI issue.  Can we improve?  What else can we say?  What's an appropriate, panic-reducing, kinder way to put this?

Suggestions welcome.

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petednz

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Re: Can we re-phrase "A non-recoverable error has occured." to reduce enduser panic?
May 21, 2012, 12:20:52 pm
Sorry but we are not able to provide this this link or perform this function at the moment, please let your site administrator know

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CiviTeacher.com

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Re: Can we re-phrase "A non-recoverable error has occured." to reduce enduser panic?
May 21, 2012, 12:24:56 pm
I like the approach, Pete.  More words, softer style.

Maybe just "provide this" (without mention of links or functions) as a more all-encompassing term.

The 'please let your site administrator know' might not be appropriate for some circumstances, for instance, when a contribution or event page has been deliberately disabled by staff, say, because the event or fund-raiser is now over.  Can we think of other reasons when it's NOT appropriate to notify someone of a fatal error?

More thoughts?
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Hershel

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Re: Can we re-phrase "A non-recoverable error has occured." to reduce enduser panic?
May 21, 2012, 03:05:17 pm
Quote from: petednz on May 21, 2012, 12:20:52 pm
Sorry but we are not able to provide this this link or perform this function at the moment, please let your site administrator know

Very nice (except for "this this"). But "your site administrator" doesn't make sense if I am donating to a third party site that I have no connection to. Thus perhaps:

Quote
Sorry, but we are not able to provide this page or perform this function at the moment, please let our site administrators know so that we can correct this.
CiviHosting and CiviOnline -- The CiviCRM hosting experts, since 2007

See here for the official: What to do if you think you've found a bug.

jakecivi

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Re: Can we re-phrase "A non-recoverable error has occured." to reduce enduser panic?
May 23, 2012, 09:32:11 am
Another vote for leaving out the site administrator part.  It unnecessarily reassigns blame in a lot of cases.

CiviTeacher.com

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Re: Can we re-phrase "A non-recoverable error has occured." to reduce enduser panic?
May 31, 2012, 05:30:28 pm
Thanks for voting.

This will be the new error text in fatal.tpl as of 4.2.  patch submitted and accepted

Quote
Sorry but we are not able to provide this at the moment.
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jakecivi

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Re: Can we re-phrase "A non-recoverable error has occured." to reduce enduser panic?
June 11, 2012, 07:41:37 am
There needs to be a comma after "Sorry."
Pages: [1]
  • CiviCRM Community Forums (archive) »
  • Old sections (read-only, deprecated) »
  • Developer Discussion (Moderator: Donald Lobo) »
  • Can we re-phrase "A non-recoverable error has occured." to reduce enduser panic?

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