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Comment by graypegg | Hacker News Reader

> Microsoft displays a big blue accept button to encourage Windows users to enable the feature, with a darker “not now” button if you want to opt out.

I know I’m preaching to the choir, and “dark patterns” are a very surface level observation of a product, so forgive me for yelling into the HN void but… I am still so annoyed seeing “not now” in a UI. It’s so ubiquitous. I know why it’s like that, I’ve been in meetings where I’ve discussed it with UI design folk. You want to make sure users aren’t stressing about making some final un-revokable decision before they even use the app. People think it’s actually a user respecting decision.

I still hate it. My proudest achievement at work in 2023 was getting an up-sell pop up to say “no” with details about where to find the deal again in the billing page displayed underneath the button.

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> You want to make sure users aren’t stressing about making some final un-revokable decision before they even use the app

It has never come across that way as an end user. As it has always been on some terrible change or option where the answer should be "no, now bugger off forever", I have viewed "not now" as the same as "ask me again later":

an explicit thumb in the eye and statement by the software developers that they think their mandate takes priority over my preferences and that I am not qualified to make decisions about the software I run.

It is a very easy way to maximize my disdain for a developer/team/org.

  > I am not qualified to make decisions about the software I run.

You, anonymousab, might be qualified. But the proverbial you which includes Joe Public most certainly is not.

Yes, they are, by definition as the owner of the device.

Amen, 'not now' is belittling no matter the users experience level. The idea that I or anyone would be 'stressed' by an app settings update is absurd, hard to believe anyone believes it. Am I also supposedly 'stressed' by not wanting to review your app on the app store? Those 'not now' pop up review suggestions are the worst offenders here, and impossible to justify from any perspective.

This attitude is patronizing and malicious. It's the same logic that allows the Supreme Court to revoke women's autonomy about what's happening inside their own body.

The IMDB app's constant "enable notifications? yes/not now" is what got me to pay a subscription to a competing app. You can't even tap yes, then go and disable the notifications in system settings; the app checks and immediately starts nagging again.

What a contemptible practice.

What boils my blood and made me use it less:

Google Maps' navigation feature absolutely FORCING their alternative "better" route when I have REPEATEDLY chosen otherwise.

I saw a comment online recently that was something to the effect of, "not taking 'no' for an answer is rape culture", and as I thought about it, I can't say I disagree. The whole "take action now" / "take action later" with no option to say "no" is a really toxic and coercive position software vendors put on the people using their software. It's a trend that needs to eff off into the sun ASAP, if you ask me. Yet another "reminder", whether accurate or not, that tech consumers are essentially powerless against the unilateral might of the corporations whose products and services they use.

It's worse than helping users feel like they can decide later. Much worst IMO.

As a life long android user, I recently purchased an iPad to see if I could stomach IOS because I'm really sick of Android's shit.

In going though the initial setup, I elected not to set up face unlock..."maybe later." Same with iCloud and one other thing, I forget.

In trying to use the device for the next hour or so I was nagged constantly to "finish setting up your device" because I hadn't turned this crap on that I never ever wanted to use.

Do you want to go stomp some puppies?

What!? No!!

I'll take that as a "maybe later."

> I am still so annoyed seeing “not now” in a UI. It’s so ubiquitous.

When I see that, I take that as the company being honest about the deep disdain with which they view their customers.

> You want to make sure users aren’t stressing about making some final un-revokable decision before they even use the app

I've seen solutions like "if you change your mind you can access it from xyz setting". I'd much rather prefer that than constant nagging that won't go away.

"Not now" is pretty annoying, "Later" is worse, but the nadir has to be "Ask me later". No don't ask me later. Please, just don't.

Please enter your password to confirm that "later" meant "yes, just later, specifically tonight"

I interpret "no (you can change the decision later)" as respecting user decision. I interpret "not now" as "you can say no, but we may keep harassing you until you say yes" as very often is actually the case.

I just wish UI designers could use all of that "beautiful" miles of whitespace to make these dialogs "yes/no/ask later"

It's really not hard.

Why throw designers under the bus here? It would be just as easy to add one additional <button> or <a> if it weren't for the same reason the designers didn't do it: management.

> People think it’s actually a user respecting decision.

Absolutely not.

"Not now" means "Fine, but we will harass you in the future, until you accept".

If it was really about respecting the user, the "OK" button would also be rebranded "OK for now", which it, obviously, is never.

After clicking 'not now' 10 times over a period of a month, you will eventually think: this must something useful/common/the new normal, if this is such a hot topic. You click yes. Meanwhile I find Edge a very handy browser.

At least "not now" can also mean "and not ever". What really gets me angry is "maybe later".

The hero we need.

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