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Comment by arnarbi | Hacker News Reader

I don't like these switches either, but I doubt they are generally confusing. They've been around for a long time in the physical world. http://blogs.hillandknowlton.com/scottmckenzie/files/2012/03...

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It's easy to tell when a light switch has been turned on or off. Not quite as easy when the switch is on a settings option called "email me a digest every week" or similar.

Which is exactly when websites want users confused.

I remember Real Player had a bunch of 'opt-in' email options, they where in a scroll box. By default the visible ones where unticked, but if you scrolled down there where pages of preticked ones.

I would not rely on people reading that text... But usually the physical world gives you a bit more feedback on the actual state the switch controls. If the electricity just went out and you go to the fusebox and find a row of breakers where one is pointing the other way and says off, it's pretty obvious what it does - and you get immediate feedback when you flip it.

I doubt people really know ON/OFF by reading the text. More of a sense of alignment. In India, you don't have text on the switches. Also, it's opposite to the direction of the switches in US (Pressing down is ON). Further, if you have 2-way switches there is no way of labeling them.

I don't believe I have ever seen a switch like that (UK) so your comment isn't universal.

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