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Windows Setup Error Messages Will Soon Actually Help Fix Problems (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: The next major Windows release, the Windows 10 April 2019 Update (codenamed 19H1), is going to offer some significant improvements [to error messages]. Microsoft described them on its Windows Insider webcast, and they were spotted initially by WinFuture. Currently, the best case during installation is something like this screen.
The message says that an incompatible application is detected, and a Knowledge Base article is referenced. It turns out that most Windows users don't know what "KBxxxxxxx" actually means, and the article isn't hyperlinked to make accessing it any easier. Issues detected through the other setup experience aren't much better. Windows will offer to uninstall problem applications, but often the better solution is to upgrade the application in question. The new setup process aims to be both more informative and more useful. The general approach is to allow decisions to be made within the setup program where possible and to put meaningful descriptions in the error messages, rather than leaving people with just a KB number to go on. Further, the "learn more" links will take you directly to the relevant Knowledge Base article, rather than hoping that end users know what "KBxxxxxxxx" means. Third-party developers will also be able to provide information about upgrades and updates when applicable to resolving compatibility issues.
The message says that an incompatible application is detected, and a Knowledge Base article is referenced. It turns out that most Windows users don't know what "KBxxxxxxx" actually means, and the article isn't hyperlinked to make accessing it any easier. Issues detected through the other setup experience aren't much better. Windows will offer to uninstall problem applications, but often the better solution is to upgrade the application in question. The new setup process aims to be both more informative and more useful. The general approach is to allow decisions to be made within the setup program where possible and to put meaningful descriptions in the error messages, rather than leaving people with just a KB number to go on. Further, the "learn more" links will take you directly to the relevant Knowledge Base article, rather than hoping that end users know what "KBxxxxxxxx" means. Third-party developers will also be able to provide information about upgrades and updates when applicable to resolving compatibility issues.
Who would have guessed that meaningful errors might be a good idea? I'm not holding my breath though, they will probably be some kind of nebulous "user friendly" error messages that link back to websites with 20 different unrelated causes.
"Windows Setup Error Messages Will Soon Actually Help Fix Problems"
Ha ha, yeah sure they will. As if the average Windows user will be able to understand a KB article and formulate a fix from it.
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
is that more often than not, when you click on them, it takes you to a broken URL and redirects you to a generic Microsoft web page that asks how it can help you. The same outcome as clicking on the event log online help. Articles like this seem to praise MS for doing something new an innovative, where as they are really just fixing a feature they broke long ago
Giving users useful information rather than "0x80000005 an unknown error has occurred". I wonder how much more productive people in the Windows ecosystem would be if Microsoft could be bothered to write their error messages properly.
Well, it is not necessary to install all 10000 applications that are part of the Ubuntu DVD.