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I have been collecting strange error message and dialog boxes for a while now. I used to work in software development and have collected quite a few while debugging unreleased programs but those aren’t the ones I’m listing in this blog post. As amusing as they are, those don’t count because they were apps still in development and not released into the wild.
I’m not making fun of programmers who make mistakes; everyone screws up. I am just amused at the irony of the programs having errors in their error handling processes. At least these programs failed with messages even if they were not very useful.
Some of the most annoying apps are the ones that quit without so much as a ‘later, dude.’ One of the companies I worked for had a bug in the error handling module that would crash the program with no message at all. The bug that caused the program error was not causing an app crash but the routine that was supposed to handle errors properly was actually crashing it. Fortunately, it did show up in a alpha version which is just shy of being released into the wild and it was quickly fixed.
Here is an odd error message that was generated from Skype. I got this dialog box a couple of years ago (the screenshot file is dated 01/03/2015). Absolutely nothing inside; not even an ‘OK’ or ‘Cancel’. I’m sorry I didn’t write down what I was doing when this popped up. Still, so much info in such a tiny space.
Speaking of empty dialog boxes… What’s up Google Android??? I guess, whatever! You already rule my life so, yup… I agree, or something.
This next one was while using Adobe Bridge. While working on a website a couple of years ago, I was doing a search in my image library for something to use as a header background. Suddenly this error popped up. I guess you just click ‘OK’ and then restart the app right? Nope.
Every time I clicked OK the dialog came back twofold. Help, the Hydra, Ahhh!!! It never dies! “Do you want to quit? Guess what… ya can’t.”
Apparently, there wasn’t enough storage space to close the program?! I doubt it. I’m not sure what exactly they meant by ‘storage space’. Usually they would say RAM if that’s what they meant so I’m assuming hard drive? Either way, I have 32 GB RAM and 2 TB boot drive 40% full, so whatever.
Microsoft Office just cannot quit but I really want to go home now. This one was from MS Excel and I was tired of looking at spreadsheets… I tried to close it but it wont let me go. At least I can click ‘OK’ although I’m not sure what happens to my work. Probably bad stuff.
This next one is too good. I have to admit, I didn’t find this one on my computer. I found it surfing the web, somewhere.
It has been posted before on other websites but it was just too good for me to pass up posting here. Thanks, to whomever originally took this screenshot.
Though, not really a dialog box bug, I love the iTunes and Quicktime EULA. They seriously make you promise not to be an evil mad scientist trying to take over the world. Apple, really thinks their software is a threat to national security.
I love Amazon, I really do! I still have to poke at them a little. Amazon is known for their auto-generated and sometimes bizarre suggestions. I once got an Amazon suggestion that was pretty strange.
So, because I want a hard drive enclosure, I must need a heavy duty suction cup? I had Amazon suggest something else weird once but I’m trying to keep maintain the decency of this blog. So, I’ll pass on that one.
— CSH
