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by nerflad 2841 days ago
In the previous century when web technologies were more primitive, modal dialogs were created in new browser windows. We all remember pop-ups and what a horrid experience that was. Developers (and spammers) abused this behavior so much that browsers now reflexively prevent pages from opening new windows in most cases.

I leave almost any site that interrupts me with a full screen modal dialog, especially if it's a prompt to subscribe to a newsletter. This abuse has become the norm. I have even seen desktop software adopting this behavior. A licensed copy of Guitar Pro 6 will interrupt you with a fullscreen ad for Guitar Pro 7. Unforgivable. Respect what the user is there for, and you might earn their business.

Edit: I recognize that there are some positive, responsible uses for this technique (extending forms/controls; search suggestions, assist the user rather than interrupt) and good examples are shown here. Please excuse the Sunday rant.
1 comments
sdegutis 2841 days ago
Sites do this because 90% of users don’t leave over modal popups and doing it increases engagement in enough cases to warrant keeping it.

It’s completely reasonable for a product to advertise for a newer version. How else would you know there’s a new version that you might actually decide you want to buy? And you don’t have to buy it.

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nerflad 2841 days ago
> It’s completely reasonable for a product to advertise for a newer version.

No argument from me there. A notice on the splash screen, even a tool tip at start-up would work fine, but it was a full screen advertisement, several minutes after start-up, which stopped playback (!) without warning. These interruptions are what I find completely unacceptable, and I believe they stem from fundamentally misunderstanding what the user is there for, or outright disrespect.

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TeMPOraL 2841 days ago
Notice on the splash screen, a tool tip at start up, a popup at startup (anyone remembers "Tip of the day" dialogs?), a modeline/status bar (like e.g. IntelliJ IDEA does), ... there are plenty of well-established UI patterns for placing such information unobtrusively. As you said, firing up a modal in the middle of your work is unacceptable, and outright disrespectful.
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blub 2841 days ago
It's not reasonable, but it's profitable.

Advertising's role is chiefly to create demand and manipulate people into buying things, not to inform.

If one is not looking for new versions, then they very likely don't need them.

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