Comment by jeffbee
Comment by jeffbee 2 days ago
That is not what "dark pattern" means.
Comment by jeffbee 2 days ago
That is not what "dark pattern" means.
No, because following major software updates is the right thing for 99% of people, not staying behind on a previous major version with security updates.
You have to think about UX for 99%, not just for HNers who might know what a 15.7.3 is.
> No, because following major software updates is the right thing for 99% of people
Not if we aren’t talking about security updates. In this case the previous version of iOS also has the same security updates so ‘updating’ to a new version is completely up to the user, with no difference in security posture either way. Tricking users into updating for what are in the tech company’s opinion ‘new features’ is by definition a dark pattern.
I used to think this kind of stuff until I had to make similar decisions about UX for technical software that wasn't just used by engineers.
"Want to upgrade to 15.7.3 or 26.2?" is just a nonstarter.
Kinda feels like crying wolf and watering down the term to invoke "dark pattern" for platform software upgrades.
The dark pattern emerges when you mislead the user about what they’re clicking. Deception in the UI is by definition a dark pattern.
Weird hill for you to die on given that dark patterns have been specifically legislated for in many jurisdictions and have a clear definition.
No, I would certainly say it is. Checking the blog post linked in this thread, I find selecting a different version to be both hidden and also have (intentionally?) bad UX. That is exactly what a dark pattern is: making a surprising choice (major upgrade) the default while hiding away the less disruptive or even non-disruptive choice (minor upgrade).
Nothing stops Apple from advertising both at the same level.