There Goes Your Data Now…

Database copy progress dialog with an animation of an arrow getting mangled by some cogs.

Is it just me, or does this dialog box, which appears when using a particular part of Microsoft SQL Server 2000, present a very bad metaphor? One that says, “this arrow represents your data, and here it is being minced by some cogs”. Or maybe it’s just me that thinks that, and winces a little every time another animated grey arrow goes through the mangle.

Just a thought.

Database copy progress dialog with an animation of an arrow getting mangled by some cogs.×

3 comments

  1. The Pacifist The Pacifist says:

    Hehe. Assuming the cogs symbolise a process or algorithm being applied to your data, surely a straight copy shouldn’t really call for a set of cogs? How about two pieces of paper, with the second one being written by a pen copying the first one?

  2. Dan Q Dan Q says:

    Just an arrow going from one server to another would do: there’s no processing involved, so what are the cogs for?

  3. Raz Raz says:

    Pointless animations == bad UI design, someone please tell Microsoft that.

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