Double-click? Oh don’t be so conventional

We pity the fool who can't use our innovative interface

Photo © 2024 Kelly Sikkema | https://unsplash.com/fr/@kellysikkema

Click and wait. Now click again.

OK, that didn’t work. Let’s try it once more. Click and let go of the mouse button... and wait... and click a second time.

No, I don’t want you to double-click. I need you to click twice, yes, but with a sort of pause between the clicks. Yes, really.

No no, you’ve just double-clicked again. Look, you have to click and leave that mouse button alone for a second or two before the second click. Please stop double-clicking. Lift your finger from the button, sir, and step away from the mouse. OK, let’s click. Good. But wait for it... wait a bit more... and... click! Yes now!

I’m afraid you left it too long between the clicks. Have another go. Click and release the mouse button. Good, well done. Now count to three and… No, you don’t have to count out aloud. Argh, now you’ve left it too late again. Let’s start over.

Click. One. Two. Three. Aaaaaand click a second time. Click it now! Oh for the love of humanity, DO IT NOW!

. . .

As you may have guessed, I am training users to use a piece of software has been designed in a way that occasionally fails to adhere to common mouse conventions. Whoever was in charge of certain sections of the programming effort – the Chief Click Designer, perhaps, or Lead: Click For Brains – decided they knew better that stupid users.