Userunctuous

1 definition found

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  user-unctuous
       
           (By analogy with {user-friendly} and
          {user-obsequious}) User-interfaces that attempt to soothe (or,
          some would say, stupify) users instead of cooperating with
          them.  Common "features" of user-unctuous systems include:


          icons of happy faces; mellow colors; melodic sound effects or
          even mood music; help tips appearing unbidden and at unhelpful
          moments; and a cloying tone either in system messages ("Oops!
          I couldn't seem to find my old preferences file!  I do think
          I'll have to make a new one!  Please press OK to continue!")
          or in labelling of system components (such as the main hard
          drive being labelled "Your Hard Drive" -- or, with infantile
          pronoun-reversal, "My Hard Drive").
       
          (1999-06-27)