What is wrong this picture?

I hate stuff like this. What were people thinking when they created this? This is when usablility becomes laughable. Like today, I was typing this very message to go with the picture above. But when I typed in the text, it showed up as a hyperlink color of the text.

"I just wanted the text normal," I thought in my head.

So I hovered over the eraser icon on the edit menu. "Remove formatting from selection." Yeah! That's what I want. But when I pressed the button I got this error message:What in the world are they saying????

Ok I guess I have to think and do some problem solving. So I put on my tech hat.

Hummmm.

The facts

1. I am using a Google web app.
2. I am on a Mac.
3. I am using a Safari browser on my Mac to get to the Blogger Google App.

My experience

1. Google web apps are usually very good. But I found they play better with Windows than they do on Macs.
2. Mac's still believe the world evolves around them. So they are not going to adjust to using internet apps, instead they will base there actions on their perceived "superior" OS.
3. Because of #2. They will think the same way with their apps. So I cannot assume that Web Apps will always work flawlessly with a browser such as Safari. Actually, I have found tons of bugs like this one in using Safari.

My theory

• The problem is caused by my Mac Safari browser conflicting with a Google web app.

My test

• I will test the same window and page of the Google App in the Firefox browser on my Mac.

My result

• I proved my theory. While using Firefox at the same location in the Google Web App, I had no error message or problems with typing in the text I wanted. I went back to Safari after the test, and yes I received the same error message.

This usability issue is very similar to the escalator in the first picture. When you deal with a perceived problem and not consider the big picture(Or as they say, you don't see the forest thru the trees.) You will always waste effort, time, and money. These are the ironic results seen in the picture above.

The technology world it is even worst. Lack of usability in a product will be interpreted as condescending, create confusion, and will ultimately lose trust by making everything a company does look foolish.

The error message, how we communicate, and how we give opportunity for feedback will always be vital to successful usability implemention.