I just read an answer to another question, in which Roger Attrill wrote:
You might not need to say Thank you if this is a very frequent action or if your user's won't appreciate the nicety - just say Scheduling report...!
I'm reminded of the following passage from About Face 3:
Nass and Reeves suggest that software should be polite, but the authors prefer the term considerate. Although politeness could be construed as a matter of protocol—saying please and thank you, but doing little else helpful—being truly considerate means putting the needs of others first. Considerate software has the goals and needs of its users as its primary concern beyond its basic functions.
Does expressing thankfulness make the interface more friendly, or is it presumptuous for a subordinate machine to suppose its master has any interest in its own well being?
Should software ever say "thank you"?
Answer
I think having software that thanks people adds a kind of anthropomorphic noise to the interactions that end up backfiring when the software doesn't cooperate and people infer intentions behind the problems.
I believe software should only convey thanks from the entities behind it, not as if the software itself is grateful for something. The best example is when you register a trial installation; once the registration code is confirmed, many applications will present a message of thanks from the makers for becoming a paying customer. Some add nice touches like a heart graphic or smilie face to bring a bit more personality into that moment. In those moments, the software is connecting me to the intentions and motivations of the vendor, and it comes across as genuine; in general use of the software, not so much.
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