Error Processing Via Cartoon / Clip Art

Some might argue that if an application is going to fail, it should do so with a human touch. Perhaps, but helpfulness is to be preferred over humor. In this warning message from URL-shortener and URL-tracking utility bit.ly, the cartoon approach is given top billing.

"Forbidden!" - It's not a game, Mildred

Give Google Sites a poorly formed URL and receive this message from the webserver. Error 403 is commonplace, routine in web dev circles, but isn't so common that users recognize its cause and realize that it's essentially innocuous. The "forbidden" message has a misleading tone.

"System Unavailable" - But Not Really

This glitch (22 March 2009) with a recently updated Schwab website appeared to be caused by a difference in how workflow was conducted to authorize ACH transfers between a Schwab account and non-Schwab accounts. The CSR was able to straighten it out by changing the order in which screens were traversed. It most certainly was not because the system had become suddenly "unavailable."

Something Technical This Way Comes

Twitter (10 March 2009) recognizes a problem, but doesn't recommend anything. Did the last status message get sent? Perhaps Twitter doesn't know? Should I resend?