How often does this happen?

[andybiochem]

$num1 = InputBox("","Input First Number")
$num2 = InputBox("","Input Second Number")

ProgressOn("","Calculating")
Sleep(5000)
ProgressSet(25)
Sleep(5000)
ProgressSet(50)
Sleep(5000)
ProgressSet(75)
Sleep(5000)
ProgressSet(100)
ProgressOff()

$num3 = $num1 + $num2

MsgBox(0,"","Your result = " & $num3)

Just wondering how often this sort of thing is used in proprietary software, i.e. just putting in sleeps to make it look like the software is doing something really complicated, when in fact the 'outcome' could be reached in milliseconds.

I'm sure the lay-person would pay much more money for something they thought was doing a complicated job, than for something that really "didn't try".

Is this sort of thing common? is it frowned upon?

Mods - if this is in the wrong section pls move it, ta.

[MHz]

For the presentational effect and saving CPU cycles it is done. The Sleep(5000) is too long with your example and wants the end-user to wait patiently for what is a simple calculation. Sleep() is added into loops to keep the script from using high amount of cycles.

AutoIt goes like a car with the accelerator peddle pressed to the floor and it is up to you to travel at a speed which is more desirable. A magician may take 10 minutes to do in an act which could be done in a minute but the 10 minutes is worth the extra time. But remember that computer orientated people are not so patient and so the presentation is limited to much less time.

Adding small amounts of Sleep() is better some times then a CPU generating excessive heat and the progress shown in the GUI is over before you got to focus on what is happening. It is up to you to manage the resources to balance the task.

[andybiochem]

For the presentational effect and saving CPU cycles it is done. The Sleep(5000) is too long with your exam....................

....................the task.

Thanks for the reply, I know what you're saying and agree, but that wasn't the question I was asking - my fault, I wasn't clear enough.

What I meant was, is it common to purposefully deceive the user that something technical is going on in the program, when in fact there are just sections of long sleeps.

For example if I compared two virus checkers; Program A, and Program B, and because the programmer of A was so efficient and talented his program scanned my computer in 10 seconds. Program B however, took 10 minutes, not because the programmer wasn't as good, but because he put a sleep command in after the scan for 9 mins 50 seconds.

The perception is that program B is doing a more 'thorough' job of scanning the computer for viruses because it takes longer, but in reality it just goes to sleep for 10 minutes.

[ChrisL]

Thanks for the reply, I know what you're saying and agree, but that wasn't the question I was asking - my fault, I wasn't clear enough.

What I meant was, is it common to purposefully deceive the user that something technical is going on in the program, when in fact there are just sections of long sleeps.

For example if I compared two virus checkers; Program A, and Program B, and because the programmer of A was so efficient and talented his program scanned my computer in 10 seconds. Program B however, took 10 minutes, not because the programmer wasn't as good, but because he put a sleep command in after the scan for 9 mins 50 seconds.

The perception is that program B is doing a more 'thorough' job of scanning the computer for viruses because it takes longer, but in reality it just goes to sleep for 10 minutes.

I have used a BS progressbar for an update that actually takes less than a second, which spanned it out to about 15 seconds purley so the user saw something visible and felt that the update had actually happened.

[andybiochem]

I have used a BS progressbar for an update that actually takes less than a second, which spanned it out to about 15 seconds purley so the user saw something visible and felt that the update had actually happened.

Yeah that's what I mean!

Heh, this could turn into a 'programmers anonymous' session, and while we're there...

I once had problems with the autoit date functions within a UDF but couldn't figure out why, so instead I invoked the following message every time that UDF was used:

Func _TimeFunction()

msgbox(16,"Error","Windows has encountered an error and cannot complete the current request")

EndFunc

I can just imagine someone using my program: ....dum dee dum....click click..... ERROR....<tut> "bloody windows"

Thank you for sharing.

[Prophet]

I once had problems with the autoit date functions within a UDF but couldn't figure out why, so instead I invoked the following message every time that UDF was used:

Func _TimeFunction()

msgbox(16,"Error","Windows has encountered an error and cannot complete the current request")

EndFunc

I can just imagine someone using my program: ....dum dee dum....click click..... ERROR....<tut> "bloody windows"

LOL , now i understand what is going wrong, i tried reinstalling the workstations, restoring the domain from backup, but its your freaking script thats fooling me :)