Via MozillaZine, I happened upon a Web site for software developers called the Interface Hall of Shame, “an irreverent collection of common interface design mistakes.”

The site features screenshots of bad from different software programs accompanied by a critique of some kind. Some of the material here, like the sections on tabs, visual elements and terminology were of limited interest to me as a nondeveloper, but the sections on interface stupdity and illogical error messages are at times tear-inducingly funny. Here are some favorites.

Ah, the circle of life:

Options galore?

How comforting!