Pet Peeve #55 – Long Country Drop Down Lists
OK this may seem trivial to some and it is, but doesn’t it bug you when you are registering for a new site and you have to pick your country from a drop down menu?
Earlier today I registered for a new social media site for camping called appropriately enough BurntMarshmallows. I love camping, my daughters and I went on 4 separate trips this summer and we are planning a couple more before Thanksgiving. When it came time to pick my country I entered “Ca” thinking it would take me directly to Canada. After all they claim to be Canada’s fastest growing social network devoted to everything camping.
Boy was I wrong!
I landed on Cambodia, followed by Cameroon. Then Canada. I may be a bit naive but seriously, how much camping really goes on in Cambodia? Cameroon? Shouldn’t you just shorten the list to Canada and the US? With a third choice for “Other”? Are long country drop down lists necessary?
Pet peeve 55A – related to that are menus that are re-written so the United States is first on the list. Hey it’s not our fault your forefathers picked a country name with a U. Why jump to the front of the line?
