The reset process is halting at 34%.
The reset process is halting at 34%.
It's because these percentages indicate how much work remains, not the actual effort required. For example, with 100 tasks, each representing 1%, completing tasks from 1 to 90 could be straightforward changes, then task 91 involves transferring large amounts of data—slowing you down significantly. (This applies generally to setup examples, not just Windows installation. It's meant to clarify why progress bars work well.) The fix involves using two progress indicators: one for the ongoing task and another for overall progress. But it still lacks clarity on whether a setup is stuck or performing unusual actions. You’d need a spinning wheel or animated bar to show status.
Additionally, handling sub-tasks adds complexity—should the interface split based on CPU cores or task count? Each would require its own progress bar. This can slow things down and make it harder to understand what’s happening.
The restarting progress bar can look misleading, and too much text or multiple bars can confuse users.
In short, designers are still debating the optimal way to display this information effectively.
Of course, just like the challenge with the file transfer "time remaining" estimate. I prefer this approach instead. I don’t need to worry about the exact percentage of time spent; what matters more is understanding how much work remains and what we’re doing at any moment. The estimates will come from documentation, past experience, or other sources.