2021-03-01

Default and empty are not the same states. A default state is a choice made for users. People should be aware of that.

Sometimes there is a default for something.

If users do not change anything, the system will use a value or an option that people, who put a system together, picked for them. Doing so can save peoples time and improve ease of use.

A default state is a choice that we impose on users. People should be aware that the choice was initially made for them and how it can be changed.

This distinguishes an empty state (there is nothing) from a default state (someone already made a choice for you). The difference is subtle yet essential.