Comments on: Are gadgets too complex? http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/ General interest observations and true web-log. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:25:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: JPP http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-1227593 JPP Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:39:13 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-1227593 how many of those 20 minutes does the average American spend reading the manual? I Dont think this true <a href="http://www.coverlettersonline.com" rel="nofollow">Sample Letters</a> how many of those 20 minutes does the average American spend reading the manual?
I Dont think this true

Sample Letters

]]> By: Rika http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-225096 Rika Thu, 27 Jul 2006 09:25:46 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-225096 It does't seem to be accurate. Most gadgets today are so user friendly. In fact the number of buttons has reduced where just 4 or 5 buttons help u do almost everything. Look at the ipod for instance. <a href="http://www.aroj.com" rel="nofollow">Resume Samples</a> <a href="http://www.hidden-smileys.com" rel="nofollow">hidden smileys</a> It does’t seem to be accurate. Most gadgets today are so user friendly. In fact the number of buttons has reduced where just 4 or 5 buttons help u do almost everything. Look at the ipod for instance.
Resume Samples
hidden smileys

]]> By: ECA http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148688 ECA Wed, 17 May 2006 05:24:34 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-148688 I wonder WHAT we would have, if MS, hadnt installed all the backdoors into IE, so they could sell advert UNDER IE... I wonder WHAT we would have, if MS, hadnt installed all the backdoors into IE, so they could sell advert UNDER IE…

]]> By: Jack Creasy http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148472 Jack Creasy Tue, 16 May 2006 21:51:32 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-148472 There is a difference between complicated and unintuitive. If a device is logical then everyone has a chance. Personally, I think that if you can't figure it out, then you don;t need it. There is a difference between complicated and unintuitive. If a device is logical then everyone has a chance. Personally, I think that if you can’t figure it out, then you don;t need it.

]]> By: BdgBill http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148447 BdgBill Tue, 16 May 2006 20:14:04 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-148447 I wonder how much better Windows would be if Microsoft spent all of it's time and recources on designing a stable, secure OS and no time on Media Player, Internet Explorer and all the other fluff that other companies do a better job at. I wonder how much better Windows would be if Microsoft spent all of it’s time and recources on designing a stable, secure OS and no time on Media Player, Internet Explorer and all the other fluff that other companies do a better job at.

]]> By: Improbus http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148405 Improbus Tue, 16 May 2006 18:22:31 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-148405 The key to success appears to be making your gadget easy enough for a chimp to use, because a chimp can’t read a manual or engage in rational thought. P.S. Did I make a grammar or spelling errors this time Seth? The key to success appears to be making your gadget easy enough for a chimp to use, because a chimp can’t read a manual or engage in rational thought.

P.S. Did I make a grammar or spelling errors this time Seth?

]]> By: ECA http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148399 ECA Tue, 16 May 2006 18:15:58 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-148399 16, 17...CORRECT... We polled a site, of features persons would WISH on their Cellphones... After all of the ponts were made...I asked.. How about one that WORKED as a CELLPHONE with decent signal and reception...100% aggreed....JUST GIVE ME MY CALLS... If I WANTED it to play games or watching movies, I would be useing something with a BETTER SCREEN... YEP, windows is putting SO MUCH protection on the system, that you CANT backup the programs(not the OS, thats easy(almost)) as the DLLs, and INFs to RUN the progs are in WIN DIR... It would be NEET, if MS made windows with MODULES, for the services YOU WANTED... If I wanted JUST a game machine, I could have SUCH a SWEET FAST box...But I have to have ALL the rest. 16, 17…CORRECT…
We polled a site, of features persons would WISH on their Cellphones…
After all of the ponts were made…I asked..
How about one that WORKED as a CELLPHONE with decent signal and reception…100% aggreed….JUST GIVE ME MY CALLS…
If I WANTED it to play games or watching movies, I would be useing something with a BETTER SCREEN…

YEP, windows is putting SO MUCH protection on the system, that you CANT backup the programs(not the OS, thats easy(almost)) as the DLLs, and INFs to RUN the progs are in WIN DIR…

It would be NEET, if MS made windows with MODULES, for the services YOU WANTED… If I wanted JUST a game machine, I could have SUCH a SWEET FAST box…But I have to have ALL the rest.

]]> By: Seth http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148172 Seth Tue, 16 May 2006 10:41:12 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-148172 Well first of all Improbus has no right to call people stupid when he/she wrote “people are to stupid”. It’s fucking too!!! I’m not a grammar Nazi but when you write 4 words you can at least check to make sure they look ok first. As for the gadgets, I don’t think they are too complex to understand but I hate the fact that my cell phone can take pictures, audio, video, receive POP3 email, send via SMTP, browse the internet, play MP3s, and it still drops calls and sometimes has bad reception. I just want a freakin phone that allows me to make voice calls with the same clarity as a land line. Until they get that right they have no business adding other features. Well first of all Improbus has no right to call people stupid when he/she wrote “people are to stupid”. It’s fucking too!!! I’m not a grammar Nazi but when you write 4 words you can at least check to make sure they look ok first.

As for the gadgets, I don’t think they are too complex to understand but I hate the fact that my cell phone can take pictures, audio, video, receive POP3 email, send via SMTP, browse the internet, play MP3s, and it still drops calls and sometimes has bad reception. I just want a freakin phone that allows me to make voice calls with the same clarity as a land line. Until they get that right they have no business adding other features.

]]> By: ECA http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148109 ECA Tue, 16 May 2006 08:13:46 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-148109 Software and HARDWARE standard from LONG ago... KISS... If I buy a game and take it home, "I WANT TO PLAY IT"...I dont want to read a BOOK. It should be BASIC, at first, and then, IF I NEED TO, I read the book... As with a Cellphone Camera... I want to push a button to take a pic. I want to push a button to SAVE a phone number... I DONT WANT, to wade thru a MENU to do the LITTLE THINGS. Software and HARDWARE standard from LONG ago…
KISS…
If I buy a game and take it home, “I WANT TO PLAY IT”…I dont want to read a BOOK.
It should be BASIC, at first, and then, IF I NEED TO, I read the book…
As with a Cellphone Camera…
I want to push a button to take a pic.
I want to push a button to SAVE a phone number…
I DONT WANT, to wade thru a MENU to do the LITTLE THINGS.

]]> By: joshua http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148089 joshua Tue, 16 May 2006 07:23:20 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-148089 All you have to do is just read the comments section of one of the DU's tech topics and you will find out why gadgets are not easy to run. Most people in this country do not work in the tech field, they simply want the thing they buy to work, and to be easy to work. They really don't want to have to trade off one of their normal kids for a live in Geek to help run all the gadgets they buy. Sometimes reading one of the manuals is like reading the posters in here talk tech, it sounds nice but has no relation to real life. Someone said make them harder to work, well, then be prepared to go bankrupt. You can't make the big bucks only selling to Geeks. The internet would still be the provence of goverment, some scientists and kids in garages if the mass market didn't take to it, and the products most buy are relatively simple to operate. I know that some in here would be quite happy if the *illiterate* masses didn't crowd the internet, but then most of you probably wouldn't have a job. All you have to do is just read the comments section of one of the DU’s tech topics and you will find out why gadgets are not easy to run. Most people in this country do not work in the tech field, they simply want the thing they buy to work, and to be easy to work. They really don’t want to have to trade off one of their normal kids for a live in Geek to help run all the gadgets they buy. Sometimes reading one of the manuals is like reading the posters in here talk tech, it sounds nice but has no relation to real life.

Someone said make them harder to work, well, then be prepared to go bankrupt. You can’t make the big bucks only selling to Geeks. The internet would still be the provence of goverment, some scientists and kids in garages if the mass market didn’t take to it, and the products most buy are relatively simple to operate. I know that some in here would be quite happy if the *illiterate* masses didn’t crowd the internet, but then most of you probably wouldn’t have a job.

]]> By: To_Milo http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148010 To_Milo Tue, 16 May 2006 02:59:22 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-148010 Milo said, "Some 8-9 out of 10 people are basically illiterate. " Well, I'm not illiterate -- my mom <i>did</i> marry my dad. :-) Milo said, “Some 8-9 out of 10 people are basically illiterate. ”

Well, I’m not illiterate — my mom did marry my dad.

:-)

]]> By: ECA http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148002 ECA Tue, 16 May 2006 02:49:41 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-148002 Ok, How about a mutir-remote.. that after you SET your numbers for devices..WONT REST whent the batteries are replaced? They got them, but MOSt dont do it. HOW about a VCR that dont FLASH, after a power failure?? What!? haveing a small battery/cap that can HOLD the programming?? WHO would have thought of such a nice idea?? A DVD that dont FAIL to default after a power interruption?? COME ON, think about it... HOW about a REAL GLASS LENSE on a DVD player INSTED of PLASTIC?? Plastic changes shape with TIME and HEAT... LIKE DUH... How about an OS, that has UTILITIES to keep it CLEAN and back it up, AND a backup system that INCLUDES, a DIR for ALL extra DLLs, INFs, and soforth, so you can BACK them up, withOUT the OS... Ok,
How about a mutir-remote..
that after you SET your numbers for devices..WONT REST whent the batteries are replaced? They got them, but MOSt dont do it.
HOW about a VCR that dont FLASH, after a power failure?? What!? haveing a small battery/cap that can HOLD the programming?? WHO would have thought of such a nice idea??
A DVD that dont FAIL to default after a power interruption?? COME ON, think about it…
HOW about a REAL GLASS LENSE on a DVD player INSTED of PLASTIC?? Plastic changes shape with TIME and HEAT… LIKE DUH…
How about an OS, that has UTILITIES to keep it CLEAN and back it up, AND a backup system that INCLUDES, a DIR for ALL extra DLLs, INFs, and soforth, so you can BACK them up, withOUT the OS…

]]> By: gtriamy http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-147995 gtriamy Tue, 16 May 2006 02:33:52 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-147995 honestly, if joe shmo can't pick up the device and have a general understanding of how to use the device in the way its intended within 10 minutes, then the gadget is worth nothing. Whether or not you think you are better than the rest of the world, a good device is one that is easily understood, visually appealling in both design and style, and can preform its function well, both efficiently and effectivly. its a basic law of consumerism, but manufacturers and marketers(don't know if thats a word or not) have found that if they base a "fade" around the product, all the product needs is design. People buy them up, realize its crud, and the fade is over, while the same manufacturer is thinking up the next. Still, no fade can take away the success of a solid design and solid function of a gadget, and to be a great success in the gadget world, one needs to design his/her product to be simple yet effective. honestly, if joe shmo can’t pick up the device and have a general understanding of how to use the device in the way its intended within 10 minutes, then the gadget is worth nothing. Whether or not you think you are better than the rest of the world, a good device is one that is easily understood, visually appealling in both design and style, and can preform its function well, both efficiently and effectivly. its a basic law of consumerism, but manufacturers and marketers(don’t know if thats a word or not) have found that if they base a “fade” around the product, all the product needs is design. People buy them up, realize its crud, and the fade is over, while the same manufacturer is thinking up the next. Still, no fade can take away the success of a solid design and solid function of a gadget, and to be a great success in the gadget world, one needs to design his/her product to be simple yet effective.

]]> By: Smith http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-147936 Smith Tue, 16 May 2006 00:50:03 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-147936 Complexity is not the same as value added. If complexity impedes functionality then the device is a loser. Complexity is not the same as value added. If complexity impedes functionality then the device is a loser.

]]> By: Mark T. http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/05/15/are-gadgets-too-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-147889 Mark T. Mon, 15 May 2006 23:36:37 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5376#comment-147889 The iPod is a perfect example of simplicity = big sales. It is so simple, even my mother could figure it out. And anyone that can use a browser can use iTunes. Of course, simplicity hasn't worked so well for Mac sales but that is more driven by availability of applications. At least you can play virtually any musicians' music on an iPod, as long as it is MP3 or AAC. The iPod is a perfect example of simplicity = big sales. It is so simple, even my mother could figure it out. And anyone that can use a browser can use iTunes.

Of course, simplicity hasn’t worked so well for Mac sales but that is more driven by availability of applications. At least you can play virtually any musicians’ music on an iPod, as long as it is MP3 or AAC.

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