Ever watch someone in an elevator in a tall building?
In elevators where the buttons go sideways and then up, you watch people all the time look all over to see where the floor number is that they want.
In some well designed elevators, where the numbers go vertically, the people look for their floor, click it and go.
I've been working in the same building for years and I watch people struggle with the sideways numbering confuse people every day.
Hasn't anyone learned how to do usability testing to see what works and what confuses people?
Nuff said.
Moron Alert - Computers Easy to Use? What Moron Said That?
For twenty plus years now the computer industry has been pushing the dead horse that computers are easy to use.
You still hear that, sometimes subtly, sometimes not. It wasn't true twenty years ago, isn't true now.
Granted, there are some features of computers, Mac or PC, that are easy to use. That has always been the case.
But, having worked designing software for both platforms, and designing web interfaces, and having tested people of all ages, again on both platforms, I can tell you that whoever said they are easy to use is a real Moron.
Yes, I know there are some software applications that are easy to use, but when you watch hundreds of people struggle with Mac and PC it is painful.
By now, simplicity should be a given, not an afterthought. Ease of use should be a standard not a marketing tool.
Watch how often even expert users ask each other, "now how is it that you do ..." and you will see what I mean.
All operating systems are too bloated, too complex, too much.
The average person uses few of any application's myriad features.
Mac and Windows? Give us power, give us beautiful interfaces, make them simple.
Ahhhhh, life could be good.
You still hear that, sometimes subtly, sometimes not. It wasn't true twenty years ago, isn't true now.
Granted, there are some features of computers, Mac or PC, that are easy to use. That has always been the case.
But, having worked designing software for both platforms, and designing web interfaces, and having tested people of all ages, again on both platforms, I can tell you that whoever said they are easy to use is a real Moron.
Yes, I know there are some software applications that are easy to use, but when you watch hundreds of people struggle with Mac and PC it is painful.
By now, simplicity should be a given, not an afterthought. Ease of use should be a standard not a marketing tool.
Watch how often even expert users ask each other, "now how is it that you do ..." and you will see what I mean.
All operating systems are too bloated, too complex, too much.
The average person uses few of any application's myriad features.
Mac and Windows? Give us power, give us beautiful interfaces, make them simple.
Ahhhhh, life could be good.
Moron Alert - Gas Pumps and Credit Cards
Gas pumps that take credit cards without having to go into the building are a great idea.
Most pumps ask you whether you want to pay at the pump or inside. Or, they may ask what type of credit card you want to use.
Whatever they ask, the smart ones, if you just insert your card, recognize the fact that you are paying at the pump, recognize your card and magic, you can pump gas.
The Moron designed pay at the pump forces you to push the button to say you want to pay at the pump, select what type of credit card you want to use, answer from one to many questions, including if you want a car wash, and you diddle around when you just want to gas and go.
Idiots. Idiots and Morons.
Morons give us fits, and the sad part is that we never seem to run out of them.
Most pumps ask you whether you want to pay at the pump or inside. Or, they may ask what type of credit card you want to use.
Whatever they ask, the smart ones, if you just insert your card, recognize the fact that you are paying at the pump, recognize your card and magic, you can pump gas.
The Moron designed pay at the pump forces you to push the button to say you want to pay at the pump, select what type of credit card you want to use, answer from one to many questions, including if you want a car wash, and you diddle around when you just want to gas and go.
Idiots. Idiots and Morons.
Morons give us fits, and the sad part is that we never seem to run out of them.
Moron Alert - Inkjet Printer Ink
In a study commissioned by Epson recently, it showed that the majority of printers stop printing with the current print cartridges when they are still an average of 58% full.
What! What! What!
Not only are they holding people hostage for outrageous prices for a tiny spit of ink, they now set their printers up to only use part of that ink!
I talked to a print cartridge reseller a month ago.
He couldn't believe some of the new, lower priced cartridges that are coming out.
He said that when you open up some of the cartridges, they have half the ink reservoir filled with foam and that some of them have as little as a teaspoonful of ink in them!
What a crock!
But at least the printer companies are showing compassion on us, the morons of the world.
Don't you feel blessed?
But that's just my opinion.
What! What! What!
Not only are they holding people hostage for outrageous prices for a tiny spit of ink, they now set their printers up to only use part of that ink!
I talked to a print cartridge reseller a month ago.
He couldn't believe some of the new, lower priced cartridges that are coming out.
He said that when you open up some of the cartridges, they have half the ink reservoir filled with foam and that some of them have as little as a teaspoonful of ink in them!
What a crock!
But at least the printer companies are showing compassion on us, the morons of the world.
Don't you feel blessed?
But that's just my opinion.
Moron Alert - Jetta Stalkers Advertisement
What was Volkswagon thinking?
Their ads have a current owner of a Jetta calling up the previous owner who seems really surprised to hear from the new owner.
The new owner is excited to talk to the previous owner and says they should hang out.
The previous owner seems to be thinking, "what the heck is going on?"
Does anyone else wonder how the current owner got the previous owners name?
Granted, it is an advertisement, but to me it seems to be sending the message that "we're selling your used car to some stalker wacko who is going to find you and bug you to spend time with him/her." But, that is a great reason to buy our car!
Whoever thought this ad up, wasn't thinking the concept through.
This is one creepy weird ad.
Their ads have a current owner of a Jetta calling up the previous owner who seems really surprised to hear from the new owner.
The new owner is excited to talk to the previous owner and says they should hang out.
The previous owner seems to be thinking, "what the heck is going on?"
Does anyone else wonder how the current owner got the previous owners name?
Granted, it is an advertisement, but to me it seems to be sending the message that "we're selling your used car to some stalker wacko who is going to find you and bug you to spend time with him/her." But, that is a great reason to buy our car!
Whoever thought this ad up, wasn't thinking the concept through.
This is one creepy weird ad.
Moron Alert - Standby Lights on Equipment
What is with all the "standby" lights on all the new vcr's, dvd's and lots of other pieces of equipment?
When I turn off the equipment, the green light turns red to tell me it is in standby mode just ready and waiting for me to use it again.
Who doesn't know when a piece of equipment is off? Most things have a light to tell you it is on, so unless you are a moron, when the light is off the machine is off.
What moron decided to have all these lights showing when a machine is off?
Now all my machines show a red light when they are off. When they are off I want them off and not sucking electricity down the tube. Even though the engineers would say it is only a tiny amount. Times that by millions of machines and it is a stupid waste of electricity.
On some equipment, like battery chargers, the light is green when you connect a battery to them and they stay green.
Others are green when you connect a battery to them and then the green light flashes when the battery is charged.
Still other chargers don't show any light until the battery is charged and then they either blink green or the green light comes on.
Even still others have a red light when you put the battery in which changes to green when the battery is charged.
When people have ipods, cameras, computers, tools, etc., all with batteries and chargers, it is just giggly fun to try and remember which stupid sequence the charger lights you should expect to see.
But please, moron engineer, when a piece of equipment is off, get rid of the stupid, moronic, absolutely idiotic red light to tell you the machine is off. It is stupid, stupid, stupid, and did I forget to say stupid?
The first person who decided to design the equipment with that dumb red light turned on to tell you that the machine is off sunk us all a step down in the premordial ooze.
When that person dies and takes those moron ideas to the grave, we should put a small red light on his or her headstone.....permanently lit.
When I turn off the equipment, the green light turns red to tell me it is in standby mode just ready and waiting for me to use it again.
Who doesn't know when a piece of equipment is off? Most things have a light to tell you it is on, so unless you are a moron, when the light is off the machine is off.
What moron decided to have all these lights showing when a machine is off?
Now all my machines show a red light when they are off. When they are off I want them off and not sucking electricity down the tube. Even though the engineers would say it is only a tiny amount. Times that by millions of machines and it is a stupid waste of electricity.
On some equipment, like battery chargers, the light is green when you connect a battery to them and they stay green.
Others are green when you connect a battery to them and then the green light flashes when the battery is charged.
Still other chargers don't show any light until the battery is charged and then they either blink green or the green light comes on.
Even still others have a red light when you put the battery in which changes to green when the battery is charged.
When people have ipods, cameras, computers, tools, etc., all with batteries and chargers, it is just giggly fun to try and remember which stupid sequence the charger lights you should expect to see.
But please, moron engineer, when a piece of equipment is off, get rid of the stupid, moronic, absolutely idiotic red light to tell you the machine is off. It is stupid, stupid, stupid, and did I forget to say stupid?
The first person who decided to design the equipment with that dumb red light turned on to tell you that the machine is off sunk us all a step down in the premordial ooze.
When that person dies and takes those moron ideas to the grave, we should put a small red light on his or her headstone.....permanently lit.
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