Weblog Entry - 08/26/2002: ""

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08/26/2002 Entry: ""

OK, my wish for the day: that the people who design electronic equipment would be mandated to spend at least six months sitting in a locked room being hammered with the basic principles of usability/interface design. Or failing that, that they'd all just DIE DIE DIE.

Because they have caused me endless private aggravation and now public humiliation.

See, I finally took VCR #1 down to the good folks at East Lake TV/VCR Repair. (They are good folks in my book because once before, when I had a tape stuck in the machine, the guy whipped off the cover, extracted the tape, gave me a quick tutorial in how to handle such situations, did a little cleaning-up as long as he was in there, put the cover back on, and didn't charge me a dime. Whatta sweetie.)

Now this time, ever since I'd unhooked the VCR from the TV to move it to the computer, and then tried to reconnect it to the TV, it had been alternating between blue screen and short blasts of heavily distorted video. I had tried going through every option in the set-up menu; I'd pushed all the buttons on the remote, and then on the machine face; I'd changed around connections and cables in every possible configuration; I'd tried the "unhook everything, mutter anathema over the machine while making strange mystic gestures, reconnect and try again" method; nada. I explained this to the guy, and he took one look at the machine, asked "What channel do you have your TV on?" and when I said "Three," gently pointed out to me that the switch on the back of the VCR was set at four.

I said "Switch?? What switch??" He pointed it out to me -- a little teeny eeny bitsy switch, set right next to the stobs where the RF in and out cables connect, so that in the process of loosening/tightening the screw connection on the cables, one can hardly avoid nudging the goddamned thing with a finger.

And you know something -- even with my extra-magnifying close-focus glasses on, and a strong flashlight trained directly on the switch from a distance of two inches, I can just barely make out that one setting says "Ch 3" and the other says "Ch 4." But I guess that's how they gotta do it, eh? Because clearly putting that information in something other than 4-point black-on-black lettering would detract from the sleek design styling of the thing. (Which is so very important when it's on the freakin' back of the machine.)

But this is what I've noticed over and over in my recent adventures in hooking up electronics equipment; there seems to be absolutely no thought whatsoever given to making it easy (or even possible) for people to use the damn things. This goes way beyond badly-written manuals and so on; I'm talking about the fundamental idiocy of labelling all inputs/outputs in tiny raised black lettering on a black background, for example.

Granted I'm a dope when it comes to electronics, but I'm probably less of a dope than your average VCR user. I mean, lord knows what it must be like for an elderly person with worse eyesight than me, and a higher level of anxiety about plugging and unplugging stuff.

The repair guy was extremely kind; he did not point at me and guffaw, as he'd have had every right to do. I hauled the machine home, rehooked it yet again, rechecked the eentsy teensy switch (with aid of strong flashlight), and turned the thing on. Works like a dream. I am such an idiot; but by god, so are the design staff at Sony, and they're getting paid to do this stuff.

Replies: 13 comments

Oh Kat, you must read (and rail along with) "The Design of Everyday Things" by Donald Norman. Beautifully observed commentary on the multi-evils of multi-function buttons, sure-to- frustrate "automatic" sinks in public rest rooms (where exactly do you have to wave your hands to turn the damn things on?), and featureless glass doors which give no clue whether to push or pull, let alone *where*. This post of yours was giving me flashbacks. *g*

-R.

Posted by Rowan F. @ 08/26/2002 07:36 PM CST

Hey - while you're at it, make the sign of evil against new VCR's as well. I have channels that go up to 506 but the time shift numbers only go up to 199. Go figure! I have a new printer with no way to remove the print cartridges other than blasting them out of the machine. And yes, the 4 vs 3 is tiny tiny tiny. All machines should come equipped with a magnifying glass and a vodoo doll with the manufacture's name on it.

namaste nancy

Posted by nancy @ 08/26/2002 09:04 PM CST

Tape.

Tape over any switch that shouldn't be moved.

Tape is your friend.

Posted by dargie @ 08/27/2002 12:26 AM CST

Rowan beat me to recommending "The Design of Everyday Things." It's a fantastic book. I also love the sequel "Turn Signals are the Facial Expressions of Automobiles." You will be reassured and entertained. I promise.

Or you could get a TiVo. :-)

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