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Settings are for microwaves. Computer-based tools should be reprogrammable. Still, the tool should be easy to configure for the 80% case.

by bbq 14y ago

mcpherrinm 14y ago
Settings on a microwave are, I think, a terrible example. Most microwaves I've used are horribly over-encumbered. I expect two dials on any microwave I use: Time, Power. Maybe a control to set the time, if it has a clock. I don't disagree with your general point about tools being able to be reprogrammed, though. One of the reasons I loved Autocad as a tool is the Lisp interpreter that allows you to script and extend it. I think that's a perfect example of a professional, mainstream tool with a good API that non-programmers find useful (if only to run scripts they find).
- ansgri 14y ago
  Autocad has a very interesting GUI concept, not in that it's programmable (VBA existed in CorelDraw for years), in its dialogue mode: you click a circle, and it asks you of a center; you either click or type coordinates. Sadly, this mode is rare in non-CAD systems.
  - Gravityloss 14y ago
    Solidworks used to work like that too, it's a delight to just start a line and keep on typing distance deltas in numbers and see stuff emerging without a single mouse movement.
- sea6ear 14y ago
  Do you have any current examples of consumer level microwaves with that simple interface? I've been looking for exactly that sort of simple microwave, but I haven't been able to find any in my brief searches on the internet or in the large mart style stores.
  - johansch 14y ago
    This Samsung model is the most popular one in Sweden currently: http://www.samsung.com/se/consumer/appliances-kitchen/microwave-ovens/microwave-ovens/ME82V-WW/XEE http://www.samsung.com/se/consumer/appliances-kitchen/microw... But when you look at the Samsung US range of microwaves: http://www.samsung.com/us/appliances/microwaves/all-products http://www.samsung.com/us/appliances/microwaves/all-products ...it becomes clear that (Samsung US belives) simplicity doesn't sell as well there...
    - jorde 14y ago
      Almost all the microwaves I see in Finland require that the user rotates the dial and off you go. With US microwaves I use the first 30s to scratch my head trying to figure out into witch category my food belongs to. But then again, the same happen with other devices as well: US products are full of settings and preconfigs.

Settings are for microwaves. Computer-based tools should be reprogrammable. Still, the tool should be easy to configure for the 80% case.

by bbq 14y ago

Settings are for microwaves. Computer-based tools should be reprogrammable. Still, the tool should be easy to configure for the 80% case.

mcpherrinm 14y ago

Settings on a microwave are, I think, a terrible example. Most microwaves I've used are horribly over-encumbered. I expect two dials on any microwave I use: Time, Power. Maybe a control to set the time, if it has a clock. I don't disagree with your general point about tools being able to be reprogrammed, though. One of the reasons I loved Autocad as a tool is the Lisp interpreter that allows you to script and extend it. I think that's a perfect example of a professional, mainstream tool with a good API that non-programmers find useful (if only to run scripts they find).

ansgri 14y ago
Autocad has a very interesting GUI concept, not in that it's programmable (VBA existed in CorelDraw for years), in its dialogue mode: you click a circle, and it asks you of a center; you either click or type coordinates. Sadly, this mode is rare in non-CAD systems.
- Gravityloss 14y ago
  Solidworks used to work like that too, it's a delight to just start a line and keep on typing distance deltas in numbers and see stuff emerging without a single mouse movement.
sea6ear 14y ago
Do you have any current examples of consumer level microwaves with that simple interface? I've been looking for exactly that sort of simple microwave, but I haven't been able to find any in my brief searches on the internet or in the large mart style stores.
- johansch 14y ago
  This Samsung model is the most popular one in Sweden currently: http://www.samsung.com/se/consumer/appliances-kitchen/microwave-ovens/microwave-ovens/ME82V-WW/XEE http://www.samsung.com/se/consumer/appliances-kitchen/microw... But when you look at the Samsung US range of microwaves: http://www.samsung.com/us/appliances/microwaves/all-products http://www.samsung.com/us/appliances/microwaves/all-products ...it becomes clear that (Samsung US belives) simplicity doesn't sell as well there...
  - jorde 14y ago
    Almost all the microwaves I see in Finland require that the user rotates the dial and off you go. With US microwaves I use the first 30s to scratch my head trying to figure out into witch category my food belongs to. But then again, the same happen with other devices as well: US products are full of settings and preconfigs.