5 ms·

UX: Why do washing machines have windows?

17 points by ozh 13y ago

wanda 13y ago
I love the first answer. Demonstrates the folly of these UX people. Common sense design: "to see if the machine is full." UX design: "the water is dynamic and responsive, exciting to look at, calming, relaxing, inviting." This is why so many startups die.
- markyc 13y ago
  I hope the first answer was satire :D
- seivan 13y ago
  Thank you, I'm not alone into thinking most UX stuff is BS. Another platform for 'talkers' to look like they build. I understand the concept of making the interface intuitive and easy to use and I am all for it. But my God, some of the BS I've heard from people to justify crap is insane. Most of them aren't worth their salaries. I'm interested in UX as much as any of these goons. Difference is, I can actually code/build it as well.
  - wanda 13y ago
    Precisely my thoughts. I can add nothing else so I shall not.
AndrewDucker 13y ago
And why don't dishwashers?
- masklinn 13y ago
  Because dishwashers don't fill with water, hot water is sprayed on the dishes from the rotating hoses and drains more or less immediately. The only way for a dishwasher to fill is that the drain is blocked. See http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AGeschirrspuelertv.ogg http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AGeschi... for a (low-quality) demonstration.
w0utert 13y ago
From personal experience I can attest that the answer 'so you can see the machine is full of water when it stops mid-cycle' is the right one. I've had my washing machine break down while full of water, and if I hadn't known when I got home and opened it unsuspectingly, I would have been very, very unhappy. You'd be surprised how much water the machine contains when it's full...
- prof_hobart 13y ago
  That wouldn't explain why dishwashers don't have them. Opening one of them that has broken down full of water isn't much fun either.
  - arethuza 13y ago
    "broken down full of water" How does that happen? Every dishwasher I have owned is perfectly safe to open at any point in the wash cycle. Maybe the sensor that detects how much water is in the machine fails and it fills up completely?
    - prof_hobart 13y ago
      Blocked outlet pipe.
  - deletes 13y ago
    Dishwashers don't fill with water. They just spray a high temperature water at the dishes and the water is drained immediately.
    - prof_hobart 13y ago
      They do when the outlet pipe gets blocked.
      - deletes 13y ago
        Anything can happen when not operating as indented.
SuperChihuahua 13y ago
According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_machine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_machine): "For front-loaders without viewing windows on the door, it is possible to accidentally pinch fabric between the door and the drum, resulting in tearing and damage to the pinched clothing during tumbling and spinning."

17 points by ozh 13y ago

wanda 13y ago

I love the first answer. Demonstrates the folly of these UX people. Common sense design: "to see if the machine is full." UX design: "the water is dynamic and responsive, exciting to look at, calming, relaxing, inviting." This is why so many startups die.

markyc 13y ago
I hope the first answer was satire :D
seivan 13y ago
Thank you, I'm not alone into thinking most UX stuff is BS. Another platform for 'talkers' to look like they build. I understand the concept of making the interface intuitive and easy to use and I am all for it. But my God, some of the BS I've heard from people to justify crap is insane. Most of them aren't worth their salaries. I'm interested in UX as much as any of these goons. Difference is, I can actually code/build it as well.
- wanda 13y ago
  Precisely my thoughts. I can add nothing else so I shall not.

AndrewDucker 13y ago

And why don't dishwashers?

masklinn 13y ago
Because dishwashers don't fill with water, hot water is sprayed on the dishes from the rotating hoses and drains more or less immediately. The only way for a dishwasher to fill is that the drain is blocked. See http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AGeschirrspuelertv.ogg http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AGeschi... for a (low-quality) demonstration.

w0utert 13y ago

From personal experience I can attest that the answer 'so you can see the machine is full of water when it stops mid-cycle' is the right one. I've had my washing machine break down while full of water, and if I hadn't known when I got home and opened it unsuspectingly, I would have been very, very unhappy. You'd be surprised how much water the machine contains when it's full...

prof_hobart 13y ago
That wouldn't explain why dishwashers don't have them. Opening one of them that has broken down full of water isn't much fun either.
- arethuza 13y ago
  "broken down full of water" How does that happen? Every dishwasher I have owned is perfectly safe to open at any point in the wash cycle. Maybe the sensor that detects how much water is in the machine fails and it fills up completely?
  - prof_hobart 13y ago
    Blocked outlet pipe.
- deletes 13y ago
  Dishwashers don't fill with water. They just spray a high temperature water at the dishes and the water is drained immediately.
  - prof_hobart 13y ago
    They do when the outlet pipe gets blocked.
    - deletes 13y ago
      Anything can happen when not operating as indented.

SuperChihuahua 13y ago

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_machine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_machine): "For front-loaders without viewing windows on the door, it is possible to accidentally pinch fabric between the door and the drum, resulting in tearing and damage to the pinched clothing during tumbling and spinning."