> "could we learn something from them for web app dev?"
>
> Not really. Airplane designers have the luxury of knowing that their
> users have had years of training, plus additional training for each
> separate 'plane.
Although apparently these days all that training is mostly in case the
computer fails. It was mentioned on an episode of MythBusters when they
were testing the one about the untrained volunteer landing a plane on
the verbal instructions of an air-traffic controller. In the simulator
(so, minus the stress of knowing that there are a few dozen people about
to die if you screw up), it was feasible for an untrained person to land
an airplane. But they pointed out that the scenario is less likely now
because the autopilots can actually land the plane aside from there
being a copilot. So even if both of the pilots became incapacitated, a
stewardess could engage the autopilot and likely the passengers wouldn't
even be aware.
Though the computers probably aren't the best examples of usablity
either because of all that training -- and there's a mention in the
first chapter of the Inmates Are Running the Asylum about how in at
least one case a pilot landed a plane rather abruptly on the side of a
cliff face (killing himself and all the passengers) because he made an
incorrect selection from a list when there was apparently only one
selection he could actually make without killing everyone on that
particular approach.
He might not have if the list had looked like:
DIE HORRIBLY
DIE HORRIBLY
DIE HORRIBLY
land safely <<== PICK THIS ONE!
DIE HORRIBLY
DIE HORRIBLY
DIE HORRIBLY
but apparently that's not what he was given. :)
--
s. isaac dealey ^ new epoch
isn't it time for a change?
ph: 503.236.3691
http://onTap.riaforge.org/blog
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