On 09/17/2012 03:08 PM, Nick Sabalausky wrote:
> On Mon, 17 Sep 2012 13:18:51 -0700
> "H. S. Teoh"<[email protected]> wrote:
>> Any time you hear "smart" and "software" in the same sentence, be
>> prepared for something dumb.
>>
>
> Heh, I actually say pretty much the same thing myself very often.
> Couldn't agree more. If you were around me in person, you'd frequently
> hear "I hate when (devices|programs) try to be smart." Smart(.*) is
> a red flag for "badly designed" or "unreliable".
>
> That's actually been an even bigger thing with me lately than ever
> before since, because of work, I have a call phone for the first time
> now - two actually, an iPhone and an Android - and I absolutely *HATE*
> both the damn things (with the iPhone being slightly worse).
> *Everything* about them is just wrong, backwards, idiotic. They
> even managed to take something as trivial to get right as volume
> controls and *completely* fuck it up in every imaginable way. And of
> course, Android aped Apple's idiotic lead on that, as usual.
I have to jump in on this discussion: Those have been exactly my
feelings since I've gotten my "smart" phone about two years ago. I
cannot believe the lack of usability! :) I have an Android but of course
I have played with iPhones as well. Let me tell you: the emperor has no
clothes! :)
They have imagined a "phone", where being able to answer the call is
completely by luck if the phone has been in your pocket when the call
arrived! Chances are, you will touch something on the "smart" screen and
reject the call by some random reason like "I am in class." (No, I am
not a student or a teacher at this time; but that exact scenario
happened to me multiple times.)
Imagine a device where the *entire* screen is touchable with different
areas meaning different things depending on context! The users can only
cradle it gently but they can't hold it firmly! Wow! I can't believe how
this whole idea took off. Later generations will have a good laugh at
these devices.
Thanks for letting me vent. :)
Next time I will talk about CalTrain's immature attempts at adopting the
Clipper card stupidity and their apparent and obviously obvious :p
failure in doing so. Unbelievable amount of technology, expense, labor,
customer inconvenience, citations, etc. just to obviate a system that
has been working flawlessly for centuries: A paper ticket. Technology
should solve a problem; it should not be forced on people. Ok,
apparently that one is out too... :)
Getting back on topic, yes, I like :D
Ali
