2000-07-28|Hi! Technology. Or, how to make gadgets more user-friendly
To whom it may concern
I noticed an interesting article in Ottawa Citizen.
I have strived for absolute simplicity and consistency in every aspect of my life. I greatly value diversity, but I am concerned about proliferation of incompatibilities not only in computer hardware/software but also everywhere else. Coupled with the password jungle and file formats, I still dream of a single point of entry...
E-mail, FAX, Snail mail, etc.
telephone, cellular, pager, etc.
terrestrial TV, cable TV, wireless TV, satellite TV, etc.
desktop computer, notebook computer sub-notebook computer, PDA, etc.
clock settings after power outage
remote controls
The mess has reached a point where I cannot choose a video system which enables me to record a program with a timer :-(. Moreover, the TV Guide/Times are totally inadequate, to say the least. Thus, there is an opportunity for coming up with a user-level communication protocol!
You are welcome to explore any of the following open letters, most of which relate to making life easier.
Minus 300 Degrees
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1999-03-30.html/>
MTS SAP
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1998-11-17.html/>
TV listing for Hull (Québec)
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1998-11-06.html/>
Bell Canada's 9-1-1 service charges
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1996-06-21.html/>
Bell Canada's Pay-Per-Use service charges
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1996-06-13.html/>
Keep aspect ratios for HDTV simple
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1995-08-17.html/>
1:1 digital television
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1995-05-09.html/>
HyperFlexible Date/Time Format
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1994-07-22.html/>
Telephone Set
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1994-02-10.html/>
Don't forget aspect ratio
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1990-08-04.html/>
Drug Labelling in Canada
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1989-12-30.html/>
Ottawa Citizen for Québec residents
<http://WWW.HyperInfo.CA/GS.Sunatori/1989-01-10.html/>
Here are some references.
Crichton, Michael A.
Simple design is always the most difficult to achieve.
Einstein, Albert
It takes more intelligence/brilliance to make things really simple than to make them too complex and obtuse.
Norman, Donald A.
The psychology of everyday things (ISBN 0-465-06709-3)
Sunatori, Go Simon
Convenience and laziness are the mother of invention.
Direct evolution from Telegraph to E-mail (high level of abstraction) should have been better for civilisation, instead of Telephone and FAX (low level of abstraction).
Quest for absolute simplicity and consistency should be the ultimate goal of human civilisation.
