YABDUI...

[Don Y]

Yet Another Brain-Damaged User Interface

Likely some *engineer* who thought he was super clever decided
he could use a 2x20 display and *two* pushbuttons to allow
a user to manually configure this device.

One button to ADVANCE to the next choice/value
Another button to lock it in and move to the next setting.

So, to set an IP address:
leftmost of three digits in first octet is selected (flashing cursor)
advance N times to get to desired value (note leftmost digit can only
be {0,1,2}
lock in that value and move to the next digit
advance M times to get to desired value (may be {[0-5],[0-9]} based on leftmost
lock in that value and move to the third digit (we\'re still in first octet!)
advance P times to get to desired value
lock in that value and move to leftmost digit of second octet.

Repeat for all 12 digits of IP address.

Whew!

Ah, but now we have to do the subnet mask! 12 more digits!

And then the gateway.

And then the DNS.

And then the secondary DNS.

Ugh!

But, wait... there\'s more! Now we have to do the SECOND i/f!

Of course, if you ever make a mistake, there\'s no way to go back to the
previous \"digit position\". Or, previous IP setting.

What idiot thought this was a good way to do ANYTHING?
You really couldn\'t have a submenu under \"network i/fs\"
that allows you to select WHICH set of 4 octets you want
to specify? Or, have an auto-repeat button? Or, a SECOND
button that lets you go backwards/down?

It\'s folks like this that you hope find themselves on an ER table
in desperate need of care while the attending medical professionals
are scrolling through similar 2 line menus with two tiny buttons...

\"Ah, but it runs linsux!\"

 

[bitrex]

On 7/2/2023 11:31 PM, Don Y wrote:

Yet Another Brain-Damaged User Interface

Likely some *engineer* who thought he was super clever decided
he could use a 2x20 display and *two* pushbuttons to allow
a user to manually configure this device.

One button to ADVANCE to the next choice/value
Another button to lock it in and move to the next setting.

So, to set an IP address:
leftmost of three digits in first octet is selected (flashing cursor)
advance N times to get to desired value (note leftmost digit can only
   be {0,1,2}
lock in that value and move to the next digit
advance M times to get to desired value (may be {[0-5],[0-9]} based on
leftmost
lock in that value and move to the third digit (we\'re still in first
octet!)
advance P times to get to desired value
lock in that value and move to leftmost digit of second octet.

Repeat for all 12 digits of IP address.

Whew!

Ah, but now we have to do the subnet mask!  12 more digits!

And then the gateway.

And then the DNS.

And then the secondary DNS.

Ugh!

But, wait... there\'s more!  Now we have to do the SECOND i/f!

Of course, if you ever make a mistake, there\'s no way to go back to the
previous \"digit position\".  Or, previous IP setting.

What idiot thought this was a good way to do ANYTHING?
You really couldn\'t have a submenu under \"network i/fs\"
that allows you to select WHICH set of 4 octets you want
to specify?  Or, have an auto-repeat button?  Or, a SECOND
button that lets you go backwards/down?

It\'s folks like this that you hope find themselves on an ER table
in desperate need of care while the attending medical professionals
are scrolling through similar 2 line menus with two tiny buttons...

\"Ah, but it runs linsux!\"

That is pretty horrible.

There\'s a standard control layout for LCD menus I like to use that I
think is about the _minimal_ for menu-diving of any complexity: a \"menu\"
toggle button which takes you in and out of the configuration menu vs.
whatever the LCD normally displays. A rotary encoder for selecting
values in fields. An enter/select button for selecting and moving down
sub-menus in the menu tree (can on the rotary encoder.) A left and right
arrow for changing fields. And a \"back\" button for moving back up a
level in the tree.

 

[Don Y]

On 7/2/2023 9:03 PM, bitrex wrote:

That is pretty horrible.

There\'s a standard control layout for LCD menus I like to use that I think is
about the _minimal_ for menu-diving of any complexity: a \"menu\" toggle button
which takes you in and out of the configuration menu vs. whatever the LCD
normally displays.

Pressing the (?) button displays a prompt: \"Hold for 2 seconds to enter menu\".
OK, I can live with that if it lets some bean-counter save a micropenny...

> A rotary encoder for selecting values in fields. An

Here, the \"encoder\" only turns one way. \"No problem! It will cycle back
around (e.g., from 9 back to 0)\". Yeah, unless the list is really long!!!
(like ten 12 digit values... 120 items in THAT list!)

enter/select button for selecting and moving down sub-menus in the menu tree
(can on the rotary encoder.) A left and right arrow for changing fields. And a

The single control can be used to put you in/out of \"modify\" mode once you
have \"selected\" an entry.

*If* you have a large enough display, you can indicate the role(s) of
each control ON the display. This is how LCD monitors can get away
with a few controls to access many settings. (but, they are still
pretty nonintuitive)

> \"back\" button for moving back up a level in the tree.

Last item in every list is \"Back\".

I.e., you *can* make a two-button interface work. It\'s just
not convenient. And, in this case, would have benefitted from
a better menu structure.

E.g., why SHOW me all 10 address settings and THEN ask me if I
want to change any? I\'ve had to scroll through 10 items
before you\'ll even let me START to change the first (or second
or third or...) of them!

What happens is some idiot pitches this type of interface to a
decision-maker. And, shows how each setting can be changed.
And, each *individual* setting looks manageable. But, no one
ever puts it *all* into context.

Do you REALLY need to specify TWO interfaces in order to be able
to use the device? Does each i/f need TWO DNS servers specified?
Can\'t you specify ONE i/f and then use a GUI to specify the rest
of the parameters (of COURSE you can because that\'s how you expect
the user to specify the HUNDREDS of other parameters that this
mechanism doesn\'t address! ... why did you decide THESE were
the minimum??)

Imagine a piano keyboard with an LED for each key position, a dial
(encoder) and a button (ENTER)...

Diagram the UI and ask yourself if it is as simple and intuitive
as it can be? Or, does it reflect some engineer\'s notion of
how things should be (wrongly!) done.

Providing choice makes sense where choice is necessary or adds
value. How many folks would have the patience to configure the
colors and shapes of every control on their (PC) screen -- infinite
choice! <rolls eyes> Good engineering is knowing which choices to
make *for* the user.

 

[John Larkin]

On Sun, 2 Jul 2023 20:31:10 -0700, Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid>
wrote:

Yet Another Brain-Damaged User Interface

Likely some *engineer* who thought he was super clever decided
he could use a 2x20 display and *two* pushbuttons to allow
a user to manually configure this device.

One button to ADVANCE to the next choice/value
Another button to lock it in and move to the next setting.

So, to set an IP address:
leftmost of three digits in first octet is selected (flashing cursor)
advance N times to get to desired value (note leftmost digit can only
be {0,1,2}
lock in that value and move to the next digit
advance M times to get to desired value (may be {[0-5],[0-9]} based on leftmost
lock in that value and move to the third digit (we\'re still in first octet!)
advance P times to get to desired value
lock in that value and move to leftmost digit of second octet.

Repeat for all 12 digits of IP address.

Whew!

Ah, but now we have to do the subnet mask! 12 more digits!

And then the gateway.

And then the DNS.

And then the secondary DNS.

Ugh!

But, wait... there\'s more! Now we have to do the SECOND i/f!

Of course, if you ever make a mistake, there\'s no way to go back to the
previous \"digit position\". Or, previous IP setting.

What idiot thought this was a good way to do ANYTHING?
You really couldn\'t have a submenu under \"network i/fs\"
that allows you to select WHICH set of 4 octets you want
to specify? Or, have an auto-repeat button? Or, a SECOND
button that lets you go backwards/down?

It\'s folks like this that you hope find themselves on an ER table
in desperate need of care while the attending medical professionals
are scrolling through similar 2 line menus with two tiny buttons...

\"Ah, but it runs linsux!\"

\"Anybody can learn to code.\"

 

[Don Y]

On 7/2/2023 10:27 PM, Don Y wrote:

On 7/2/2023 9:03 PM, bitrex wrote:
That is pretty horrible.

By contrast, the UI in our refrigerator...

There\'s a standard control layout for LCD menus I like to use that I think is
about the _minimal_ for menu-diving of any complexity: a \"menu\" toggle button
which takes you in and out of the configuration menu vs. whatever the LCD
normally displays.

Pressing the (?) button displays a prompt:  \"Hold for 2 seconds to enter menu\".
OK, I can live with that if it lets some bean-counter save a micropenny...

Open door, display summarizes the important settings:
Autofill Pitcher: on/off
Icemakers: on/off (for each)
Deodorizing filter: on/off

These are displayed (text and graphics) for a few seconds before
the user is exposed to the \"settings\" menu. The first such setting
is displayed:
Fridge (temperature)
along with a graphical indication of the part of the \"device\"
that is being referenced (three cooling compartments), the
current temperature *setting* (no way to know what the current
temperature *is*), and a set of eight \"dashes\" across the
top of the display telling you that there are 8 \"screens\"
(settings) and you are on the first of those 8.

A rotary encoder for selecting values in fields. An

Here, the \"encoder\" only turns one way.  \"No problem!  It will cycle back
around (e.g., from 9 back to 0)\".  Yeah, unless the list is really long!!!
(like ten 12 digit values... 120 items in THAT list!)

Left and right arrows to move among screens/values.
Right, obviously, moves to the next (\"higher\") choice.

enter/select button for selecting and moving down sub-menus in the menu tree
(can on the rotary encoder.) A left and right arrow for changing fields. And a

The single control can be used to put you in/out of \"modify\" mode once you
have \"selected\" an entry.

A center button acts as ENTER, effectively committing the choice displayed.

The settings are presented in an order that seems to likely represent
their frequency of use/interest:
Fridge temperature
Freezer temperature
\"Flex\" compartment usage (meat, fruit, etc.)
\"Flex\" drawer usage
Autofill pitcher enable
Ice CUBE maker enable
Crushed ice maker enable
More options
Selecting a particular setting presents the current value of that
setting along with a revised set of \"dashes\" to give you an idea of
how many CHOICES you have for this setting.

The additional options are truly rarely used and, by lumping them
together, can be elided from the (circular) list of *main* options:
UV Filter enable
Peak demand control
Water filter usage reset
Temperature units
Door Alarm
WiFi enable

Considering that you have to access this menu/controls while standing
WITH THE DOOR OPEN, they appear to have implemented a terse, intuitive
interface with minimal controls (so, you\'re not standing there for
minutes dicking with settings!)

Clearly, someone ENGINEERED the UI with a clear understanding
of the problem space -- instead of just saying \"I only have
to put two buttons in the hardware design to give the user
all of this flexibility!\"

[The stove, OTOH, was designed by an idiot! No sense of
consistency or functionality/usability. \"But, it LOOKS good!\"
<rolls eyes>]

Car is not quite as good as it could be -- but, at least they
weren\'t stupid enough to think \"Gee, we have a touchscreen!
We can do ALL of the settings/controls from there!\"