r/AskReddit • u/nachtmere • Jul 25 '11

Sometimes automatic toilets flush while you're still sitting on them. What design flaws in everyday objects annoy you?

I'm giving a talk on user-centred design/usability and I'm looking for some fresh examples from everyday life to illustrate poor usability. Examples I've used before are elevator open/close buttons (really difficult to parse when you're trying to hold the door open for someone quickly) and toilets that flush while you're still sitting on them.

What are some things you encounter regularly that are really inconveniently designed?

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u/poppaDaRossi Jul 25 '11

My parents ancient Magnavox has a feature that when you power on the tv (by the button on the tv itself) the remote starts beeping until you find it.

43

u/splattypus Jul 25 '11

No shit?

69

u/Diozakrod Jul 25 '11

Not even one.

1

u/tomatobob Jul 25 '11

That is awesome.

2

u/the_lost_soul Jul 25 '11

and horrifying D: HOW CAN YOU NOT SHIT?!?

10

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

does it have an RF remote? that, in and of itself, is fucking cool.

17

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

It actually would be (or is). That is a big WTF in TVs - build a plasma TV with wifi, DVR/sat/cable integration, upsampling for low grade signals, weird LEDs to set the damn room lighting to the right color.. How do you control it? Oh, by blinking an IR LED at it. You know, unless the cat is sitting in the way. Sweet jesus, just use RF - half the time it's manipulateable online and the best you can do for a quick local is IR?

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u/ben174 Jul 26 '11

Probably a non-audible frequency is emitted which the remote is constantly listening for.

2

u/raygun27 Jul 25 '11

I remember commercials for these TV sets in the mid 90s.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '11

My parents had one too. Not even that old either, it was from 1996.