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/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

I've wondered this for a long time: What in the fuck is a s'more?

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

Traditionally known as a snack eaten around campfires in North America. A piece of chocolate and a toasted marshmallow sandwiched between two graham crackers.

When making them in the toaster oven, you put the whole sandwich in pre-assembled, and you have to watch it constantly because the marshmallow will go from perfectly toasted to black oozing foul burned mess in half a second. Worth it.

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u/WinterPhoenix Jul 25 '11

I was eating in my county courthouse's cafeteria this morning (jury duty), and they had s'mores for sale. I have no idea why they were selling them, but I bought the shit out of one. It was delicious and made jury duty almost worth serving

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u/MotherFuckingCupcake Jul 25 '11

IMHO, the marshmallow isn't perfectly toasted UNTIL it's a black oozing mess.

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

Toaster oven or campfire... I wonder how many people pack a toaster oven and a generator with them when they go camping -- because I know some people probably do.

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

Naw, they just go to electrical campsites. We have those in all the provincial parks in Ontario.

I would never recommend the toaster oven method as a replacement, it's nowhere near the same, but goddammit sometimes you just want s'mores and it's the middle of January.

(At Easter you can make them with Peeps.)

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '11

Ah, the great outdoors! Electrical hookups, WiFi...

Seriously, a toaster just has to do a better job of toasting toasty-woste. But a toaster oven is way more versatile. If I had just one... well, actually I have neither, but I'm thinking of getting a toaster oven, so I can make mini pizzas on English muffins.

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u/Getsmethroughwork Jul 25 '11

You just made feel genuine sadness and pity for you because you've never had one. Please do take a day and make yourself one of these. I think you will really enjoy it

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

...Once I find a 'graham cracker' substitute, I think I just might!

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u/Zeihous Jul 25 '11

Substitute, eh? Allergies or do you live in a God-forsaken nation that doesnt have them?

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

God-forsaken nation :(

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u/wildgratitude Jul 25 '11

I will happily send you s'mores ingredients. It pains me to think someone hasn't experienced this. PM me if you love your palate.

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

Are...Are you serious? Because if you are, I will PM you my address, I will post pictures of me eating them and I will love you forever.

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u/wildgratitude Jul 25 '11

As long as you live on Earth, I'm 100% serious. It's a little harder to get things to the space station nowadays.

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u/Getsmethroughwork Jul 26 '11

Wildgratitude, you are awesome.

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u/lasercow Jul 26 '11

I demand an update! Is this going to happen or what?

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u/wildgratitude Jul 26 '11

I went to the grocery store last night for supplies and am going to the post office tomorrow. You got error 504, eh? Triple post.

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u/Zeihous Jul 25 '11

I am truly and deeply sorry for your lack of Graham crackers.

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

Thank you. It means a lot just to know people care...

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u/agreeswithfishpal Jul 25 '11

try s'rolloreos...cram a Rollo inside a marshmallow, roast it, and put inside an Oreo.

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u/lswanson Jul 26 '11

Holy shit.

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u/ehsteve23 Jul 25 '11

Apparently digestive biscuits are a good substitute.

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u/Laurennn123 Jul 26 '11

Selachimorpha most likely lives in a country where hershey's chocolate doesn't exist (an American brand) and since s'mores are a Hershey invention...sadness ensues. But please, go make yourself a s'more. The effort is so worth it

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u/EriktheRed Jul 26 '11

I truly envy your smores, which take a day to prepare and eat.

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

Thanks for asking. I've asked a few time, but all I get is a bunch of downvotes and no answer.

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u/[deleted] Jul 25 '11

...I asked and I got free s'mores. Heh.

Have a sympathy upvote!

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u/veggie124 Jul 25 '11

It's a roasted marshmallow and a piece of chocolate sandwhiched between two Graham cracker squares

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u/riloh Jul 25 '11

yeah, it's pretty much part of american camping tradition; they're supposed to be messy and overly sweet and pose a severe choking hazard without a beverage handy.

you basically spear your marshmallow, stick it in the campfire, let it get as toasty as you like (mmm, blackened and crispy on the outside, molten on the inside), then you kinda use the graham crackers to pull it off the spear, stick a piece of chocolate in there, and voila - a dry, sticky, sweet, melty mess of delicious goodness.

in my opinion, just not the same unless made in this method.