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Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?

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Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?

#261

Post by apendleton »

stjohnswarts wrote: post #228
zinekeller wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I hear they aren't very good outside the US though, which is a shame. I hope that this comment won't be interpreted harshly, but their familiarity with mainly American measurements really handicaps them elsewhere. It's not really their fault, but counterintuitively from where I am it's still miles better than other (domestic or international) suppliers for smaller quantities.

What do you mean familiarity with American measurements? Unit conversion is a solved problem.

I assume they meant that they default to making things that come in imperial-unit sizes (e.g., quarter-inch nuts instead of 6mm ones or whatever). It's not really practical to mix and match.

Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?

#262

Post by ethbr0 »

enos_feedler wrote: post #156
dsizzle wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honest question: how much of the torrent content is corrupted in some way? I dabbled with file sharing back when Kazaa was a thing and I infected my computer to the point I had to reinstall the operating system and I "learned my lesson." But maybe I overlearned the lesson, and it can be used reliably?

Also getting to like 98% and not completing the download. Very aggravating

Does the BitTorrent protocol have an announcement / stored metadata of "recently highest percentage of file seen"?

This seems like one of the biggest problems with more decentralized torrents (i.e. ones not backed by a community / core seeder), but also most a UX issue and seemingly trivially solvable.

Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?

#263

Post by micro_cam »

ISL wrote: post #238
micro_cam wrote: post #227

Knipex Plier Wrenches ... so much better than an adjustable wrench and useful for all sorts of small tasks beyond bolts. Park AWS-1 three way hex wrench. Makes working on bikes so much faster. Dynafit Ski Touring Bindings... the patent has expired and there are loads of copy's based on the original idea now but they changed the sport of ski touring in a way that can't be overstated. (tlt5/6 boots and now the scarpa a…

HillMap -- I use it all the time; it just works. :). (Also, pintech-bindings are the best. They changed the course of my life. The TLT5/6 design is sublime as long as you're not scrambling in talus.)

Hah thanks! Unfortunately hillmap is in a semi defunct state. Most of the apis that made it work are gone or really expensive and i haven't had time to make my own replacements.

Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?

#264

Post by DoneWithAllThat »

Leerburg police leash (for dogs), although the one they sell now is (of course) a crappier version of the one I’ve owned for 10 years now. It’s a leash with a snap at both ends, and three o rings at different points along the length to attach the top snap. It can be held like a regular leash, or slung over your shoulder if you’re for example at an outdoor eating place. I keep it on the shortest length while on walks on sidewalks and at the longest on parks and such. It’s so amazing I’m shocked it’s not a standard leash design you can buy in pet stores.

Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?

#265

Post by simplezeal »

grech wrote: post #162
raz32dust wrote: post #130

Google flights is fantastic. Don't know if it is "the best-designed thing I've ever used", but it is on top of my mind as I just used it yesterday. Google doesn't get enough credit for the things that they did do well - including Search and Maps. Another is Macbooks - the pre-2015 ones at least. I haven't used the latest M1 ones, which I hear great things about. The Aluminum body, the flawless screen, magsafe, great…

I just got an M1 Macbook Air this week to replace my 2014 Macbook Pro. Performance is cool (lots has already been documented about that), but the battery life is on another level. Charged it on 4 days ago and after about 7 hours of use, it's still at 48% at the time of writing this post. Ditto to what you said about "a beautiful marriage of form and function".

Typing from M1 MBA I picked this weekend. I don't think I enjoyed any device since 2012 MBA so much. Love keyboard, unlock by watch, portability, and unparalleled battery life. Screen is a compromise (coming from 2019 MBP 16") but I am okay with that.

Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?

#266

Post by ethbr0 »

invalidator wrote: post #149

GearWrench ratcheting wrenches. They're compact and fit in places that sockets never will. The ratcheting mechanism is very fine, with low backlash, which matters a lot in those tight places. They feel great, and they're a delight to use. Wirewrap tools. They're mechanically simple, easy to learn, and let you create neat, dense hobby prototypes faster and easier than soldering. Wago Lever Nuts. These let you join a w…

> GearWrench ratcheting wrenches

There are also hex bit ratcheting wrenches (go by a variety of names). They key is they take a standard bit, and are only the depth of the bit + a few millimeters. Lifesavers on doorknobs.

If you really needed the clearance, you could probably grind part of the hex end of a bit down too.

Something like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/VIM-Tools-1-4-in-Hex-Bit-Ratchet...

Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?

#267

Post by langcalvin »

Havoc wrote: post #59

Zojirushi rice cookers. Even though the shell is plastic it has a durable feel to it like you don't find it kitchen appliances anymore. It'll still work in 20+ years type feel

I'll second pretty much any old rice cooker with only one button design. There's a reason every Asian home considers it integral.

More than just rice, you can do so much more than one would think in there. I cook a Spaghetti Squash by just placing it inside on warm. No oil or anything. Then I go to work, come back 10 hours later and it's perfect. Can open it with a butterknife.

I'll take it over a slow cooker any day because it can set to a boil. The warm setting is perfect for most things and I've used it to make stocks, confits, yogurt, stews, curries and eggs without worrying about burning down my kitchen when I'm away as it will set itself to warm when there's no more water to evaporate.

Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?

#269

Post by kevinmchugh »

quiffledwerg wrote: post #68

The best thing I ever used was iPod shuffle mini. It was the perfect design, nothing could be added nor taken away to make it better. But apple being Apple they redesigned it to be crap then discontinued it. On the topic of designing great things and Apple …. Can I say that I hate Apples “minimalism above all else” approach to design. For example I want computers with lots of ports - what’s the point in buying a mini…

I was skeptical, I liked my ports. Now I plug in all my devices at once, through a dongle. I like that a lot. It works well for how I work: either at my desk, with everything plugged in, or away from my desk with nothing plugged in.

They probably should've moved the ports to the power brick. That would've been ideal.

Re: Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?

#270

Post by Aeolun »

stjohnswarts wrote: post #228
zinekeller wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I hear they aren't very good outside the US though, which is a shame. I hope that this comment won't be interpreted harshly, but their familiarity with mainly American measurements really handicaps them elsewhere. It's not really their fault, but counterintuitively from where I am it's still miles better than other (domestic or international) suppliers for smaller quantities.

What do you mean familiarity with American measurements? Unit conversion is a solved problem.

It’s also a problem that shouldn’t exist any more in this day and age.
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