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

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

#451

Post by tdk »

pkd wrote: post #441
tdk wrote: post #414

1. Noodler's fountain pens. These are 'Hacker-friendly' pens. With most pens the nib and feed are glued in, but in the Noodlers pens they are push fit, so can be adjusted. You can adjust the amount of flex and flow independently. You can also take out the entire filling mechanism, and use the whole pen body as a reservoir. Neat. http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/209380-noodler... 2. Vim It was a bold desi…

Re 1. Almost all fountain pens are "hacker friendly". I have a couple of pens which are much more expensive than Noodler's and I have completely dismantled and then reassembled them multiple times while cleaning. Unless you are using some proprietary filling mechanism, both the nib, and feed are interchangeable.

Most fountain pens have the nib and feed as one glued unit (confusingly, informally called the 'nib'), so you can't adjust the flow. Compare the 'nibs' at the top and bottom of this page. https://www.gouletpens.com/replacement-nibs/c/294 The ones at the bottom can only be used in Noodlers pens.

The Noodler's also have the feed made of cutable ebonite instead of cheaper plastic, so you can carve out a deeper ink channel if you want.

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

#453

Post by tonyedgecombe »

jameskilton wrote: post #11

Dyson vacuum cleaners. I have never once wondered "how do I do this?" when using my Dyson. From cleaning, to extensions, switching modes, and just plain using the thing, every inch of these vacuums is designed to the utmost degree to make them not only super powerful suction machines but also trivially easy to use.

My parents had nothing but problems with their Dysons, we are just on our second Vax after 27 years, much better.

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

#455

Post by mohoyt »

Canon 5D3 - feels exceptional in your hand, takes fantastic photos out of the box, and with all the more advanced features just as accessible for when you need them.

Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket - so light, stuffs into it's inner pocket, sufficiently warm, windproof and layerable. Pretty much perfect.

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

#457

Post by the_duke »

mdip wrote: post #374

It took me about a second to think of Dixon Ticonderoga pencils. These are the perfect nexus of good and cheap. These things have the critical features one looks for in a writing instrument, my favorite of which is that I can put it in my electric pencil sharpener and the lead never snaps just prior to the point at which it becomes sharp. And these guys finally figured out something useful to do with that pink, rubbe…

I've never seen someone that excited about pencils.

Might this be satire? ;)

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

#458

Post by throwanem »

My grandfather's [1] Nikkormat FTn [2], which is more or less a consumer version of the Nikon F [3]. It's equipped with roughly the same features, but implemented somewhat differently - for example, shutter speed is adjusted via a ring on the lens mount, instead of a knob on the top. It's by far the simplest SLR I've ever used, and in some ways also the most capable - you do still need to know how focus and exposure work, but once you have those basics under your belt, the camera gets right out of your way so you can take the pictures you want to take. It's also built like a tank - the kind of thing where, if you drop it on your foot, it probably won't break, but your toes might. And, like any handheld machine engineered to tight tolerances, it's just a pleasure to use.

That camera's served three generations of my family very well; my grandfather and father each used it for years, and I learned the basics of photography with it. It's honorably retired now, but if I ever start to shoot film again, that's the camera I'll use to do it. And if I don't, I'll still have benefited massively from having used it, because the Nikon D5300 I now use (and used to take [1], a few minutes ago) can still take any glass with an F mount - which not only means that I can still use Grandpa's and Dad's old glass, but that if I want, say, a 500mm tele, which I do because the moon is far away and hawks take it amiss when you approach to improve your shot, I can spend $100 on a manual lens that I already know how to use, instead of spending $10,000 or more on one that supports automatic focus and aperture.

[1] https://u.sicp.me/gZn97.jpg

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikkormat#Nikkormat_FTn

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F

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

#459

Post by collyw »

SwellJoe wrote: post #99
pgreenwood wrote: post #87

Almost every bicycle. Our noblest invention.

Agreed. Even a cheapish bike is a miracle of modern engineering, and a great force multiplier even for poor folks or folks too young to drive. I love my bike (a 20 year old Giant mountain bike that I bought to ride to college and have put thousands of miles on since).

Yep, whenever my car needs something repaired I am going to need to pay for someone else to do it. With my bikes I have fixed almost every by myself (except for servicing the forks on my decent mountain bike).

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

#460

Post by camtarn »

ojbyrne wrote: post #240
FreakyT wrote: post #27

Another odd one, but my Honda Fit 2nd Generation. So many things about that car are so well thought-out, and even more expensive/luxurious cars miss things that the Fit designers included. Some examples: - Cup holder on the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel. As a left-handed person, this is amazing. - Window power remains on after turning off the car as long as doors haven't been opened, allowing you to clo…

I drove one of these recently, I'm 6'1" and the seat wouldn't go back quite enough. Probably only 1-3 inches, but a total deal breaker.

Yeah, it's the one thing that nearly put me off buying one - I'm six foot and it didn't quite feel right. I'm glad I took the plunge though: I got used to the slightly more upright driving position, and I love the car. The upside of the slightly more restricted seat rails, btw, is that rear passengers always have great leg room, even in such a small car.
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