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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?

#501

Post by aashaykumar92 »

dcw303 wrote: post #209

The Casio F-91W Digital wrist watch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W Keeps better time than a Rolex, and is a fraction of the price. Waterproof. Has an alarm, stopwatch, and timer; all things missing from traditional wind ups. Interface is easy to use and discover. The battery last almost forever. Now, if you're asking if it's aesthetically pleasing, that's a different story. But we were talking about design…

Now, if you're asking if it's aesthetically pleasing, that's a different story. But we were talking about design, right?

Hmm I think design also includes aesthetics - at least somewhat. Think about UI/UX. Both are design concepts. You're essentially describing the Casio as providing a great UX but not a great UI. I'd still argue UX is more important, but I wouldn't fully ignore UI when talking about design.

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

#502

Post by sjy »

mattkevan wrote: post #367

MUJI 0.5mm gel ink pens [0] - I've used these pens for so long that my handwriting goes haywire when using a different make. Perfect balance of smoothness and scratchiness - with fast drying ink, which as a lefty is vital. Harmon Kardon Soundsticks II – had mine for over a decade and they still sound and look great. Gaggia Colour espresso machine – looks great, built like a tank, simple to repair, and still produces…

> Chromecast – it just works. Feels like the future to use my phone to stream video from the Raspberry Pi to the TV.

I wanted this experience, but the Pi was too underpowered to play 1080p or transcode my existing video collection, most of which wasn't in a Chromecast-compatible format. Trying to skip forward was also really frustrating and delay-prone.

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

#503

Post by throwanem »

itchynosedev wrote: post #213
apankrat wrote: post #67

Aeron chair. Aeropress. EIZO monitors - http://www.eizo.com uTorrent, the older versions. Dead serious about uTorrent. One of the best designed and engineered pieces of software ever. Everything you need, where you expect it to be, doing exactly what it should be doing, and nothing more.

Sitting on one now. What makes you enjoy its design? I have bought the remastered one a week ago and find myself difficult to fit into it properly (the sizing is right). I feel like the lower back support requires you to fit very rigidly in and one of the reasons I got it was it was advertised in one of promo videos as the chair that moves with the body. I am quite average height and a bit below average on weight but…

I have the adjustable lumbar support, and I know what you mean about fitting into it. Wiggle your rear end a bit and see if you don't settle into place; I've found it makes a world of difference. Failing that, perhaps switching to the non-adjustable support might help.

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

#504

Post by bungle »

Fiskars Axes: http://www.fiskars.eu/products/gardening/axes/splitting-axe-...

Barbour Jackets: http://www.barbour.com/eu/categories/mens/waxed-jackets/barb...

Camper Shoes: https://www.camper.com/en_FI/men/shoes/peu/camper-peu-17665-...

Stihl Chainsaws: http://www.stihl.com/STIHL-power-tools-A-great-range/Chainsa...

Genelec Speakers: http://www.genelec.com/8351

Desktops: Mac Pro 1st Generation

Laptops: Macbook Pro

Phones: iPhone

Operating System Kernel: Linux

High Level Programming Language: Lua / LuaJIT

Low Level Programming Language: C

Web Server: Nginx

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

#505

Post by louhike »

the_duke wrote: post #457
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? ;)

No, these pencils are quite famous. I saw them recommended in a beginner's pack for D&D players.

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

#506

Post by tossaway1 »

jwolfhn wrote: post #141

Any Kindle model with e-ink. The utiluty and simplicity of design of these devices has enabled me to read almost every night before going to bed for the past 6ish years without loosing my place or holding the weight of a book (finally read War and Peace).

As I recall, War and Peace had a huge number of characters with a reference at the front that I always had to refer back to. Do you keep a notepad handy for this sort of thing or have you mastered the use of bookmarks to jump around (I still haven't with my Kindle)...?

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

#507

Post by kogepathic »

leonroy wrote: post #288

* Blendtec Blender - blew my first pay cheque on one nearly 10 years ago and it still looks and works good as new. Absolutely superb design and construction. * AGA Oven - I don't own one, but my parents do and growing up this thing was just incredible. Still looks and works like new. I honestly have never used an oven which looks and cooks so damn good. * Apple (Unibody) Macbook Pro - Despite my present feelings towa…

> HP Proliant Servers - despite HP's awful website and support policies their Proliant range are the most well designed, well thought out servers I've ever used.

Their ProCurve networking equipment is also excellent. They also have a lifetime warranty [0] (first owner) meaning if the switch ever breaks, they'll replace it. I've read online this even applies to 15 year old switches.

They changed the warranty somewhat after people started buying broken switches on eBay and RMA'ing them to HP for replacement. [1]

I've had personal experience with a dead HP ProCurve switch in a previous position. They sent us an advance replacement with next day shipping. I don't particularly like what they're doing to ProLiant line (e.g. firmware updates now require a paid support subscription, or a torrent), but I still recommend ProCurve switches to everyone looking for a good L2/L3 managed switch.

Also they're damn cheap these days. I was looking recently and you can pick up a managed 24 port GigE HP (1910-24G or 2910al-24G) for under $100 USD on eBay. My 1910-24G idles at 12W.

The 2910al will even accept 10Gbit expansion cards (on the back) so you can have up to 4 10GBit ports per switch.

[0] https://community.hpe.com/t5/Networking/Lifetime-Warranty-2-...

[1] http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1483888

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

#508

Post by throwanem »

seanp2k2 wrote: post #408
Eric_WVGG wrote: post #400

Bench made pocket knife with their "axis" locking mechanism. Never thought I would be a knife guy, but I was given one gen years ago and I'm still smitten with this thing. There is nothing quite like the snapping sound when it opens perfectly.

Yeah, once you figure out that pulling the closing button down combined with a flick opens it, it's basically an assisted-opening-but-not-illegal knife. I always thought that the ban on assisted openers was stupid anyway, since a fixed blade is faster still and 100% legal.

Fixed blade's harder to conceal.

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

#510

Post by jamies888888 »

i_don_t_know wrote: post #317

The ancient microwave in my first apartment. It had two knobs: one for time, one for power. It's immediately obvious how to cook something for how long, how to add more time, etc. All other microwaves that I've used I had to have someone explain to me what buttons to press in what order to do even the simplest things. And I've never seen anyone use all of those fancy buttons.

My microwave has two buttons. Start and Stop. Press Start once, it starts for 30 seconds. Press it again and it adds 30 seconds. Keep pressing it to add 30 second intervals. If you want to stop before the time runs out. Press Stop and it resets.
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