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

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701–710 of 994 posts

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

#701

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While this is true I often wonder why so many of those doors don't just open towards both sides. They exist and I think it's the best compromise because it's just not possible to use it the wrong way.

A couple of possible reasons: one-way doors can have a solid frame, making them easier to secure; and they are better at sealing against weather.

and fire. one way swing allows the frame to wrap around on one side – increasing fire resistence

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

#703

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd add uTorrent... it was created in few kb and AFAIK that started the no-bloatware awareness for sometime.

I don't know if it started the no-bloatware awareness, that was a remnant of the 90s, where programs were non-bloated by default (with Winamp being the most non-bloated program to ever have been created).

Even just in the universe of piracy programs, Kazaa and it's offshoots got bloated, so Kazaa lite became the no-bloat version of that

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

#704
post #586

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is good indeed. I was reading that the numbers are higher than 200 ms. https://semiserious.blog/airpods-pro Is the latency under A2DP mode specified somewhere?

My numbers are from measuring round trip latency through headphones and phone's built in mic and then basically guessing which part is input and which part output latency (they're both small). 200ms is certainly in line with most Bluetooth headphones. I'm not sure what the guy is doing differently from the app I'm working on, but for us AirPods are clearly the lowest latency choice. EDIT: Ignore what I wrote below an…

Great! Thanks.

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

#705

One example of quality design which I gleaned from reading Don Norman's "The Design Of Everyday Things" is the metal plate I've frequently seen on doors which are meant to be pushed. The only affordance of such a plate is its push-ability, and the fact that someone actively installed a metal plate (instead of just relying on the door's natural flatness), as well as its location at the point of maximum leverage (all t…

I like the affordability too, but it also does not take into account edge cases. Our office door has this metal plate, it pushes outside (I believe it is that way for fire safety reasons). If there is strong wind on the outside, the door has the habit of whipping around after pushing it a bit, leading to shattered glass once every year or so. Closing the door in strong wind also means grabbing it on the edge and pull…

I spent about a year living in Chicago (also very windy and cold) and many office buildings use revolving doors for their exterior-facing entrances/exits. I suspect for the exact reason you mention. I can imagine what a PITA it would be to close a traditional door while battling icy-cold wind gusts.

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

#706

Trangia cooking stove. It will be something to pass on to your kids if you like camping. I have a version of the doussal they dont sell anymore which is one of these https://shop.trangia.se/en/trangia-stove/trangia-stove-25-la... a kettle https://shop.trangia.se/en/kettles/200325.html a green cutting board/strainer https://shop.trangia.se/en/accessories/multi-disc-md25.html and I got a 1Litre fuel bottle as an extra…

Except the fuel issue is annoying. Alcohol is bloody stupid fuel in the long run. It vaporizer easily and just disappears. And does not burn at all in -30C, That is why I modified my Trangia to accept Primus multifuel burner. Except in Chile it totally stopped working. because the local kerosine was so low quality.

I was finally happy, when AliBaba invented cheap Wick-based burner. It burns just about anything oily, from Diesel to Lamp paraffin. I modified it to accept Trangia top and kettles, maintaining good wind protection and flame shield. However infamous Polar Explorer explorer Alex Hibbert was not impressed: https://youtu.be/FU0cPkkjPkk

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

#707
post #440

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I ran into a door today that had a handle on the push side. Not even a crossbar - an aluminum folded-over handle, one on each of the double doors. It is, unmistakably, a pull handle , and it had "PUSH" written above it and even underlined, and still it gave me pause.

There used to be a coffee shop opposite my office that had a pull handle on the push side of the double doors. The right hand side doors were also often locked. I once sat at the nearest table to the doors and watched a dozen people pull then push on the right door, then pull and finally push on the left door, and often end up visibly aggravated by the time they got in and joined the morning queue! The next day my de…

You’re doing the Lord’s work. I’ll buy you a beer if we ever run into each other.

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

#708

One example of quality design which I gleaned from reading Don Norman's "The Design Of Everyday Things" is the metal plate I've frequently seen on doors which are meant to be pushed. The only affordance of such a plate is its push-ability, and the fact that someone actively installed a metal plate (instead of just relying on the door's natural flatness), as well as its location at the point of maximum leverage (all t…

Here in the UK a lot of bathrooms in pubs and other places have push to get in, and handles to get out. Never understood that, I'd like to push to get out once I've washed my hands!

In the US this is a fire code issue. Doors need to swing inward to avoid people getting trapped inside from outside obstructions.

edit: I seem to be misinformed about firecode. I may also be over extrapolating from what I know about bedroom doors as well. The general idea of obstruction is more valid there. It seems the more common reason bathrooms would not be allowed to swing outward is obstructing the minimum width of hallways.

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

#710

I loved the SanDisk Sansa Clip Zip players I owned during past years. They needed to be reflashed with the RockBox firmware (but tbh pretty much every portable player firmware is inferior to RockBox) however hardware wise they were fantastic: light, well shaped, buttons in the right places, very readable display despite the small size, audio was excellent, FM reception too, battery lasted hours and hours. I brought t…

Recent discussion of MP3 players, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26870648
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