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Show HN: I redesigned the USPS package delivery slip

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Re: Show HN: I redesigned the USPS package delivery slip

#51

Post by timc3 »

rib3ye wrote: post #11

Will probably get some downvotes for the raw criticism, but your redesign is a regression in usability for both the carrier and the recipient: In the actual, the fields where the poor guy/girl actually has to write are large spacious to allow the delivery person to write quickly (and sloppily). Also, notice how Final Notice is bigger than the rest of the text? That's because it's important. This is one example of con…

Totally agree. I found it just as confusing as the original yet I can see that it’s going to be even harder for someone to quickly fill out when they don’t have a proper desk/writing surface to fill this out on.

Re: Show HN: I redesigned the USPS package delivery slip

#52

Post by ascagnel_ »

jschwartzi wrote: post #40
ck2 wrote: post #32

The reason why the USPS forms look so ancient is because they are so ancient. Their budget has been destroyed over the years by Congress so there is no money for things like redesigning forms and reprinting them. I've watched my main post office slowing implode on itself because all of USPS income is going back into funding future imaginary employee retirement funds (due to congressional law designed to destroy them)…

USPS has no budget from Congress. They're the only government agency in the US that is required to break even using the money they collect from fees.

Congress passed a law in 2006 stating that the USPS must pre-fund benefits. It didn't allocate any money for it, though.

It's the equivalent of your credit card company saying "we think we'll end up lending you $1m over the lifetime of the card, so can you pay us back all of that up front?"

Re: Show HN: I redesigned the USPS package delivery slip

#53

Post by rawTruthHurts »

blowski wrote: post #33
rib3ye wrote: post #11

Will probably get some downvotes for the raw criticism, but your redesign is a regression in usability for both the carrier and the recipient: In the actual, the fields where the poor guy/girl actually has to write are large spacious to allow the delivery person to write quickly (and sloppily). Also, notice how Final Notice is bigger than the rest of the text? That's because it's important. This is one example of con…

I actually agree with what you've written, but I downvoted you because I hate reading comments that say things like "I will probably get some downvotes". If you think you're going to be downvoted, ask yourself why and consider rewriting it in such a way that people won't downvote you. For example, in your comment here, to make it less downvotable you could say: * What do you like about the redesign? There must be som…

Serving justice one downvote at a time!

Re: Show HN: I redesigned the USPS package delivery slip

#54

Post by pc86 »

blowski wrote: post #33
rib3ye wrote: post #11

Will probably get some downvotes for the raw criticism, but your redesign is a regression in usability for both the carrier and the recipient: In the actual, the fields where the poor guy/girl actually has to write are large spacious to allow the delivery person to write quickly (and sloppily). Also, notice how Final Notice is bigger than the rest of the text? That's because it's important. This is one example of con…

I actually agree with what you've written, but I downvoted you because I hate reading comments that say things like "I will probably get some downvotes". If you think you're going to be downvoted, ask yourself why and consider rewriting it in such a way that people won't downvote you. For example, in your comment here, to make it less downvotable you could say: * What do you like about the redesign? There must be som…

I downvoted you because your comment adds nothing of value and is simply a long-winded "I didn't like your comment because reasons."

I would downvote my own comment if I could.

Re: Show HN: I redesigned the USPS package delivery slip

#56

Post by tolien »

joshvm wrote: post #7

For reference this is how Royal Mail does it in the uk: Side 1 has the relevant info time/date/what/etc http://cdn1.alphr.com/sites/alphr/files/images/blogs/wp-cont... Side 2 has contact information for your nearest post depot. Note that date/time is simply changed to 'hours' which saves space. Fees to pay is actually a separate form (it's rare for most people to get this, so why waste space on form 1?): https://www.…

Worth pointing out for the people complaining about lack of space that IME the postman writes at most a surname in the Name field and an abbreviated address (e.g. "42 Fake Street"), ignoring the postcode altogether - so the Address field is effectively double-height or so.

Re: Show HN: I redesigned the USPS package delivery slip

#57

Post by ceejayoz »

ascagnel_ wrote: post #52
jschwartzi wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

USPS has no budget from Congress. They're the only government agency in the US that is required to break even using the money they collect from fees.

Congress passed a law in 2006 stating that the USPS must pre-fund benefits. It didn't allocate any money for it, though. It's the equivalent of your credit card company saying "we think we'll end up lending you $1m over the lifetime of the card, so can you pay us back all of that up front?"

As with defunding the IRS, the intent likely being to ruin them financially so they can point to the USPS and say "See? Government can't run anything properly! Let's give the business to my friend over here..."

Re: Show HN: I redesigned the USPS package delivery slip

#58

Post by noxToken »

blowski wrote: post #36
Infinitesimus wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If you think you're going to be downvoted, ask yourself why and consider rewriting it in such a way that people won't downvote you. I don't think intentionally trying to write in a way that doesn't provoke downvotes is helpful to a healthy discussion. The post in question was direct, that's it. While it is fair to suggest that the parent post highlight the positives, I don't think it is necessary always. Especially…

I agree with you that avoiding downvotes doesn't promote healthy discussion. However, I take exception to someone pre-empting downvotes - to me personally, it comes across as a challenge to disagree and I don't think that's helpful to a healthy discussion either. If someone writes something without thinking about whether they'll be upvoted or downvoted, then that's great, even if I disagree with them. But writing wit…

Fact of the matter is that websites like this breed hivemind behavior. The behavior may only be on a per thread basis, but when people see a lot of upvotes and positive praise, the natural response to a challenging post seems to be, "You're just going against the grain. Stop being an asshole." This is also true for comments that get downvoted.

As an example, I had a post where I said the concept of payday loans is not a bad one while simultaneously denouncing the predatory practices that payday loan companies employ. You borrow a small money for 15 days, pay back the loan plus 20% ($200 + 20% in fees and interest = $240), and call it a day. All it took was one post to say that I'm siding with the payday loan companies. The highest I saw was +3. It's currently sitting at -7. I think prefacing the post would have helped the vote count.

Prefacing a post acknowledging possible downvotes is a forewarning to readers that the poster is going against the grain - contrarian if you will - but not in way that's purely devil's advocate. It says to me, "I know what I'm about to say disagrees with you guys, but please hear me out." It's probably not the most eloquent way to express that idea. I have never seen it as a challenge though.

Re: Show HN: I redesigned the USPS package delivery slip

#59

Post by ck2 »

ceejayoz wrote: post #57
ascagnel_ wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Congress passed a law in 2006 stating that the USPS must pre-fund benefits. It didn't allocate any money for it, though. It's the equivalent of your credit card company saying "we think we'll end up lending you $1m over the lifetime of the card, so can you pay us back all of that up front?"

As with defunding the IRS, the intent likely being to ruin them financially so they can point to the USPS and say "See? Government can't run anything properly! Let's give the business to my friend over here..."

Actually with USPS it is more insidious than that.

Congress wants to force USPS to allow private corporations access to your mailbox and replace USPS entirely with privatized services.

Then congresspeople can use their re-legalized inside trading to invest in those private corporations ahead of time with the knowledge they are about to pass the law to make it legal.

Re: Show HN: I redesigned the USPS package delivery slip

#60

Post by KaiserPro »

level3 wrote: post #22
KaiserPro wrote: post #19

I would say that your use of checkboxes is off. There shouldn't be any need to explain that if a check box is ticked then this sentence applies. Royal mail have got it down to a pretty good art: http://cdn1.alphr.com/sites/alphr/files/images/blogs/wp-cont... and earlier: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZKsGEgLdzMc/S-kztysmnJI/AAAAAAAAAL... The main issue I have is that there is too much space devoted to telling you stuff y…

There are a couple of cases where the destination address is valuable to ensure that the package is delivered to the right person. 1. Particularly in apartment buildings where postboxes are next to each other, the slip may not be placed in the correct box. If I receive a slip that's intended for a neighbor, it would be helpful to know the correct address (since I probably don't know all my neighbors' names) 2. If the…

Fair enough, It'd be worth putting in the first line of the address at least. Not too much extra space taken up.
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