Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is this real life? Yes, yes it is.
Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality.. Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see...
This isn't reddit.
Interface Design with a Homeless person
71–80 of 107 posts
Re: Interface Design with a Homeless person
#72This rather confused me. Even more so because some of the details seem to being live edited. A cycle courier for legal documents that gets to read the documents. He crewed on a sub (initially im sure it said commanded) yet doesn't get on with computers yet even though he is homeless he knows about the square product, and also having never worked in design knows about Dieter Rams, someone with almost no designers I've…
It said commandeered, which is even more hilarious. Pirates of the US Navy, stealing both of Iran's subs?
Re: Interface Design with a Homeless person
#73I like this story. But this part baffles me: he 'wants to be his own man', so he won't work for somebody else. Instead, he doesn't work at all and accepts money from strangers... and somehow that is better and more prideful than working for somebody else?
Getting employed and staying employed when you're homeless is a lot more difficult. Psychiatric and substance abuse problems don't help either; even if you're a homeless person and lucky enough not to be struggling with one of those, jobs available are often patronizing and demeaning (shit jobs).
Re: Interface Design with a Homeless person
#74Am I the only one who found the whole thing extremely patronising? "A homeless man who could teach me something, who would've thought. I went to MIT!"
Yeah i don't see what the story was here either. It sort of disgusts me to think anyone would read this and be enlightened or surprised. If you've never had to worry about being out on the streets yourself you've led a very privileged life.
Re: Interface Design with a Homeless person
#75"here I was being schooled by a homeless person". Get off your fucking high horse.
Nice story otherwise.
Re: Interface Design with a Homeless person
#76Am I the only one who found the whole thing extremely patronising? "A homeless man who could teach me something, who would've thought. I went to MIT!"
I think there's also a broader implication that "homeless people" are so different from "normal" people that their input is some sort of gem that this young man went out of his way to discover for the rest of us. There are a saddening number of stories hoisted to the front page of HN that exhibit such classist overtones that I wonder if it adds an out-of-touch quality to the site and really limits the discussion.
Re: Interface Design with a Homeless person
#77Earlier quoted context omitted.
This just gave me a thought that could potentially be great but also scary at the same time. What if homeless people signed up for square? They will now be able to accept Credit Cards. As people don't carry cash anymore, the common thing people say is "I don't carry cash." because they don't, but then he whips out a device with square and says "No problem, I accept Credit Cards too!" Though, getting an Android or iOS…
This was actually the first thing that occurred to me as we got talking. I then realized it wouldn't really work since he probably doesn't have an active bank account to receive the money. I'd love the day when there are beggars using Square. It would mean that our designs are simple enough for a homeless person to use!
Dude, I really liked the story. I'm glad you wrote it and had this experience. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt while reading the comments, but your phrase "It would mean that our designs are simple enough for a homeless person to use!" really, really, REALLY rubs me the wrong way. Whether you notice it or not, whether you intend it or not, you are sounding incredibly patronizing to other human beings. It makes you sound sheltered and ignorant. Both in the way you phrase your story (Homeless people can be interesting?!?!) and in this concept that designs would need to be "simple" or someone who is homeless to use.
I suggest spending a LOT more time outside talking to strangers if you think you need to "simplify" things for homeless people. Talking to and helping a homeless person does not make for a blog post in my life, and many other people's lives.
Imagine replacing "homeless" for any other adjective. "It would mean our designs are simple enough an asian to use!" "It would mean our designs are simple enough an MIT student could use it!"
It's offensive.
Re: Interface Design with a Homeless person
#78and found that my hand-pump was made for a different valve than on my tire. With all handpumps I know, you can unscrew that top part and reverse it, so it fits the two most common kinds of valve (of which I don't know how you call them in English).
I didn't know about this! This is was my first-ever hand-pump
Don't feel stupid. The same thing happened to me in the middle of a planned 50 mile ride. I was sitting on the side of the road, bike upside down trying to watch a Youtube video from the pump maker on how to inflate my tires. Never once did they mention flipping it around ... they sort of assumed everyone knew that.
It is a great lesson to remember when designing software. Not everyone has the base knowledge we assume.
Re: Interface Design with a Homeless person
#79congrats, you helped a homeless guy buy drugs.
Re: Interface Design with a Homeless person
#80Why be surprised that a homeless person knows a lot of things. Many homeless people are not "losers" -- they're winners of sorts. Not winners in the sense of being successful or in control of one's destiny, of course, but in the sense of being slave to no one and fooled by no ideology. They're real-life Diogenes.
I am surprised by this view. Most homeless people I've met who would not jump at the chance for a decent place to live are either mentally ill, addicted to something, or both. The other kind, the middle class kid having a time of exploration I don't really consider homeless. I think it's a wonderful thing to do, but is a very different situation.