Engineering design Faux Pas

[PCSolutions]

Nothing against engineers or anything but I was wondering about what others thought about fundamental basic engineering design flaws with computers

To wit:

1.A power switch on the back of the computer or monitor conveniently placed so that you cannot possibly get to it

2. Modems that have the speakerphone capability with a jack labeled "SPEAKER". No sounds from your computer? Your speakers may be plugged into the jack labeled "SPEAKER."
Its the wrong jack. Yes I know it says "SPEAKER" but your speakers dont plug in there. Thats your modem!

3. That DAMED CAPS LOCK KEY!
The first person to re-design a keyboaard & move that damned caps lock key up by other pretty much worthless keys like Print Screen & Scroll Lock will make a million bucks!
As it is, that CAPS LOCK key is inconveniently placed right next to TAB

4. The QWERTY keyboard layout.
That will never change. It is too fundamentally engrained in society.
Take typing 101

What else is fundamentally wrong with the design of a computer?

Im curious about what others have to say. I am not talking about software errors but basic engineering design flaws.


[This message has been edited by PCSolutions (edited 10-06-2000).]

[Double_Dutch]

You're absolutely right.

PC's were extended typewriters and basically the architecture is still the same.

The thing I hate most is the (flashable) BIOS. Each mainboard has its' own and it is almost impossible to find a replacement if necessary. Why don't they standardize the thing? And the flash feature made it even worse: more failures, more vulnerability. It'll be a money thing.

But isn't this a hardware discussion?

Ate

[Topdog]

I couldn't spell Inginear once, now I are one!!

[jtmurphy]

How about cases, on some to change memory you have to take out the motherboard. Newer cases have solved this sometimes.

How about placement of the processor, ya right underneath the hard drive/floppy slots so you have to drop the mobo to change the processor.

How bout screws holding on the side panels of cases, ya they slide out on the newer ones, but u still have to take the screws out.

How bout the layout of the USB/Mouse/Printer ports, have you tried to tighten down the thumb screws on a serial mouse after plugging in the printer cable, unless you unhook everything or can get behind the case to do the work.

Modern Technology is wonderfull.



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Murf

My Win95 Help Page
Murphy's Law- It will go wrong, but we can fix it!!
But if it ain't broke - "Break It" - So we can help fix it!

[Cliffh]

And, why are all the connectors located in the back of the case??? Move 'em to the front where we can get to them.

[rambler]

... or where the CDRom is so low down that if you raise the keyboard (supplied with self same desktop box!) legs to tilt it, the CDRom tray fouls it on opening!

Or where the reset button is right next to the "sleep" button, so if I'm not careful I can lose that 2 hours work I've just entered.



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Definition of the day:

Plug 'n play: Feature where you plug in the new board, and then play around for hours trying to get any software to talk to it...

[nattydred]

on engineering:-
-magnets are bad for ur HDD, yet the bigger tower cases ahve HDD mounted right next to the power supply (AC)!!
-the HDD itself spins - must be powered by a motor, hence a magnetic field (magnetic shielding?) - so why can't i take a magnet to my HDD.
-so a theoretical attack on ur biz is to give the janitor a powerful magnet and have him "clean" your desk surfaces? let us see a firewall help with this!

Why are the lcd lights on the sys board never labelled fully, why are they not standard. what about some HDD, trying to figure out master, slave, CS is a nightmare!!

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nattydred
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[snarkie]

Originally posted by PCSolutions:
Nothing against engineers or anything but I was wondering about what others thought about fundamental basic engineering design flaws with computers

Snarkie: I like inginear jokes as much as the next guy, but in some of these cases the fault might lie with the bean counters. This has been a see-saw battle in the Automotive Industry for years, between the Bean Counters, The Stylists, and the Manufacturing Engineers. The years the Japanese made their biggest inroads were the years that the big three were controlled by the bean counters. Here is my take on your questions.

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To wit:

1.A power switch on the back of the computer or monitor conveniently placed so that you cannot possibly get to it

Snarkie: I would have to see the whole layout, however there is a good chance this is due to economics and just might be easier to assemble it there. However most of the layouts I have seen do have the power switch in the front. Don't underestimate the stupidity of some management types though, they are notoriously penny wise and dollar foolish.
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2. Modems that have the speakerphone capability with a jack labeled "SPEAKER". No sounds from your computer? Your speakers may be plugged into the jack labeled "SPEAKER."
Its the wrong jack. Yes I know it says "SPEAKER" but your speakers dont plug in there. Thats your modem!

Snarkie: This is true of the USR modems. However if you run a short jumper wire from your sound card to your modem, then the configuration should work. This accepts the input from the modem, and then channels it through your sound card thereby providing the amplification needed to drive the speakers.
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3. That DAMED CAPS LOCK KEY!
The first person to re-design a keyboaard & move that damned caps lock key up by other pretty much worthless keys like Print Screen & Scroll Lock will make a million bucks!
As it is, that CAPS LOCK key is inconveniently placed right next to TAB

Snarkie: The Older XT style keyboard was much better. That is the one with the function keys off to the side. I wish you could hook that style up to the pentiums but they wont work. Agreed on the placement of the caps lock key, "It Sucks Royally"
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4. The QWERTY keyboard layout.
That will never change. It is too fundamentally engrained in society.
Take typing 101

Snarkie: It takes years for a touch typist to really come up to speed. There is just too much time involved in retraining to change the keyboard. If you are a touch typist yourself, then imagine trying to be retrained, and how confused your mind would be at first. Actually the present setup is pretty efficient, (with a few exceptions of course), with the most often used keys in the best postion to be reached easily.
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What else is fundamentally wrong with the design of a computer?

Im curious about what others have to say. I am not talking about software errors but basic engineering design flaws.

Snarkie: Well guy, for 50 years we drove cars which were front engine, rear wheel drive powered. This is not the most efficient arrangement, but the transition to FWD has been slow but steady. Today Virtually all of GMC and Chrysler cars are FWD with the exception of the heavy stuff. Ford is changing slowly, but has been the slowest to change over. Simple reason, billions of dollars to retool.

Y'all have to remember, that the present design of the desktop, was not created by some trained manufacturing inginear, but by some guy like Steve Jobs in his garage. The design has evolved and improved, and no doubt there is still much room for improvement. However remember the PC is less than 20 years old, as opposed to the Automoble which is over a hundred.

In many cases this is simply a case of economics.

I am not defending the shortcomings, but trying to rationalize why they are there and why it takes so long to fix them.
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[This message has been edited by PCSolutions (edited 10-06-2000).]

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Sgt. Schultz

[Forest1]

The Power Cube's nothing new! Ever see an Amiga? Whole computer (incl. HD & Floppy) in a keyboard not much bigger then yours! BTW what I want to know is how does one upgrade a Power Cube???? Something to think about 'eh?

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There are no dumb questions only dumb looks....

[snarkie]

Some of the forerunners to the present PC were just oversized keyboards.

Tandy Co-Co, I, II, and III
Commodore 64, and then 128
Timex Sinclair

The CoCo just had the accessories or peripherals plug in. You could plug in a Disk Drive, or a Sound Cartridge.

The problem with this configuration is, when you have a keyboard problem, the whole system goes down. With the PC, you just keep an $8.00 keyboard around for a spare, and just switch it.

]"


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Sgt. Schultz

[PCSolutions]

I want to thank all of you personally for your comments on this thread. I thought this might be an interesting topic to bounce around & the input has been great!
Thank you all very much!
Im just a tech that tries to help out when I have time & I enjoy this forum immensely!
The wealth of knowledge and information at this site is incredible!
The only thing that I object to, which is a different thread in itself, is over complicating a problem or an immediate flash the BIOS or format. The best solution usually is the simplest.
Please, lets all try to stay focused on what we all love to do. We all have to try to help people with minimal or no information.
Help people
Plain and simple. Theres nothing like that, Nothing is more gratifying~!


[This message has been edited by PCSolutions (edited 10-08-2000).]

[snarkie]

One of the things that annoys me, is that some will ring in while you are waiting for more information, and start giving questionable advice. Like some are format happy. Others by their postings are obviously not very experienced themselves, and some of the advice they give can be downright confusing, if not contradictory to what the standard fix is. I saw someone give information on the requirements for Windows 95, that were way off base. However it was late in the day, and I was not in the mood for a battle over it, so I let it pass.

]"


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Sgt. Schultz