Comments on: Flying in the face of good user interface http://james.cridland.net/blog/flying-in-the-face-of-good-user-interface/ Radio futurologist and beer drinker Mon, 21 May 2012 11:08:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: In-flight entertainment user interface ... difficulty | Polymath Programmer http://james.cridland.net/blog/flying-in-the-face-of-good-user-interface/#comment-1922 In-flight entertainment user interface ... difficulty | Polymath Programmer Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:01:17 +0000 http://james.cridland.net/blog/?p=1244#comment-1922 [...] just returned to Singapore from Japan. It’s because of this that I found a fellow traveller’s experience of his in-flight entertainment system hilarious, both as a traveller and as a programmer. I wanted a stronger word than [...] [...] just returned to Singapore from Japan. It’s because of this that I found a fellow traveller’s experience of his in-flight entertainment system hilarious, both as a traveller and as a programmer. I wanted a stronger word than [...]

]]> By: 't Matt Mayer http://james.cridland.net/blog/flying-in-the-face-of-good-user-interface/#comment-1921 't Matt Mayer Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:58:30 +0000 http://james.cridland.net/blog/?p=1244#comment-1921 Also... - every button press takes around 0.5 seconds to have any effect - a list of 50 items is arranged into pages of 4 items. Scrolling to the next page requires you to press 'down' 4 times, then choose the 'next' option. Also…
- every button press takes around 0.5 seconds to have any effect
- a list of 50 items is arranged into pages of 4 items. Scrolling to the next page requires you to press ‘down’ 4 times, then choose the ‘next’ option.

]]> By: drew http://james.cridland.net/blog/flying-in-the-face-of-good-user-interface/#comment-1920 drew Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:23:18 +0000 http://james.cridland.net/blog/?p=1244#comment-1920 A year or so ago the wife & I were on BA cattle class and both missing that in-flight collective tv experience - eg. "look what's on channel 7 right now - let's watch it together". So we both loaded a particular programme and attempted a syncronised start using the trusty "1-2-3-go" protocol. For a few seconds everything froze and then we noticed people around us removing headphones, calling attendants, screaming etc. It seemed the in-flight system had frozen in our entire section (the middle aisle for a block of 10 or so rows). Coincidence? They rebooted just our section and bizarrely chose to interrupt the entire plane's viewing to make an announcement and "apologise to those affected by the system crash" (wow.. there's a good word to use!) We didn't dare try another sync-start but I do wonder if anyone else could give it a go (maybe with a larger group) and see if hilarity ensues? A year or so ago the wife & I were on BA cattle class and both missing that in-flight collective tv experience – eg. “look what’s on channel 7 right now – let’s watch it together”.

So we both loaded a particular programme and attempted a syncronised start using the trusty “1-2-3-go” protocol.

For a few seconds everything froze and then we noticed people around us removing headphones, calling attendants, screaming etc.

It seemed the in-flight system had frozen in our entire section (the middle aisle for a block of 10 or so rows). Coincidence?

They rebooted just our section and bizarrely chose to interrupt the entire plane’s viewing to make an announcement and “apologise to those affected by the system crash” (wow.. there’s a good word to use!)

We didn’t dare try another sync-start but I do wonder if anyone else could give it a go (maybe with a larger group) and see if hilarity ensues?

]]> By: Nick Piggott http://james.cridland.net/blog/flying-in-the-face-of-good-user-interface/#comment-1919 Nick Piggott Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:12:15 +0000 http://james.cridland.net/blog/?p=1244#comment-1919 It would seem that Emirates bought the same system in for their A380s as Singapore Airlines did for theirs. (Panasonic, in case you're interested - but I know you're probably not...) It would seem that Emirates bought the same system in for their A380s as Singapore Airlines did for theirs. (Panasonic, in case you’re interested – but I know you’re probably not…)

]]> By: Steve Martin http://james.cridland.net/blog/flying-in-the-face-of-good-user-interface/#comment-1918 Steve Martin Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:24:21 +0000 http://james.cridland.net/blog/?p=1244#comment-1918 Emirates is far better. Not perfect, mind. http://www.flickr.com/photos/srmartin/sets/72157612016270602/ Emirates is far better. Not perfect, mind. http://www.flickr.com/photos/srmartin/sets/72157612016270602/

]]> By: Nick Piggott http://james.cridland.net/blog/flying-in-the-face-of-good-user-interface/#comment-1917 Nick Piggott Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:23:55 +0000 http://james.cridland.net/blog/?p=1244#comment-1917 Luckily, Singapore airlines got it bang on the money with their amazing IFE... http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=SQ+IFE&w=93656595%40N00&m=&s=&mt=&referer_searched=&x=0&y=0 And SQ's system is available in Economy AND Business, so us paupers up the back get the same experience as those lucky enough to be doing their flying in a flat bed with a whopping great big monitor. Luckily, Singapore airlines got it bang on the money with their amazing IFE… http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=SQ+IFE&w=93656595%40N00&m=&s=&mt=&referer_searched=&x=0&y=0

And SQ’s system is available in Economy AND Business, so us paupers up the back get the same experience as those lucky enough to be doing their flying in a flat bed with a whopping great big monitor.

]]>