The VCR has been a bad example for user interface design for many reasons. However, in my opinion, it is because they are design from the bottom up. In other words they are design much in the same way software was designed and that is a function at a time. VCR's were not designed with the end user in mind and therefore not user friendly. They may be very well designed from an engineer point of view, being error free and understandable. All this thinking about a VCR reminds me of something Jay Leno said, Jay said he went to Bill Gates house for a fundraiser and when he was there he went into the living room and saw his (Gates) VCR flashing 12:00, the punch line for this joke was if Bill cannot program a VCR how do they (VCR companies) expect the rest of us to program one. I found this very funny and I still think it is funny to this day, because it is so true. Another problem with the user interface is that all of them are different. Every company has a different user interface for each model. For example I have two VCRs from the same company (Hitachi) I got both of them with-in one year of each other. One of them was an upper model HI-FI multi-system for the living room and one was a lower model multi-system for another room. The upper model which a paid a great deal more for has many more features, but is a lot harder to program, well at first it was. The lower model does not have as many functions but is a little easier to program however it is still not as easy as it should be. One of these VCRs has a menu system based on numbers and the other has one based on function keys that are color-coded. .
The question why have we not seen the perfect design? Unlike the software industry that follows a set of guidelines most of the time the companies who produce VCRs don't. To my knowledge the VCR companies have never gotten together and set standers and guidelines for the user interface of VCRs.
The VCR came into existence. ... These same problems were apparent in the first few years of the VCR era. ... When the VCR came onto the scene in 1972, its popularity skyrocketed. ... VCRs have been in existence for almost 30 years. ... By no means is the technology perfect, but because of its longevity through the years it has become an appliance for the ages. ...
After several long weeks of looking for a home of our own, my husband and I finally found the perfect place. ... The location was as perfect as the house, not to close to the city but not too far either. ... Our oak entertainment center holds our black 32- RCA television, our Sony DVD player, VCR, and our kid's XBOX game. ... His black 19- TV and VCR are situated at the top so that he cannot mess them up. ... Her 19- TV and VCR combo is set up on her dresser so she cannot reach it. ...
During the holidays, the adults would set all the children around the TV and pop a video in the VCR; this allowed the adults to socialize while we were captivated by the television. Television was the perfect babysitter as it kept our attention off the adults and did not ask for an hourly wage or a ride home. ...
Strengths and Weaknesses Sometimes we all do not like to face the fact that we have certain strengths and weaknesses, but they make us who we really are. It is important to be aware of not only our strengths, but also our weaknesses. I believe I am fully aware of my weakness that is why it ...
Strengths and Weaknesses Sometimes we all do not like to face the fact that we have certain strengths and weaknesses, but they make us who we really are. It is important to be aware of not only our strengths, but also our weaknesses. I believe I am fully aware of my weakness that is why it ...
Their purpose for incorporation was to establish a perfect factory that stressed freedom and open-mindedness. ... In 1963, the first transistor, compact size VCR was put on the market. ... Instead of just having a television you will have a television with a CD player in it or have a DVD player instead of a VCR installed already in it. ...
As illustrate above, software can either fall into the categories of copyrights or patent laws; therefore, there is no perfect protection for software and its programmers. ... A CD contains a lot of information, and is the perfect media for storage. ...
This story is about a group of scientists who are trying to develop the perfect human child without any defects or diseases. ... When parents can order "perfect'' babies, will they? ... Turning off the VCR after we have been frightened by the director's imagery we can somehow possibly connect with what our ancestors who had to overcome so many obstacles that were thrown in their daily lives. ...
I think that most people consider devices like radio and tv sets, record and disc players, tape recorders and VCRs absolutely indispensable and even more necessary than refrigerators and washing machines. ... Augustine, music is the art of perfected movement and for John Cotton, in the seventeenth century, the fitting movement of voices. ...