Post ASkyfYMTOxEHgnBpUu by apples_and_pears@mastodon.world
(DIR) More posts by apples_and_pears@mastodon.world
(DIR) Post #AJ8xl21lGnuRTYSEYi by aral@mastodon.ar.al
2022-05-05T13:22:47Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
ufw (a firewall) uses rule numbers when you want to, say, delete a rule. Does it display the rule numbers when you list them with ufw status?No, of course not, that would be too easy (you’d win the game right away, where’s the fun in that?)So, instead you have to type ufw status numbered.Remember kids, beautiful defaults are for newbs and losers. Real gamers play in hard mode.*sigh**walks away mumbling*#usability #ufw #linux
(DIR) Post #AJ8xl2hEmb5PYBrMCv by inhji@chaos.social
2022-05-05T13:30:20Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@aral To add to that, if you want to delete a few rules somewhere in the middle, you need to check the numbers after every delete, because they now have a different number.🤪
(DIR) Post #AJ8xl3RK1Fwvr7QA2S by sexybiggetje@mastodon.social
2022-05-05T13:30:46Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@inhjiThis. 😢@aral
(DIR) Post #AJ910t8CPgFkNeiabw by kyle@social.librem.one
2022-05-05T14:16:26Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@aral One day I'll have to give a talk about the UI of early mechanical calculators contrasted with modern UI design. These calculators were nothing like modern ones, it was basically a direct front-end to the machinery that made the calculations possible. As a result there was about 3 or 4 families of UI, each distinct (because of patents) and each requiring you study a manual to do even simple calculations.
(DIR) Post #AJ915I6XVO8YzZ2cQS by kyle@social.librem.one
2022-05-05T14:17:10Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@aral One day I'll have to give a talk about the UI of early mechanical calculators contrasted with modern UI design. These calculators were nothing like modern ones, it was basically a direct front-end to the machinery that made the calculations possible. As a result there was about 3 or 4 families of UI, each distinct (because of patents) and each requiring you study a manual to do even simple calculations. #mechanicalcalculators #calculators #ui #mechanicalcomputers
(DIR) Post #ASkyfYMTOxEHgnBpUu by apples_and_pears@mastodon.world
2023-02-17T02:38:00Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@kyle Didn't realize you have an interest in mechanical calculators. Most 10-key adding machines line the keys up opposite the telephone keypad. They didn't always do that. At least one has 2 rows of 5 keys each. Pic to follow.
(DIR) Post #ASl8BQeOVO0Ud0qXtg by kyle@social.librem.one
2023-02-17T04:24:38Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@apples_and_pears I have an RC Allen white label of a Facit adding machine like this in my collection. It's one of my favorite to use.
(DIR) Post #ASl8Lc1b4SUonhYUAS by apples_and_pears@mastodon.world
2023-02-17T03:04:26Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@kyle Top row is 2 4 5 7 9 and bottom row is 1 3 0 6 8 -- a very odd configuration (lousy UI). https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth969/
(DIR) Post #ASl8LcUfKNkSFr9hTc by kyle@social.librem.one
2023-02-17T04:26:28Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@apples_and_pears Ahh that Dalton is different from my Facit clone, which is more an attempt to add pushbutton UI to a classic pinwheel design.
(DIR) Post #ASlBGpP8CLxgi9yQ9w by apples_and_pears@mastodon.world
2023-02-17T04:59:10Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@kyle I've only used one of mine the rest need to be cleaned, oiled, and very likely repaired first :) I use the Todd "portable" manual calculator (about a 6 inch cube that weighs 9 pounds). Doesn't fit in the shirt pocket very well. I haven't found it online, but have found other wheel calculators.
(DIR) Post #ASmEQplQD6cnk6p3FA by kyle@social.librem.one
2023-02-17T17:08:36Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@apples_and_pears This is the RC Allen whitelabel of the Facit pinwheel calculator I was referring to before. Very unusual key layout but surprisingly nice to use.
(DIR) Post #ASmFcwurXnRfM1ZyPA by apples_and_pears@mastodon.world
2023-02-17T17:22:44Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@kyle Interesting that there seems to be logic putting the zero in the middle of the bottom row. The fingering would be difficult to use even with the zero easily accessible for the right hand's forefinger. History tells us the layout didn't catch on. I wish that were the case with the qwerty keybord Dvorak is much better though a challenge to flip back and forth to qwerty.
(DIR) Post #ASmFv9jubcWAL08fa4 by kyle@social.librem.one
2023-02-17T17:26:03Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@apples_and_pears I have a pretty good cross-section of different designs in my calculator collection, and the common thread seems to be that the UI is simply a method to expose whatever mechanically needed to be done behind the scenes. That combined with the patent issues meant every design had a different UI.It's similar to certain Linux CLI applications I won't name where it's clear the developer simply exposed internal function calls instead of thinking about UX.
(DIR) Post #ASmGEhnMDDQHSf4XDc by apples_and_pears@mastodon.world
2023-02-17T17:29:35Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@kyle Wow...situations where protection actually hinders progress.
(DIR) Post #ASmGu75B6BwblI9Vsu by kyle@social.librem.one
2023-02-17T17:37:04Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@apples_and_pears For instance, I'm pretty well convinced that the unified UI you saw for full keyboard adder-listers starting in the 1920s had to do with Burroughs dominating the market (and acquiring most big competitors) and the remaining competitors in the market painting their own adder/listers to match the classic Burroughs black case/green felt under the keyboard design from the Model 1 so they could hope to replace Burroughs in some businesses.
(DIR) Post #ASmH48ClmS0K8fTqQy by kyle@social.librem.one
2023-02-17T17:38:53Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@apples_and_pears Ignoring Comptometer, which went their own way, the rest copied the black/green color scheme and full-key layout basically until the post-WWII era when the aesthetic turned toward military greens, shifting to greys in the 50s/60s.
(DIR) Post #ASmIApFsjY7JLegy5A by apples_and_pears@mastodon.world
2023-02-17T17:51:17Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@kyle The wheel devices were flattened to make tracks so the device (some were almost as long as a slide rule) would fit in a pocket. Comptometers, even though they had full kybds only a few keys were used by clerks. Full bank kybds were hunt-n-peck.
(DIR) Post #ASmIZ6jLPeveUr3FS4 by kyle@social.librem.one
2023-02-17T17:55:41Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@apples_and_pears Yes the speed of the Comptometers (for trained operators) meant they only needed to make minor refinements over the decades they sold, mostly changes related to catching errors. I have the first Controlled Key Comptometer as well as one of the last models they made and they are very similar apart from a handful of refinements. Great design overall.
(DIR) Post #ASmIa8NwkHq9v1X3z6 by apples_and_pears@mastodon.world
2023-02-17T17:55:54Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@kyle Learning to touch type as a you teen, I always thought the colors were drab. Later when I first saw an Olivetti typewriter it was bold, bright, and just a bit different to use. Olympia started picking up some of those ideas. All along Oloveti was looked down on as a cheap imatation. Every Olivetti that I used worked just great.