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Hidden interface controls that affect usability

(interactions.acm.org)
559 points cxr | 10 comments | 05 Jul 25 23:10 UTC | HN request time: 0.42s | source | bottom
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WarOnPrivacy ◴[06 Jul 25 00:41 UTC] No.44476763[source]▶

    The other day I was locked out of my car
    the key fob button wouldn't work

    Why didn't I just use my key to get in? 
    First, you need to know there is a hidden key inside the fob.
    Second, because there doesn't appear to be a keyhole on the car door,
    you also have to know that you need to disassemble a portion 
    of the car door handle to expose the keyhole.
Hiding critical car controls is hostile engineering. In this, it doesn't stand out much in the modern car experience.
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1. jama211 ◴[06 Jul 25 04:05 UTC] No.44477733[source]▶
All of which you should know, and can be easily found with a quick google. The moment we got a car with no physical key my first question was “what’s the backup option and how does it work”.

Basic knowledge about the things you own isn’t hard. My god there is a lot of old man shakes fist at cloud in here.

replies(2): >>44478378 #>>44478504 #
2. raincole ◴[06 Jul 25 06:39 UTC] No.44478378[source]▶
Knowing how to get around a stupid design doesn't make it any less stupid.
replies(2): >>44478571 #>>44493626 #
3. sheiyei ◴[06 Jul 25 07:07 UTC] No.44478504[source]▶
This is such an Apple user take. "Yes you can do that, but you're not supposed to so it's hidden behind so many menus that you can't find it except by accident and since I use it, I say sowwy to my phone every night before I go to sleep to make sure Apple doesn't get maddy mad at me"
replies(1): >>44493616 #
4. 9dev ◴[06 Jul 25 07:21 UTC] No.44478571[source]▶
The opposite take would be that there’s no need to shove something in the users face that they need less than once per year, but offer a more elaborate way to get there just in case.
replies(1): >>44479464 #
5. asadotzler ◴[06 Jul 25 10:30 UTC] No.44479464{3}[source]▶
How is some real clear key inside label on the fob "shoving something in the user's face"? How is visible keyhole, or at least not buried behind a snap off cover, "shoving something in the user's face"?
replies(3): >>44480715 #>>44493646 #>>44507449 #
6. 9dev ◴[06 Jul 25 13:38 UTC] No.44480715{4}[source]▶
It’s right in front of it? There’s a reason we hide unused sockets behind lids.
7. jama211 ◴[07 Jul 25 19:04 UTC] No.44493616[source]▶
lol ok buddy, it’s time for kindergarten
8. jama211 ◴[07 Jul 25 19:05 UTC] No.44493626[source]▶
And refusing to learn basic things about the things you own just because you don’t like them doesn’t make that decision any less stupid.
9. jama211 ◴[07 Jul 25 19:07 UTC] No.44493646{4}[source]▶
This all presupposes that any of that counts as “buried” - sounds to me like it’s subjective as to whether something is cleanly out of the way or buried, and it also sounds to me like someone who is looking at things to be mad at is more predisposed to view it as the latter ;)
10. jama211 ◴[09 Jul 25 08:14 UTC] No.44507449{4}[source]▶
Keyholes are ugly, and a users experience is subjective. I find them ugly and don’t want to see them, I’m not the guy that said “shoving in the users face” and that might be extreme, but I wouldn’t want to see a keyhole as it looks more aesthetically pleasing without it and that matters to me. Subjective experience matters.