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Hidden interface controls that affect usability

(interactions.acm.org)
559 points cxr | 1 comments | 05 Jul 25 23:10 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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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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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.

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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.
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9dev ◴[06 Jul 25 07:21 UTC] No.44478571{3}[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.
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asadotzler ◴[06 Jul 25 10:30 UTC] No.44479464{4}[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"?
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1. jama211 ◴[09 Jul 25 08:14 UTC] No.44507449{5}[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.