> The single button makes the unit appear simple to operate, but having operated one myself and as I watched a number of other people attempt to use them it was apparent that it was not so simple.<p>That sounds awfully similar to my experience with both Apple's home-button, and their one-button mouse.
If you like that article, you might also like Donald Normans The Design of Everyday Things, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Revised-Expanded/dp/0465050654" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Revised-Expand...</a>. It has a lot more examples for these kind of bad designs, and it also explains why these designs are bad and what makes a good design. I can't recommend it enough, everyone that ever might design a product or a GUI should have read it.
My personal "favourite" are refridgerators with a dial for setting 1 - 5. Is that Celsius? [no it's not] Is "1" a low or high temperature? Usually "5" is the lowest temperature (presumably for "5 = most cooling power").
I really like 2d approaches on knobs: turn to adjust heat, and press it to turn it on/off. My car stereo does this for volume and it's quite graceful to use. Analog controls with continuous domains really go well together
I'd prefer about 60°F (which causes a lot of complaining in many places so I don't express my preference) but I hope the author is joking about using a heater in the summer.
A brutal-designed web site about bad design! I thought I stumbled upon a time-capsule web site. Neat.<p>I recommend the /r/crappydesign for more of these design gems