A "Bill of Lights" to Restrict LEDs on Gadgets? 729
PetManimal writes "Mike Elgan has had it with useless lights on gadgets and computers. He singles out the Palm Treo and the Dell XPS gaming laptops as being particularly bad with the use of unnecessary lights, and also cites the plethora of LEDs on desktop PCs and peripherals. 'My PC and other computing equipment make my office look like a jet cockpit. I have two LCD monitors, each of which has two indicator lights that flash even when the PC is turned off. The attached sound control has a light on it. My keyboard has multiple lights. The power cord has lights, the printer has lights, and the power button is illuminated. My cable modem and Linksys router flash like crazy all the time. Together, these useless lights create a visual cacophony of blinking, multicolored lights that make me feel like I'm taking part in a NASA stress test for astronaut candidates.' Elgan calls on manufacturers to respect his 'Gadget Bill of Lights' to restrict the use of nag lights and allow users to turn them off. He also says the industry should pay more attention to industrial design when creating new products."
Wow... (Score:5, Funny)
pretty (Score:5, Funny)
And I love it! (Score:4, Funny)
I guess it's safe to say ... (Score:5, Funny)
Oh, cut the bleeding heart crap, will ya? (Score:5, Funny)
Blue LEDs (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Wow... (Score:5, Funny)
"And while we're at it, make everything grey or beige. Colors are too visually distracting! And enough with these smooth shapes; make everything rectangular so that things stack better. And enough with these flowers blooming outside; everything should be grass
Turn it off! Turn it off! (Score:5, Funny)
You just pull it out of the wall and blessed darkness and silence.
Is there nothing it cant fix? (Score:1, Funny)
I, for one, enjoy them (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Is there nothing it cant fix? (Score:5, Funny)
For example, you can use duct tape to muffle fan noise...
It's a conspiracy thing (Score:5, Funny)
Two pieces of tape (Score:4, Funny)
I personally LIKE my computer area looking like the Bat Cave. "Relaxen un watchen das BLINKENLIGHTS!"
Obligatory "Airplane II" quotes (Score:3, Funny)
Buck Murdock: I see.
Soldier: What should we do?
Buck Murdock: Make them blink in sequence.
Oh, cut the bleeding heart crap, will ya? We've all got our switches, lights, and knobs to deal with, Striker. I mean, down here there are literally hundreds and thousands of blinking, beeping, and flashing lights, blinking and beeping and flashing - they're *flashing* and they're *beeping*. I can't stand it anymore! They're *blinking* and *beeping* and *flashing*! Why doesn't somebody pull the plug! --Buck Murdock
Re:Wow... (Score:5, Funny)
True, but it can't be simply blinking, like the 12:00 on an old, un-programmed VCR. It has to be blinking in an irregular pattern, which indicates activity of some sort. A simple on/off/on/off 50% duty cycle LED looks like a gratuitous blinkylight. Now, give me a blinkylight that flashes irregularly, or even better, in synchronous ways with other blinkylights, now we're talking. Big disk array full of drives, all blinking somewhat in unison, is what I'm trying to say. It's a thing of beauty, several racks of storage all blinking in busy activity...in a darkened server room... brings a tear to any self-respecting techie's eye, it does...
great idea (Score:5, Funny)
also lets get rid of the lights used in power indicators.
And while were at it, why not get rid of the lights in clocks too?
I mean who needs a caps or num lock key light right? you'll know when you start typing anyway.
Cause i personally LOVE having no idea if things are working or not with annoying visualfeedback, ill just wait until i try to use them., then ill know!
Dont get me wrong... there are plenty of useless lights that are super annoying and very bright (expecially when in your bedroom during sleepy time). And some of them are unnecesary... but advocating removal of activity lights, power lights? does the guy hate people? A grudge against tech support?
I can only imagine tech support calls.
User: "help, my computers not workin"
tech: "ok, is your computer on?"
User: "i dunno, how can i tell?"
tech: "go under your desk and feel your case, if its not hot its probably off, but if its just been turned on you may need to look in the back of your machine and feel for a small wind from the fan, if its a fanless PC then put your ear against the machine and see if you hear a slight whir of a harddrive"
user: "whats a harddrive sound like?"
tech:
user: "oh wait the screen is on now!, but i have no internet"
tech: "do you see your router?" (switch, hub, modem, linksys, wireless card, etc...)
user: "its the thing my ether cable is connected to right"
tech: "yea, now spin it on the table, if it keeps spinning like a hard boiled egg, its working"
user:
--VISION
Re:Sharpie (Score:5, Funny)
It's a sex thing.
Re:Poll (Score:5, Funny)
(Sorry, couldn't resist.)
Re:I, for one, enjoy them (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Wow... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Is there nothing it cant fix? (Score:4, Funny)
>For example, you can use duct tape to muffle fan noise...
I do that, but it gets stuck in their hair and they stop coming to my gigs.
Re:And I love it! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:See? You're part of the problem. (Score:5, Funny)
He was fed up with mowing the grass, so he actually paved and painted the yard. The extra benefit for him was the extra parking he had when people came to visit.
Re:Wow... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:my midnight torrents are driving me crazy! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Sharpie (Score:2, Funny)
If the lights are annoying, remove them. That is what wire cutters, soldering irons, screw drivers and hammers are for. Use all or some of these as your skills and mood dictate.
And if the light just happens to be a critical part of the circuit, well, the light won't be bothering you anymore will it?
But seriously, you complain that the light is too bright, but are not enough of a geek to open it up, remove the offending item and replace it with one which isn't so bright/is a less offensive colour?
Whiners...
Re:Except on the really bright ones. (Score:5, Funny)
this (in hat form) also works wonders to keep the secret reptilian-government streetlight cameras from reading my thoughts...but don't tell them i said so.
Re:I own a small roll of black electrical tape... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Wow... (Score:3, Funny)
Oops.
Re:Wow... (Score:1, Funny)
Re:I own a small roll of black electrical tape... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:And I love it! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Wow... (Score:1, Funny)
Wait a minute. Shit!
Re:Except on the really bright ones. (Score:1, Funny)
This is untrue for sufficiently thin values of the thickness of the foil.
Re:my midnight torrents are driving me crazy! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Except on the really bright ones. (Score:4, Funny)
Yeah you can fap all you want, until the little green light suddenly, mysteriously, comes on. The look in your eyes--going from wtf to OHSHIT--will be priceless, just before the end of the little YouTube video.
It's not about embarrasing images of myself. It's the simple fact that there's a camera in my face. That causes me just a teensy amount of discomfort, which was easily allayed by a small fold of black paper and a piece of tape, without my having to write a whole tirade about it.
Re:Wow... (Score:3, Funny)
Actually, I'm gonna need you to keep that connection up at night. My spambot cron job isn't scheduled to run until 3am.
Re:Except on the really bright ones. (Score:3, Funny)
Ha ha! You sure screwed up this time. Check that "Post Anonymously" box next time. We will arrive at your house shortly.
Sincerely,
The Feds
Re:Wow... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Except on the really bright ones. (Score:3, Funny)
Hah! That's exactly what they want you to believe. The truth is, at the frequencies the scanners use, foil hats actually enhance the scan. To protect your thoughts, what you really want to use is a conical cap constructed of felt, with a large flat brim. Why do you think the wizards wore them?
Re:Except on the really bright ones. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I own a small roll of black electrical tape... (Score:2, Funny)
What would you rather have, blinky or sticky gadgets? Add a pet into the mix and you've got a sticky, hairy gadget.
And who likes a sticky, hairy gadget?
heh