On Mar 11, 2011, at 7:23 AM, Arno Hautala wrote: > On Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 04:57, Rodti MacLeary <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Is that in some way analogous to putting an 'unexpected item' in his >> 'bagging area'? >> >> That's a British supermarket joke, appreciate it may have limited use here. > > At first I thought it was an airline joke. And, at least in New > England, we have the same automated checkout lines. I cannot hit the > mute button fast enough.
We've got them here too, and they painfully demonstrate how important good UI can be, and how bad UI in an automated system seems sure to cost more than just doing things the old fashioned way. I was at a grocery store in LA last week, in a hip neighborhood with mostly young iPhone toting customers. There were 2 regular checkstands open - this was at about 7pm, when the store was packed - and a massive line for the 4 automated checkouts. There were 3 checkers *and* a security guard helping out in the automated line, and it was taking longer to get through than in the long lines of the old-school checkout lines. I saw two people forget to take their change; one of the machines crashed while I was in line, causing panic amongst the people who were randomly queued up in its general direction; and mine compulsively refused to scan a perfectly fine looking barcode, despite about 10 attempts, but did it perfectly the second the checker came over. I've also got a neighborhood store closer to home with a similar system, but I see old ladies use it every day without trouble. It's simple, it will hold your hand but also doesn't complain if, like me, you want to scan fast and furiously. It also works. They have one person overseeing 8 lanes and the only time she gets involved is to check ID for liquor. Cheers, R _______________________________________________ Osx-nutters mailing list [email protected] http://lists.tit-wank.com/mailman/listinfo/osx-nutters
