[golfbravobravo]

I suppose driving a car in the UK would be "easier" for a lefty, with controls to the left of the steering, but shifting gears with the left hand sure sounds wonky.

The controls are the same on UK (and other RHD countries I've driven in).

Changing gear with the left hand is not at all difficult, exactly the same as the right.

 

[golfbravobravo]

I just wish idiots would yield to the opposite lane from schools, to allow buses safer right of way. It scares me everyday, a child might be hit by a foolish driver, trying to save 15 seconds, by not slowing down!

It is the law here in NC that ALL traffic on both sides of the road has to stop.

 

[bcowen]

The controls are the same on UK (and other RHD countries I've driven in).

Changing gear with the left hand is not at all difficult, exactly the same as the right.

I'm extremely right handed, and when I broke my right arm a number of years ago the two hardest things to acclimate to as a lefty were 1) using a mouse, and 2) um, well, um...it involved toilet paper.

 

[ScOgLiO]

The controls are the same on UK (and other RHD countries I've driven in).

Changing gear with the left hand is not at all difficult, exactly the same as the right.

I'm predominantly left-handed (although I do things like playing tennis, using scissors...with my right hand, for some reason), but I can't even imagine operating a gearbox lever with my left hand. It gives me the impression it would be very complicated, although I guess I just see it that way because it would be a completely new thing

 

[Zer0.p0int.Zer0]

Speaking of UIs, how is Apple still in business?

As an IT person I use PCs all day and have since they were first built. I recently was given a Mac Mini and while it worked I gave up on it since the UI is so backwards. For christ sake, you can't even press the back button on the mouse to go to the previous page in the browser. So I am expected to go physically click the back button on the screen every time?

I also recently changed my Apple account to use a different phone number. Three days later and they are still sending verification codes to the old number. Idiots!

And I am watching stuff on AppleTV on my PC but it can't even keep track of what episode I should watch next and keeps trying to start the same episode over and over.

So how are they still in business?

Oh, and I long ago switched from an IPhone to an Android because the IPhone wouldn't let me change anything.

So how are they still in business?

Their podcast app is the worst too. Way to invent the podcast and then force me to go find an app from a third party because yours is so terrible.

 

[FLTWS]

I'm extremely right handed, and when I broke my right arm a number of years ago the two hardest things to acclimate to as a lefty were 1) using a mouse, and 2) um, well, um...it involved toilet paper.

I feel your pain. I've had all 4 fingers on my right hand (as well as all 4 on my left hand plus the left thumb) operated on at different times for trigger finger. Not a lot of fun with a wad of bandage on a finger.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

I lead a team of UX specialists. Focus groups are horrible...you named it...the loudmouth leads to what we call "leader/follower". An entire group of people influenced by one person. It's human nature to believe what you're told (without even considering researching yourself) and to agree with people who are the loudest. To fix that, I push my clients to 1 on 1 user interviews to gather user needs. We test UI with usability testing that is based on observation, not asking the user what they think of the interface. 1 on 1 user interviews (for market research or user needs gathering) and usability testing is far superior to focus groups.


Products become less innovation focused as they become more refined over time. There is nothing wrong with this. Looking at the first iPhone and the iPhone 13...it's hard to make the case that this evolution hasn't yielded a significantly better product. You just don't see is as clearly because there is less contrast when a product changes a little every year. The sale of those products funds the next major innovation. I mean real innovations. There have been 3 major shifts in how we interact with computers...DOS > GUI > Touch. It's dangerous to assume that you know what is going on behind the closed doors of a major corporation. My money would be on a lot more innovation that you can imagine...you'll see it in the future...assuming people continue to buy product x that is funding the innovation of product y and product z.


Don't use crappy marketing firms. The point of competitive research is to leap frog your competition...not copy them. Any good marketing firm would tell you that. Don't hire the cheapest company to bid on your business...hire the best company. Just like your old company looking to manufacture overseas to save some money...companies regularly pick the cheapest company to perform their research and market their products. I've been engaged by a client for 3 years fixing the mess that a crappy marketing company made of a major product's position in the marketplace.

Jason had a very successful marketing firm before making his "on the side schitt making" his primary.
At least, that's how I remember it.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

Well, now you know why he got exiled!

Indeed. Pasta and meat are two different courses.
But hey... everyone his/her own way.
Just like listening to music, it doesn't matter how as long as one doesn't offend others.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

It used to bug me when my wife and I went on long trips and she would reach over and start adjusting things. I am glad she has separate controls lol

The smart thing would be to let the wife drive, put your seat in sleep mode and doze off.

 

[StimpyWan]

The smart thing would be to let the wife drive, put your seat in sleep mode and doze off.

Yea, that'll work. I'll sleep through the car crash, and won't feel a thing!

 

[ScottFree]

If Jason ever posts a message on Head-Fi that says that Schiit is releasing a smart product of some kind, or is adding a mod to their products that allows you to control your Schiit gear using a app on your smartphone, I will assume that this is a message saying that he has been kidnapped and is being held by forces unknown.

 

[Paladin79]

Yea, that'll work. I'll sleep through the car crash, and won't feel a thing!

Lol. You must have seen my wife drive. I am kidding of course.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

And, in case anyone thinks the answer to "the semiconductor shortage" is political or related to inaction, here's a point of reference. Both Intel and tsmc (two of the largest fabricators in the world) are building new major manufacturing facilities in the Phoenix area as a response to the current capacity constraints. They both started building this year with hopes of being at volume manufacturing levels in the 2024-25 time frame. So companies are working on it, but the recovery window is long.

A very good friend of mine is overseeing just such a build.
Now the amazing part of it is that I have American friends.

 

[Paladin79]

$140/hr in round numbers. I don't buy the results of the paper.

When you look at highest median household income for any county in the US you get numbers like this:

• Loudoun County, Virginia ($142,299)
• Falls Church City, Virginia ($127,610)
• Santa Clara County, California ($126,006)
• San Mateo County, California ($124,842)
• Fairfax County, Virginia ($124,831)
• Los Alamos County, New Mexico ($121,324)
• Howard County, Maryland ($121,160)

To say a family of four needs twice the above averages is getting up there pretty well. Many of these counties have houses in the neighborhood of $1.4 million up.

 

[lemp]

There's an economics paper out there that says an individual needs to have 70K in income to be happy. That includes kids, btw. A family of four would need 4x70k. I think that amounts to $35/h?

Add $100. 135 x 2080 = 280,800 35 x 2080 = 72.8K