Re: (Fwd) Re: Minimalism

[Don Smith <dsmith -at- ACCESSBEYOND -dot- COM>]

     T. Mazza

     I believe that Robert was talking about "paper" matchbooks which used
     to be given with cigarettes. (Remember them?) The original had the
     striker on the front. For the reasons that were given here, the
     striker strip *was* put on the back, so that you could remove the
     match from the front, but had to turn the pack around to the back to
     strike  the match. While not foolproof, it was (is?) much safer.

     Don Smith


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: (Fwd) Re: Minimalism
Author:  "T. Mazza" <tmazz -at- KODIAK -dot- ADAMS -dot- COM> at INTERNET
Date:    1/30/97 12:05 PM


Robert,

if you put the abrasive strip on the back and don't close the box before
turning it over to strike, all your matches will fall out.  (Your consumer
wouldn't be very happy.)  So that design wouldn't work very well, would it?
 However, if you put the strip of the front, you will still have your fire
hazard.




--- Forwarded mail from Robert Plamondon <robert -at- PLAMONDON -dot- COM>

Date:         Thu, 30 Jan 1997 07:28:35 PST
Reply-To: Robert Plamondon <robert -at- PLAMONDON -dot- COM>
From: Robert Plamondon <robert -at- PLAMONDON -dot- COM>
Subject:      Re: Minimalism
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU

The "close cover before striking message" can itself be reduced to zero
by redesigning the matchbook cover.  If you put the abrasive strip on
the back side, rather than the front, the matchbook cover works as an
effective shield whether you close it or not, thus eliminating the
need for any message at all.

Really good intuitive design eliminates the need for a lot of documentation.
So does less-intuitive design if it's part of a universal standard.
I've never seen a piece of documentation telling the user to raise the
little red flag in his mailbox when he wants the carrier to pick up
a letter.

        -- Robert
--
Robert Plamondon, High-Tech Technical Writing, Inc.
36475 Norton Creek Road * Blodgett * Oregon * 97326
robert -at- plamondon -dot- com * (541) 453-5841 * Fax: (541) 453-4139

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---End of forwarded mail from Robert Plamondon <robert -at- PLAMONDON -dot- COM>

--
(In God I trust; all others must provide data.)

Theodora Mazza                  Mechanical Dynamics, Inc.
tmazz -at- adams -dot- com                 Ann Arbor, Michigan
(313) 913-2537

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