So Much Unnecessary Noise From Your Computer
from the make-it-shut-up-already dept
A relative recently called me up to complain that her new computer kept making "animal sounds" for no clear reason. A dog would bark, or a pig would oink and it wasn't entirely clear why. Eventually, it turned out that it had something to do with some useless new offering from AOL. One of the first things I usually try to do with new computers, after going through all the necessary security setups, is "de-sound" them. I don't want my computer to alert me that it's turned on. I turned it on, and I know what's happening. Software programs that buzz and beep are almost as bad -- but most of them can be turned off. It looks like I'm not the only one to wonder why computers feel the need to annoy people with so many sounds. Websites are worse, as many add background noises on the site itself or in the ads -- and often they can't be turned off. For many of us, the answer is to simply turn off sound completely on the computer, unless you're specifically calling up something that requires a sound. Still, it makes you wonder why so many web and application designers simply assume you want to be annoyed with noise so often.
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Agreed
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Re: Agreed
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machines should be seen but not heard
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Blame not the designers....
Sadly, there is a good percentage of designers that don't care as long as they get paid. The problem is the disconnect between the annoyed and the annoying.
So, the next time a site annoys you, think about taking a minute or two to inform said site they are annoying you. Perhaps, just maybe, it might do some good.
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Re: Blame not the designers....
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Re: Blame not the designers....
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