[Elecraft] The case against touch screens

Doug Person doug at kj0f.com
Mon Mar 25 10:59:35 EDT 2019


I've designed and developed all sorts of user interfaces. Some touch and 
some not. A touch screen has several huge advantages:

1.) it can be updated. When a better approach for a particular function 
is determined - a firmware update can be performed to change the user 
interface.

2.) When an optional board is added (VHF/UHF, inboard-tuner, etc), the 
user interface can be changed to accommodate it.

3.) Several configurations can be stored. For ex. a configuration for 
contesting, one for normal ops, satellite,  digital modes, etc. The idea 
is that the display can be configured for each individual's preference.

A 7" touch screen is a blank canvas. Firmware changes can add or remove 
anything. Buttons and switches are a one time implementation.

I understand how some people find touch screens annoying. I've seen a 
lot of bad designs and they give touch screens a bad reputation. But a 
well-designed screen can be just as good or even superior to rows of 
buttons and switches.

Doug -- KJ0F

On 3/24/2019 7:55 PM, Michael Walker wrote:
> I have used all sort of user interfaces.
>
> Knobs, mouse, keyboard, touch screens.  They all work and do what they need
> to do.
>
> That being said, it comes down to what works for you.
>
> Mike va3mw
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 24, 2019 at 8:52 PM W2xj <W2xj at w2xj.net> wrote:
>
>> I’ve been using touchscreens for 35 years. My experience is not what you
>> describe. Actually it is very much the opposite. Mechanical switches are
>> the least reliable.
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>>> On Mar 24, 2019, at 8:35 PM, Al Lorona <alorona at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> Thaddeus sits down at the rig. Today is the day Bouvet is supposed to
>> come on the air, and thousands of hams around the world must be tuning
>> around at this moment trying to be the first to work the DXpedition.
>>> He gets a feeling and tunes low in the band, turning the knob as if he
>> were breaking into a safe. His intuition pays off: he hears a weak signal
>> tuning up, and then... a callsign. It's Bouvet! Instant rush. Instant
>> clammy hands. He reaches to tap the Split button on his fancy new rig's
>> touch screen. He taps again. The screen does nothing. Oh no, not now, touch
>> screen. Please recognize my finger... please! Bouvet turns it over, but
>> nobody has heard them yet, so Bouvet calls again, and while Thaddeus is
>> tapping frantically, time slows down, four seconds feel like four hours,
>> and still the dim-witted screen does nothing as Thaddeus begins all the
>> usual finger gymnastics that people do when they're trying to make their
>> device understand that they in fact want it to do something. The radio sits
>> there stupidly, the DX stops calling, and then the pileup mayhem begins.
>> Thaddeus sits there, stupefied, wondering why those &#^+! engineers at
>> Elecraft decided to put a $@_% touch screen on an otherwise perfectly good
>> radio.
>>> For this reason, I will never buy a radio with a touch screen. Ain't
>> gonna do it. So Elecraft, you've been put on notice.
>>> Thank you,
>>>
>>> Al  W6LX
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-- 
73 de Doug -- KJ0F



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