Re: False alarms

[Nomen Nescio <nobody@xxxxxxxxx>]

Everywhere Man said:

>How many people read manuals for anything that they buy? Rather than
>try to convert these people into rocket scientists we should make
>systems more user friendly.
>Think of how far technology has advanced over the last 20 years and see
>if alarm systems have advanced half as far.

Thirty years ago, most alarm systems were turned on and off with a key, or
a knob labeled "OFF" and "ON."  That's really all most people needed or
wanted.  Now, thanks to the miracle of modern digital technology, we have
multiple user-programmable codes with varying authority levels, selective
zone bypassing, perimeter/interior/instant arming, chime mode, keypad panic
buttons, and duress codes.  Ain't progress great?

We have succeeded in building systems with features most people don't need
and can't understand.  Why?  Because we could.   We hand the user a
fifty-page manual and maybe a videotape, and then we act surprised when
people don't understand how to use the system.

We have met the enemy, and they is us.

- badenov