Re: Fear of Technology (or Bad Interfaces?)

[Tiktok World HQ <tiktok@sprintmail.com> (by way of Kim Flint)]

I think I know what you mean about hard disk recording, something I've been
rebuffed by numerous times once I start trying to deal with poorly
thought-out interfaces.  It's much easier to solve the "mundane" problems 
of
recording and playing back information (audio or MIDI) than it is to design
a smooth interface.  Good ones don't come out of nowhere--they evolve over
years of use and feedback from user to designer.

Unfortunately, in the digital world there's no "reason" to do anything a
particular way, the turnover at technology companies (particularly in niche
markets like MI) is high, and companies themselves tend to bite the dust or
get absorbed at a ferocious rate...not the sort of thing that results in
time-tested, well-thought out designs.

I also think that limitations are, by and large, a good thing.  I've got a
box of looping devices (for example) from the last decade or so, and 
they've
all got problems and they've all got at least one thing that none of the
others will do, and I write and play differently when I use one of them 
over
the other.  Over the last few years, I've seen a number of people say that
they preferred the Boomerang to the rackmount loopers because it's a 
simpler
device.  Everything's laid out there in front of you, you don't really need
a manual (they could have almost printed the manual on the back of the
thing), and one level, I know what they mean.  I can quickly set up
something with the Boomerang or Headrush, whereas my Echoplexes sit in a 
big
heavy rack which tends to only get set up at gigs or recording dates, just
because it takes more space and another fifteen minutes or so wire
everything up.

I'm somewhat embarassed that I bought a MPX G2 a month ago, and I've only
turned it on three times since then.  Sounds great, but I open the manual
(well-written, but it's a deep box) and for the first time in fifteen years
of playing with all manner of gadgets, my eyes glaze over, and I end up
going with one of my other setups.

TH

----------
>From: Loopers-Delight-d-request@annihilist.com
>To: Loopers-Delight-d@annihilist.com
>Subject: Loopers-Delight-d Digest V99 #429
>Date: Sun, Oct 31, 1999, 6:35 PM
>

> I have a question for everyone. How many here have had to get over (or 
>are
> currently trying to get over) a fear of technology? By this I mean not
> wanting to move on with technology (i.e. computer recording or 
>editing--or
> even something as simple as a slight gear upgrade from pedals to rack 
>gear).
>  An example of my own is a reluctance to start working with computer
> recording and editing software. I've just got up the guts to dive into 
>the
> digital recording world of a Rolqand VS880EX, and it's great. It's taken 
>a
> while to work through that learning curve, but it's been worth work and
> drudgery of that Roland manual. However, I am very reluctant to start 
>work
> with a computer editing and recording program.