Elevator Console
Originally uploaded by C+H.
I have been meaning to blog this wonder of interface design all week. This is the console in the elevator in my building. Rather than having a button for each floor—as in every elevator I’ve ever seen in my life—this elevator has a calculator-style keypad. There are only 4 floors in the building (numbered 0 to 3, which makes the CS nerd in me very happy and the American in me very sad), as well as the basement/garage, which you get to by keying in “-1”. The numbers 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 on this console serve no purpose. If you press any of these, the display reads “Er”, which can be read either as “Error” or as “Er… Are you sure you want to do that?”
Procrastiblog 
I wonder what the “-” and “.” are used for… The “.” could be very useful for getting to the 7.5 floor in the Mertin Flemmer building.
ohh yes, I read you blog 😉
Ariel
Comment by Anonymous — June 22, 2006 @ 2:56 pm
The “-” is used to go to the basement. I really don’t know and can’t imagine what the “.” is for. I hopped into the elevator tonight and poked it and it doesn’t seem to do anything. Haven’t seen any dwarves or portals in the building.
Comment by Chris — June 22, 2006 @ 8:08 pm