Junk in a box: Why do we buy dysfunctional product designs?
Back in the 1980s there was an expectation that when you bought a product, it would work. For example, CDs, pop one in a player and it would play. There wasn't a case of, say, a Version 2.0 CD player that refused to play a Region 9 disc. As far as I can recall, 100% of properly manufactured discs played on properly functioning machines. You pressed "play," and you heard music--no menus, no error messages, no ifs, ands, or buts.
But CD, the first truly successful consumer digital audio format, was introduced before computers sabotaged the manufacturer/consumer equilibrium. CDs had to be right from the get-go (yes, mastering techniques have slowly improved sound quality, but CDs' functionality was right from day one). Over the past twenty years the public has become increasingly docile and now regularly puts up with half-baked products and services that don't perform as advertised. Buggy software rolls out, and we beta test it. I would have expected at least some consumer backlash, but no, we waste our time whiling away hours chatting with tech support. We buy printers that don't print, put up with sluggish Internet connections or interruptions, and cell phones that drop calls. Sheep like, we pay our bills, happy consumers stuffing corporate coffers.
Over in my neck of the consumer electronics woods we have the "evolving standard" known as HDMI, and what sort of standard is that? One that makes component compatibility a guessing game. When will the industry get its act together and develop a true standard? Better yet, one that will stick around, unchanged for, I dunno, four years? HDMI was introduced in 2002, now we're up to v.1.3b, and I'm sure 1.4 will promise even better specs. So what. You may have a HDMI player hooked up to an HDMI A/V receiver and an HDMI display, but it's not exactly a sure thing that it will work. Which raises the question: why 'o' why do we let them carry out product development in public? Please don't misunderstand, I'm not railing against progress, just the never-ending race to deliver not ready for primetime formats and technologies.
A few months ago I couldn't hear multichannel audio from a SACD player hooked up to the SAME manufacturer's A/V receiver. The HDMI connection flat out refused to accept SACD multichannel audio, and since the receiver wasn't equipped with analog multichannel inputs, I could only play the stereo portion of SACD discs. The only possible explanation for this sort of thing is that the company doesn't care. And as long as we put up with their screwups, they'll keep screwing up.
Steve Guttenberg is a frequent contributor to magazines and Web sites including Home Entertainment, Playback, and Ultimate AV. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure. 
Along with consumers, CNET should shoulder a fair amount of the blame. The reviews CNET posts rarely talk about reliability. It seems new features and functions get the most press.
I agree that we are very sheep like in our consumerism.
The other problem is that if you do try to get tech support your chances of getting an answer right away are next to impossible. Therefore unless you have a great deal of time to invest in troubleshooting you are pretty much screwed.
My approach is never, ever buy a first generation product. You have better odds in Vegas that it will not have its share of problems.
Second make sure that you read ever blog on the product that you can that is posted by the users. These people will always give you a good perspective and have no ulterior motives in their postings.
I do not want to be the manufacture's guinea pig.
- by beautypersoni October 4, 2008 11:21 PM PDT
- In how many industries can companies put out a product that essentially does not work?
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(6 Comments)Take Vista, for example. I understand the deal with software updates and the like, but if a product from another industry came out that was *unfinished* in the way Vista was, it would be recalled; or never even reach store shelves in the first place. IMO, a class-action lawsuit by consumers against Microsoft over Vista would be more than reasonable. But, as the article said, consumers in general have become sheep with regards to certain products.
I can't imagine how much money businesses who used Vista lost due to the business- and man-hours wasted in trying to get it set up and then finally having to roll back to XP. Unfortunately, Microsoft is smart enough to put clauses in their contracts with businesses which absolve them from having to pay "damages" due to any problems with Windows.
It's no wonder Bill Gates decided to "retire" from Microsoft to concentrate on his charity work and such. I can't help picturing him crying alone in his office upon realizing how far Microsoft - once a benchmark of quality products - has fallen. Very sad. :*-(
The problem essentially began when Microsoft became too big for Gates to wander around and fraternize with his employees (even those of the lowest ranks) like he used to do. He could see if things were "right", and he inspired his employees. Of course, being too big of a company does excuse Microsoft for putting out faulty products.
Anyhoo...