Suitcases and laptops

[Adelina]

Usually design evolves to better functioning,

but
Why in the world did standard suitcases change to upright, with wheels on the small unstable side of the rectangle?

And why did computers change to 'wide screen', which are very awkward to use for their primary purpose, writing and communication?

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by Adelina

And why did computers change to 'wide screen', which are very awkward to use for their primary purpose, writing and communication?

Widescreen is bad? I l absolutely love my widescreen laptop. I can have two documents side by side without feeling I'm squeezing the documents to being too narrow.

Edit: Just noticed this is in the fun and recreation section - are you joking or serious about your question?

[Dave Kaminski]

I imagine she just figured it was a mindless question which is why she posted it here :P

I'd have to agree - widescreen is less than ideal for the human eye in terms of comprehending what you're seeing unless you have strong peripheral vision. EyeQ used to help me with that, but I don't do it anymore!

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by Dave Kaminski

I imagine she just figured it was a mindless question which is why she posted it here :P

In that case I took the bait...!

I'd have to agree - widescreen is less than ideal for the human eye in terms of comprehending what you're seeing unless you have strong peripheral vision. EyeQ used to help me with that, but I don't do it anymore!

Really? But, you can easily make it narrow if you prefer to. Not that I prefer to.

Ah, I know, I tend to write far away from my laptop so hence why it doesn't bother me most of the time.

[Adelina]

square screen was a far more elegant design, especially for writing.
there's a lot of empty space, and less vertical space in the widescreen format
esp for those who don't use their laptops to watch movies and whatever else.


and suitcases are much lighter for whoever carries them, when they're completely on the floor, rather than the sideways upright versions that they have all changed to now.


I wonder who makes these design decisions?

There's always the case of boardroom design and even focus groups not translating completely into appropriate functional design.. I think these could be improved.

[Brutha]

TV are generally widescreen. In the early times a computer would use a TV as monitor.
At no point in time someone successfully challenged that standard. Challenging a standard is always hard because things are designed to work with the standard.

If a suitcase is completly on the floor it's father away from the person who is carrying it and you need a larger handle to carry it.
Maybe suitcases are designed to reduce their weight and as a result also result the weignt of the handle.
Two rolls are also less heavy and need less material than four.

There could also be other reasons, that I can't imagine

[Mags]

I love my widescreen laptop - it works for me and I do a heck of a lot of writing!

And I love my suitcase with wheels and a handle - again it works for me, never had any issues with it. In fact, it's made my travelling life a whole lot easier.

[Playlife]

Who needs a suitcase when you can have a backpack?