Path: utzoo!utgpu!cunews!software.mitel.com!bootl From: bootl@Software.Mitel.COM (Tom Bootland) Newsgroups: comp.human-factors Subject: Re: Telephone - user interfaces Message-ID: <8482@bootl> Date: 28 Jun 91 16:21:27 GMT References: <20B8414w164w@mantis.co.uk> Organization: Mitel. Kanata (Ontario). Canada. Lines: 42 In article <20B8414w164w@mantis.co.uk> mathew@mantis.co.uk (Giving C News a *HUG*) writes: < text deleted> >Look, we already have phones with crappy numeric codes and two hundred page >instruction manuals written in half-translated Japanese. I'm suggesting that >the 99% of people who can't handle such devices should be given an >alternative. > >mathew > There are alternatives, but they cost more. I'm only really familiar with Mitel products, so I'll mention them, but most PBX manufacturers have sets with similar functionality ( I'm not going to comment on ease of use :-) ). Mitel supports the standard 2500 type set (just the 12 basic keys), and to access all the neato features, you need to know the feature access code that is programmed on your PBX for that feature - which is what you're dissatisified with. For more $$, you could get a SuperSet 4 (SS4). This phone has an LCD display consisting of 1 line with space for 16 characters, that displays time/date when the set is idle, and the other party when talking. Underneath the lcd there are 6 keys that we call softkeys because they have no fixed label. What each key does is indicated by a label displayed along the bottom of the LCD screen that lines up with the keys. These labels change with the state of the set, so if you can see it, you can use it. The softkeys supply the more common features such as: transfer, conference, callback, etc. Where input from the user is needed, you are prompted via the LCD screen. So, better interfaces are available, they're just more expensive. (There are other sets falling between the two in price and functionality, but they're not relevant to this discussion.) Disclaimer: don't hold Mitel responsible for the above, because I'm speaking only for myself. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Bootland bootl@Mitel.Software.com Mitel Corp. Kanata, Ontario, Canada.