Re: tlug: Re: Need info. about Japanese and Linux (OFF TOPIC!)

[Jonathan Byrne - 3Web <jq@example.com>]

On Mon, 9 Nov 1998, Fredric Fredricson wrote:

>The operator interface in our case is much more than the screen and the
>keyboard. There are buttons all over the place and a small keyboard on
>top of it. (My dream is to have two buttons: <start> and <stop>).

How about using a touch-sensitive screen?  Japanese ATMs do amazing things
with those.  You can do a (domestic) wire transfer from any bank ATM using
nothing but a touch-sensitive screen.  Would this be something
applicable/useful to your situation?

>implemented in a GUI. Upper level management ask for a GUI, though.
>They also ask for Windows/NT.

Uh-oh, sounds like they're trying to take you on a journey into The Dilbert
Zone :-)

>> > Our users main interest is getting their products out the door.
>> > User interfaces is not even on the list.

>>  In my factory user interface is very important to select robots or
>> NC machines. Still robots and NC machines cause troubles. To fix these
>> problems user interface is very important.

Exactly.  UI is very important and has a real impact on getting product out
the door. The customer just doesn't realize that UI is important.

>I guess our Japanese customers wants Japanese because their operators 
>very often don't speak English. They are of course right.

Precisely.  Despite the vast sums of money thrown at (what passes for) English
study, actual proficiency in English is fairly uncommon here.

>PS. This is an interesting discussion. It forces me to really consider
>our operator interface. It also gave me an idea on how to sell the
>GUI idea to our bean counters. Maybe we could get rid of _some_ buttons
>and lamps and save money with a GUI. Hmmm......

A touch-sensitive screen could dovetail nicely with this.  Remove physical
buttons and lamps and replace them with symbols and hot spots on a
touch-screen.  It may be cheaper to make (not sure), and every mechanical
switch or lamp you eliminate removes one potential point of failure, thus
increasing reliability of the equipment and providing higher throughput for
the factory.

This is a really interesting application of Linux.  Please do keep us posted
on this.   Maybe even write a Linux Journal article on it :-)

Cheers,

Jonathan Byrne
Media and Content Section
3Web - Your Internet Solution! <URL:http://www.threeweb.ad.jp/index.en.html>
3Web Channel <URL: http://www.3web.co.jp/index.en.html>

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