On Tuesday, July 31, 2018 at 9:10:03 AM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 7:32:31 PM UTC-4, 6PK wrote:

Flight computer/vario manufacturers are you listening??

Probably not.

The observation from a semi-inside guy is this: Just about everyone (from designer to end user) is willing to "go to the wall" over UI stuff, including audio. The result is that the designers grow a very stiff backbone over this... sometimes to the point of total intransigence. In my current cockpit, I can point to things that are pure brilliance, unusable, awkward, intuitive, broken / inoperative, idiotic, obsolete, "that seemed like a really good idea, but just doesn't work in the cockpit" and innovative / really cool. The designer / developer(s) won't change a goddamned thing except on his own whim.

It's quite frustrating. The big opportunity in sailplane instrumentation is UI.

Evan Ludeman

I recall a long discussion with the designer/ developer of one of the most common glider nav/display products. I was an early adopter as I had been with this manufacturer form the beginning- all they way back to GPS-nav introduction.
When I described how a couple of important functions could be changed to work better for me, and I thought most pilots, his response was "That's not how I fly". GRRRRRRRRR
That said, it is really hard so satisfy everybody.
Simplicity
Feature rich.
Which one do you want?
Sigh
UH