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Hidden interface controls that affect usability

Philip Kortum In the early 1960s, Douglas Engelbart [1] first introduced the notion of "knowledge in the world" versus "knowledge in the head" for computer interfaces—an idea that was later formalized and popularized by Donald Norman in his seminal book The Psychology of Everyday Things. From an interface design standpoint, knowledge in the world simply means that the controls you need are visible, and the identification and operation of these controls can be done through recognition rather tha

Stop Hiding My Controls: Hidden Interface Controls Are Affecting Usability

Philip Kortum In the early 1960s, Douglas Engelbart [1] first introduced the notion of "knowledge in the world" versus "knowledge in the head" for computer interfaces—an idea that was later formalized and popularized by Donald Norman in his seminal book The Psychology of Everyday Things. From an interface design standpoint, knowledge in the world simply means that the controls you need are visible, and the identification and operation of these controls can be done through recognition rather tha

The Moat of Low Status

This post is an excerpt from my forthcoming book (and builds on a couple paragraphs in my original post on agency). I’ll be running a few excerpts here in the next couple months, in hopes of getting feedback on the kinds of content people are excited to see in the book (which is a signal about what to expand or scale back). Let me know what you think! Fear of being temporarily low in social status stops human beings from living richer lives to an unbelievable degree. It happens on the micro sc

A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

5 July 2025 Who am I? The title says it. I am a 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science. But who am I really? I am someone who has always wanted to build stuff. I am fascinated by the process of creating anything. And it gives me unbridled pure joy to have people use something I have built in a meaningful and useful way. I am not a complete beginner in computer science. I am still a somewhat-beginner. At least I know how to hack my way to build and host a minimalistic static blog like

Pilou Asbæk on Playing the Mule, ‘Foundation’ Season 3’s Terrifying Villain

Long before joining Apple TV+ series Foundation as the Mule—season three‘s ruthless, flamboyant, and deeply complicated villain—Pilou Asbæk already had a fan base of genre TV watchers. He played Euron Greyjoy (a ruthless, flamboyant, deeply complicated villain) on HBO’s Game of Thrones. There’s a connection there, but to hear the Danish actor tell it, the similar characters are not a reflection of his actual personality whatsoever. “I’m the most boring guy alive,” Asbæk told io9 at a recent Fou

The Rise of Whatever

This was originally titled “I miss when computers were fun”. But in the course of writing it, I discovered that there is a reason computers became less fun, a dark thread woven through a number of events in recent history. Let me back up a bit. Back in the 00’s, if you wanted to move money between arbitrary people over the Internet, you realistically had one option: PayPal. Either that, or live in some futuristic utopia like the EU where banks consider "send money to people" to be core functi

Topics: don just know like people

The Stars of ‘Superman’ Claim to Have No Knowledge of Their DC Futures

We don’t know much about the future of James Gunn’s DC Universe, but one thing seems all but certain: Superman will be back. He’s the universe’s most powerful metahuman, after all, and one of the most famous, popular characters on the DC roster. Clearly, he’s going to have a role to play in whatever is coming next. And, along with Superman, come a few of his friends and foes. People like Lois Lane and Lex Luthor. So it kind of goes without saying that David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nich

There’ll Be No Dog Punching In ‘Superman’

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 could set up a Scream reunion. Chad Stahelski’s Highlander reboot expands its cast. David Corenswet teases the tone of DC’s Lanterns. Plus, get a look at Invasion season 3. To me, my spoilers! Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 According to a new report from insider DanielRPK (via Comic Book), Skeet Ulrich will reunite with his Scream costar Matthew Lillard in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 as Henry Emily, the owner of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Highlander Variety reports that Maris

The Sets of ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Look, Well, Fantastic

The decision to set The Fantastic Four: First Steps in a retro, 1960s-inspired world couldn’t have come easy. For one, it meant the entire film would take place in a multiverse away from the traditional Marvel Cinematic Universe. Also, it meant the production would have to build all of these sets from the ground up. We still don’t know much about the multiversal madness of Fantastic Four, but in a new video just released by Marvel, we do know about its sets. Director Matt Shakman, along with pr

‘Alien: Earth’ Could, Eventually, Cross Over With the Movies

Here’s what we already know about Noah Hawley’s upcoming series, Alien: Earth. It’s set two years before the events of Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece, Alien. It follows several rival corporations competing over a crashed spaceship that contains multiple alien creatures, including the xenomorph. And one of those corporations will send a group of hybrids—robotic beings with the consciousness of humans—in to get the job done. Which all sounds awesome but, also, tangential to the stories we know a

Researchers Uncover Hidden Ingredients Behind AI Creativity

We were once promised self-driving cars and robot maids. Instead, we’ve seen the rise of artificial intelligence systems that can beat us in chess, analyze huge reams of text and compose sonnets. This has been one of the great surprises of the modern era: physical tasks that are easy for humans turn out to be very difficult for robots, while algorithms are increasingly able to mimic our intellect. Another surprise that has long perplexed researchers is those algorithms’ knack for their own, str

Does Form Shape Function?

What links a Möbius strip, brain folds and termite mounds? The answer is Harvard University’s L. Mahadevan, whose career has been devoted to using mathematics and physics to explore the form and function of common phenomena. Mahadevan, or Maha to his friends and colleagues, has long been fascinated by questions one wouldn’t normally ask — from the equilibrium shape of inert objects like a Möbius strip, to the complex factors that drive biological systems like morphogenesis or social insect colo

Protect Yourself From Sketchy Calls: Unknown Caller vs. No Caller ID

Like most of us, you're probably getting a lot of unsolicited calls that show up as either No Caller ID or Unknown Caller on your iPhone. Reflexively answering either one could lead to a scam -- or perhaps a call you've been waiting for. What are the differences between these two anonymous labels? Here's what to know about each type of call and how to keep yourself safe from potential scams. No Caller ID vs. Unknown Caller A call labeled "No Caller ID" means the caller has blocked their numbe

Ember Mug 2 smart mug plummets to new record-low price!

The Ember Mug 2 is one of my most prized possessions. It keeps my coffee at the perfect temperature all the way to the last sip. If you’re a coffee or tea lover, you’ll know how annoying a lukewarm (or cold) sip can be. If you want that feeling to be a thing of the past, right now is the best time to get an Ember Mug 2. You can take it home for as low as $74.99, which is a heck of a deal considering its retail price sits at $149.95. Only the White model is discounted this much, though. Buy the E

Now Nobody Will Remember When Netflix Had Great, Free Games

For several years, Netflix offered subscribers the ability to play some truly great games on their phones. No matter what tier they paid for, subscribers could play games like Hades and the original three 3D Grand Theft Auto titles from the PS2 era. Netflix did such a poor job of letting subscribers know it was available, and now the good times are coming to an end. Some of the best games promoted by the streaming service will exit stage left in less than a week’s time. Netflix is planning to d

Marvel Might Finally Have Made Some Progress on ‘Blade’

Get a look at the new and returning faces of I Know What You Did Last Summer in new posters. The first teaser for Daryl Dixon season 3 takes a detour to Spain. Plus, what’s coming on Rick and Morty. Spoilers get! Blade Speaking with Variety, screenwriter David Goyer revealed he recently reached out to Marvel asking if the company needs “help” with its troubled Blade movie, but was told “we think we’ve cracked it.” I had my agent call Marvel and say, ‘Do you guys need any help?’ And they said,

Topics: blade blood did know new

Klong: A Simple Array Language

Klong A Simple Array Language The Klong Book Documentation | Download Klong is an array language, like K, but without the ambiguity. If you know K or APL, you may be disappointed by Klong. If you don't know any array languages, it might explode your brain. Use at your own risk! Programming in Klong A Klong program is a set of functions that use various pre-defined operators to manipulate lists (vectors) and (multi-dimensional) arrays. Here is a program that checks whether a number x is pri

Garmin’s new sleep-tracking armband lasts a full week between charges

is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid. Garmin has announced a new sleep-tracking band that can be strapped to your upper arm, which could make it more comfortable to wear overnight. The Index Sleep Monitor tracks sleep stages, heart rate, and even your breathing to create a “comprehensive view of overall fitness and recovery,” with a personalized sleep score delivered every morning so

Scientists Discover the Key to Axolotls’ Ability to Regenerate Limbs

The axolotl seems like something out of science fiction. This perpetually youthful-looking Mexican salamander possesses a superpower that defies biology as we know it: the ability to regenerate entire limbs, parts of its heart, and even its spinal cord. But how does an amputated limb know whether to regenerate an entire arm from the shoulder down or just a hand from the wrist? This mystery of “positional identity” has fascinated scientists for decades. A team at Northeastern University, led by

Fine-tuning LLMs is a waste of time

It takes time to create work that’s clear, independent, and genuinely useful. If you’ve found value in this newsletter, consider becoming a paid subscriber. It helps me dive deeper into research, reach more people, stay free from ads/hidden agendas, and supports my crippling chocolate milk addiction. We run on a “pay what you can” model—so if you believe in the mission, there’s likely a plan that fits (over here). Every subscription helps me stay independent, avoid clickbait, and focus on depth

Queerness Wasn’t a Consideration in ‘Andor’ Season 2’s Most Controversial Death

When the heist on Ghorman went wrong on Andor season two, it only took one bad call for tragedy to strike. In the case of rebel leader Cinta Kaz (Varadu Sethu), her life was snuffed out in an instant when a misfire took her down. In a story about the early days of Star Wars Rebels uniting against the Empire, anyone was fair game, and it’s something that show creator Tony Gilroy and writer Beau Willimon affirmed in conversation with Vulture, when discussing Cinta’s death as one of the franchise’s

Topics: gonna know like thing way

The Watergate-Inspired Law That’s Being Used to Fight DOGE

Katie Drummond: And ironically, as you mentioned earlier, that's part of what makes these lawsuits so challenging to see through because a judge is assessing risk based on hypothetical harms to American citizens as opposed to actual harm or actual injury. Is that right? Andrew Couts: I mean it depends on exactly what the lawsuit is alleging or what it's attempting to achieve, what kind of legal standards they're going to apply. But typically judges, if they're looking for actual or potential im

Now We Know Exactly When The Last of Us Season 2 Is Coming

It’s been a couple years waiting for the return of HBO’s seminal adaptation of Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic, cinematic trauma simulator The Last of Us—not unlike waiting for the next chapter in a video game saga. But now, after a long, long time, we finally know: The Last of Us is back April 13. In a new press release HBO confirmed that the seven-episode sophomore season will begin just a couple of months from now in the 9 p.m. ET/PT slot on the cable network on Sunday, April 13, with episode

Topics: game ii know long season