Re:Why telephone keypads are arranged the way they are
by jmartinpetersen on Sunday August 30, 2015 @01:25AM
(#10142336)
It wasn't only credit card readers in Denmark that used the calculator style, most of the POTS phones I've used in my life - like http://www.scandinavian-designers.com/EN/wp-content/uploads/... - have used the calculator style.
The emergency number used to be 000, but it was changed to 112 to match the rest of the EU.
Re:Why telephone keypads are arranged the way they are
by henrikschroder on Saturday August 29, 2015 @09:45PM
(#10141987)
Better images:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ericsson_Dialog
Swedish original on top, US market models on the bottom.
Re:Why telephone keypads are arranged the way they are
by bootload on Saturday August 29, 2015 @10:51PM
(#10142105)
"The ergonomics of the handle was a focal point in the design. Additionally, the acoustic, production, and aesthetics aspects needed to be resolved. The handle was fitted in size according to the dimensions of an average face, which had been taken as the starting point of the design process."
Superior ergonomics & one of the reasons I dislike modern smart cough spy-phones. The audio is shite and software keys are no replacement for actual tactile feedback. Luckily they (rotary dial 800 series) are still available ~ http://www.vintagephones.com.au/ccp0-catshow/refurbished-tel...
Re:Why telephone keypads are arranged the way they are
by jacquesm on Sunday August 30, 2015 @05:18AM
(#10142815)
NL had 0 longest to dial as well.
Re:Why telephone keypads are arranged the way they are
by lewiseason on Sunday August 30, 2015 @12:26PM
(#10143718)
I believe the reason for this is so that when pulse-dialling, all the other numbers keep the correct value, i.e.:
1 = 1 pulse 2 = 2 pulses ... 0 = 10 pulses
Or else they'd all be offset by one
http://www.skrotnissen.se/prylshop/common/pic/whitegoods/dsc...
(This is why the emergency number is 911 in the US, whereas it used to be 90000 where I'm from)
Anecdote number two is that when I was working in Denmark in 2004 or so, I noticed that all the number pads on credit card readers were calculator-style, not phone-style, which was a legacy from when Dankort was rolled out in the early 80's, just before keypad phones surpassed rotary dial phones.
(In 2010 or around there, most retailers switched their card readers to phone-style layout, so all stores had to have small signs apologizing for it, but mentioning that the rest of the world had phone-style layout, so let's just all get in line with the program...)