Maxwell J Roberts, formerly of this parish, has a new-ish book out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Underground-...pr_product_top

I've only seen the cover in the window of the LT Museum, so can't comment.

Basil Jet wrote on 15 August 2012
15:42:03 ...
Maxwell J Roberts, formerly of this parish, has a new-ish book out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Underground-...pr_product_top

I've only seen the cover in the window of the LT Museum, so can't comment.

If you scroll down to near the bottom of that Amazon web page, there's a
long and enthusiastic review by Douglas Rose of this book, which is, he
says, "not a book about Underground maps - the real messages are far
wider. The sub-title of the book `Explorations in Information Design' is
what it is really about."

Sounds interesting, but £45 is a bit steep.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

On 2012\08\17 10:42, Richard J. wrote:
Basil Jet wrote on 15 August 2012
15:42:03 ...
Maxwell J Roberts, formerly of this parish, has a new-ish book out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Underground-...pr_product_top


I've only seen the cover in the window of the LT Museum, so can't
comment.

If you scroll down to near the bottom of that Amazon web page, there's a
long and enthusiastic review by Douglas Rose of this book, which is, he
says, "not a book about Underground maps - the real messages are far
wider. The sub-title of the book `Explorations in Information Design' is
what it is really about."

Sounds interesting, but £45 is a bit steep.


As we approach the point where everyone has a smart-phone, we might
reach the situation where the cost of designing, printing and
distributing the tube-map exceeds its utility, and we might then see the
last tube-map. Regular passengers know that certain system breakdowns
are best dealt with by leaving the system and getting a bus, and there's
just no way that static information design can encapsulate all the
information that you really need to use the tube system.

Any organisation should be embarrassed to be displaying information
which is inferior to what people have on a device in their pocket made
by someone else. Also, the current system of having enamel maps down on
the platforms telling you what tracks have been built, and paper maps on
an easel up in the ticket office telling you what tracks actually have
trains on them today, is a bit of an anachronism.

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 15:53:55 +0100
Basil Jet wrote:
As we approach the point where everyone has a smart-phone, we might

Who is "everyone"? I don't, most of my family don't, a lot of my friends
don't. Don't confuse teenagers and hipsters with "everyone".

by someone else. Also, the current system of having enamel maps down on
the platforms telling you what tracks have been built, and paper maps on

Are you trolling? Are you seriously suggesting that having to find a website
or app then starting it up and trying to view it on a tinky winky 4 inch
screen is easier than just looking at a huge metre square map on a wall?
I don't want to be in the position of having to purchase some overpriced
iToy that I don't need just to be able to get basic information in a city.

B2003

wrote:

Are you trolling? Are you seriously suggesting that having to find a website
or app then starting it up and trying to view it on a tinky winky 4 inch
screen is easier than just looking at a huge metre square map on a wall?
I don't want to be in the position of having to purchase some overpriced
iToy that I don't need just to be able to get basic information in a city.

Perhaps borrow one for a bit. I said a while ago that journey planners
were the best thing that ever happened to public transport. Add a
smartphone, and it truly is a "killer app". Try it before you reject the
idea totally.

Neil
--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK. Put first name before the at to reply.

On 20 Aug 2012 09:59:13 GMT
Neil Williams wrote:
Perhaps borrow one for a bit. I said a while ago that journey planners
were the best thing that ever happened to public transport. Add a
smartphone, and it truly is a "killer app". Try it before you reject the
idea totally.

I'm not buying a smartphone just to read a map. Navigating a metro system
is hardly rocket science. A map on a wall is all anyone needs unless they're
terminally stupid and need to be spoon fed even the simplest information.

B2003

On Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 08:36:50AM +0000, d wrote:
Basil Jet wrote:
As we approach the point where everyone has a smart-phone, we might
Who is "everyone"? I don't, most of my family don't, a lot of my friends
don't. Don't confuse teenagers and hipsters with "everyone".

The key word "approach" should have told you that we're not there yet.

And this is obviously for values of "everyone" which deliberately
doesn't consider the vanishingly small population of digital refuseniks,
who will be economically and socially irrelevant just like those who
don't have a phone of any kind are.

--
David Cantrell | Cake Smuggler Extraordinaire

[OS X] appeals to me as a monk, a user, a compiler-of-apps, a
sometime coder, and an easily amused primate with a penchant
for those that are pretty, colorful, and make nice noises.
-- Dan Birchall, in The Monastery

On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:40:50 +0100
David Cantrell wrote:
On Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 08:36:50AM +0000, d wrote:
Basil Jet wrote:
As we approach the point where everyone has a smart-phone, we might
Who is "everyone"? I don't, most of my family don't, a lot of my friends
don't. Don't confuse teenagers and hipsters with "everyone".

The key word "approach" should have told you that we're not there yet.

And what makes you think we will get there? Just because smartphones are
the techno fashion du jour at the moment doesn't mean they will be in
10 years time. Something else will probably have come along by then to part
the drooling sheeple from their money.

And this is obviously for values of "everyone" which deliberately
doesn't consider the vanishingly small population of digital refuseniks,

You seem to be implying that not buying a smartphone is some kind of social
or political statement rather than the simple fact that some of us simply
don't need or want one and therefor don't see any reason to buy one. I don't
have a home surround sound system or the latest core i7 PC for the same
reason - does that also make me a "refusenik" in your eyes?

who will be economically and socially irrelevant just like those who

If you need to have a smartphone to be socially relevant then there's
something seriously wrong with your social life and probably social skills.
Though I imagine for anyone who suffers from aspergers or similar problems
they're a godsend.

B2003

On Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:40:23 +0100
Paul Corfield wrote:
various GLA members to the cut backs in bus stop Countdown displays.
The official answer was "people can use their phones or PCs". However
a text message for Countdown costs 12p a go which is ridiculous.

Its a bit like the nonsense with phone parking. You can end up paying
almost as much for the phone call as the ticket. Its just another money
making scam and if transport information was only made available online you
can bet that eventually a small "administration" charge would be made
one way or another.

B2003

On Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 09:40:23PM +0100, Paul Corfield wrote:

Wi-fi would need to be completely free and available everywhere on the
network before you could contemplate using a phone.

Or use 3G/EDGE/GPRS. You need to figure out your route before going to
the platform anyway - after all, if you don't do that, you won't know
which station to start at or which line you want. And you might find
that you're better taking a bus.

Provided that you sort it out in advance with your cellco it need not be
expensive even when you're abroad.

--
David Cantrell | Hero of the Information Age

One person can change the world, but most of the time they shouldn't
-- Marge Simpson