
The Dumbest User Interface of 2016 - thanatosmin
https://eagereyes.org/blog/2016/the-dumbest-user-interface-of-2016
======
devy
> The package wouldn’t be complete without the entire process being much
> slower than the old card swipe. What took a second or two before now seems
> to take millennia.

Now that I recalled, most of my chipped POS transactions have been indeed a
few seconds slower than swipes. I wonder if that's caused by the data
encryption/decryption? Embedded hardwares are very capable theses days, I am
surprised to see that's the case though. Can someone with expertise on this
issue explain?

~~~
byoung2
Before, swipe to approved was 2-3 seconds at most. The chip takes 15-30
seconds with no indication of the breakdown of time (e.g. connecting,
transmitting, encrypting, etc). I'd like to know what takes the bulk of the
time.

~~~
MasterPI
It takes considerably more time than simply swiping because chip payment
transactions ivolve much more communications between the card the POS
terminal, the bank entity, payment provider, etc...

Encyption/Decription times are neglible.

~~~
byoung2
Yeah I found this description of the process:
[http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-how-chip-cards-
wor...](http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-how-chip-cards-work-
htmlstory.html)

Do the systems in Europe take the same amount of time, and have the same
amount of communication? I can't imagine passing a JSON object back and forth
could take that long.

~~~
pixel_fcker
The USA is definitely slower than everywhere that's been using the system for
more than a decade now. No idea why though as some of the slowest connections
I've experienced have been in LA.

In the UK transactions typically take less than 5 seconds with more than 10
seconds usually prompting a response from the owner that it's "playing up
today". In New Zealand it's quicker still, and contactless payments seem to
get processed slightly quicker as well, although that could just be
psychological because it removes the whole insert-wait-enter pin part.

------
godson_drafty
I noticed the punishing error sound that these devices emit when the
transaction is successful and it's time to remove the card. I thought I was
alone in noticing and being annoyed by it. Why not make _two_ sounds - one for
successful transaction -> remove card and the other for unsuccessful
transaction -> remove card ???

Another seemingly unsolvable problem for about 15 years with these machines is
choosing whether to use credit or debit. In order to use credit, you have to
press "Cancel" when it asks for the pin. Obtaining the answer to this very
simple question has and continues to be beyond the technical ability of these
imbeciles for nearly a generation.

------
aphextron
I have actually started carrying cash again because of these things. That 2
minutes of standing around at a check out line when you just want a damn pack
of gum is infuriating. Not to mention when the chip stops working and you get
to stand there trying it over and over again while everyone else in line is
groaning and the machine is beeping at you loudly. What an awful technology.

