Couldn't agree more. I've recently had a similar experience with the windows of the flat I live in. They are big double-glazed windows, very nice, that are made of a single pane of glass with a horizontal axis so you can rotate it to open the window.
There is, of course, a latch, to make sure the window doesn't open past a dangerous point (we're on the 7th floor of a 20-floor building). The clever designer who designed these windows managed to hide the latch in such a way that it doesn't look like an ugly safety latch. Result? When cleaning the windows some time ago, one of the windows rotated all the way around and then latched itself. We couldn't figure out what was going on (the latch pin is entirely concealed) and so while trying to close it again, broke the pin, which required us to call in some window fixing people whose only option was to actually saw through the pin to close the window, because the pin was so inaccessible.
We also got them to install some simple latches. Those are clearly visible, and involve a little bar of metal with notches that you can hook onto the window to latch it. Clear, obvious, and I can guarantee you that no one will ever break one of those latches while trying to close the window.
Kudos to the designer who managed to screw up the usability of a window, though.
There is, of course, a latch, to make sure the window doesn't open past a dangerous point (we're on the 7th floor of a 20-floor building). The clever designer who designed these windows managed to hide the latch in such a way that it doesn't look like an ugly safety latch. Result? When cleaning the windows some time ago, one of the windows rotated all the way around and then latched itself. We couldn't figure out what was going on (the latch pin is entirely concealed) and so while trying to close it again, broke the pin, which required us to call in some window fixing people whose only option was to actually saw through the pin to close the window, because the pin was so inaccessible.
We also got them to install some simple latches. Those are clearly visible, and involve a little bar of metal with notches that you can hook onto the window to latch it. Clear, obvious, and I can guarantee you that no one will ever break one of those latches while trying to close the window.
Kudos to the designer who managed to screw up the usability of a window, though.