Doorbell "button"

On 23/02/15 03:31, bitrex wrote:
>>> So, how would you "confound" someone interacting with your
>>> door for the first time?
>>
>> Pepper spray?  Robotic paintball gun?  Flamethrower?
>>
>> I get about three random door-to-door callers a year--two Jehovah's
>> Witnesses, whom I always talk orthodox theology to, and one
>> summer-student from NYPIRG whom I talk liberty and evidence-based
>> thinking to.
>>
>
> Why not talk evidence-based thinking to the Jehovah's Witnesses?

Because their "thinking" is actively discouraged, and "evidence"
means their bible. One of the last pair that visited me was
a pretty young lady with glassy eyes that didn't respond to
anything. Frightening. The other time I've seen that is with
a Hare Krishna body that had clearly abdicated from making
any decision.

Most effective and most amusing way is to get them into a
discussion in which they have to explain what their source
book says, and justify why it is a good thing.

Classics are...

"God praised Lot as a good man. Given Lot's previous behavior
as described in the bible, if I behaved the same way would
you regard me as a good and honorable person?"

"Do you aspire to be a disciple as specified by Christ? I.e.
not loving, but someone that hates everyone around them"
(Luke 14:26)

Or, of course, any bits from the wonderful diatribe in
The West Wing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX3gMDJCZ-4

But this is somewhat OT, so it is unlikely I will continue
this conversation!

On 23/02/15 02:12, Don Y wrote:
> I.e., the point is to force first-time visitors (e.g., solicitors)
> to pause and have to think about how to proceed -- set them back
> on their heels, momentarily.  ("regulars" won't think twice about
> any scheme I come up with AFTER their first encounter)

My daughter has had considerable success with a sign that
simply says "No leaflets please. We actively boycott any
business that posts leaflets".

I suspect you could adapt that.

I've had some success with a sign saying "Not Foobar Rd".
That was necessary because I was repeatedly having deliveries
for "Foobar Close" The worst "delivery" was scaffolding
up to the roof! The contractor was even less amused than
I was.

Satnav's didn't show Foobar Close, presumably since it
had only been there for 80 years. Maybe after a century...

On 23/02/2015 02:12, Don Y wrote:
> Hi,
>
> [Amusing that we tend to call the *button* and the *annunciator*
> "The Doorbell"!  :-/ ]
>
> Anyway...
>
> I'm looking for an unusual idea as to how to implement the
> "button" portion of a (home) "doorbell".  I.e., the interface
> that is presented to the *visitor*.
>
<snip>

A button incorporating a hidden sensor and actuator which 'presses' 
itself just as your finger approaches.

Or even better, but much more difficult, a button which moves off to one 
side just as you're about to push.

Cheers
-- 
Syd

Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote in news:mce2ak$avf$1@speranza.aioe.org:

> Hi,
> 
> [Amusing that we tend to call the *button* and the *annunciator*
> "The Doorbell"!  :-/ ]
> 
> Anyway...
> 
> I'm looking for an unusual idea as to how to implement the
> "button" portion of a (home) "doorbell".  I.e., the interface
> that is presented to the *visitor*.
> 
> Note that this need not be electronic.  Or, could be some
> perversion of an electronic adaptation of a *mechanical*
> device.
> 
> Goal is to "mess with the heads" of (first-time) callers
> (I expect folks who visit often to quickly understand the
> mechanism).
> 
> Note that actually *knowing* that a visitor is "at the door"
> is not an issue -- I can do that a number of different ways.
> What I am actually interested in is how the *visitor* thinks
> he has to signal his presence.
> 
> The sorts of things I've been exploring:
> - a "knocker" that is not movable (no "hinge")
> - a knocker that is hinged at the *bottom*
> - a knocker that "fights back"
> - a knocker that "makes no noise"
> - a knocker that FALLS OFF when actuated
> - a "button" that you *pull* (Addam's Family)
> - a button that isn't "pushable"
> - a *group* of buttons ("which one do I press??")
> - a numeric keypad ("what do I *type*??")
> - a telephone *dial* ("WTF??")
> - a coin slot (or dollar bill validator!  :> )
> - a big red "HAL" eye
> - "In case of Emergency, break glass" (with LEXAN :> )
> 
> etc.  (I've heard some REALLY off-the-wall ideas that I won't even
> mention, here  :> )
> 
> [Remember, I am not interested in how you would *sense* the
> visitor's action -- that's typically easy]
> 
> I.e., the point is to force first-time visitors (e.g., solicitors)
> to pause and have to think about how to proceed -- set them back
> on their heels, momentarily.  ("regulars" won't think twice about
> any scheme I come up with AFTER their first encounter)
> 
> So, how would you "confound" someone interacting with your
> door for the first time?
> 

Think about a double action button. Remember the big knobs you have to 
pull to sound a real bell (with a clapper or tongue)? Take a knob like 
that and build a button inside (the puss part on top of the knob but not 
recognizable as such). So the sound your bell, one have both to pull the 
knob and push the button pretty firmly. (The latter to make sure one 
does not activate the pushbutton accidently while pulling the knob.)

You can also require a second action from the visitor. Display or sound 
the message: "There's nobody to answer the door now, speak in your 
message after the beep." You can record that messages or not but only 
regular visitors know they have to push once more before the beep.

Patent pending :)

petrus bitbyter 

On 2015-02-22, Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:
>
> I'm looking for an unusual idea as to how to implement the
> "button" portion of a (home) "doorbell".  I.e., the interface
> that is presented to the *visitor*.
>
> Note that this need not be electronic.  Or, could be some
> perversion of an electronic adaptation of a *mechanical*
> device.
>
> Goal is to "mess with the heads" of (first-time) callers
> (I expect folks who visit often to quickly understand the
> mechanism).
>

If the primary goal is to make newcomers uneasy (just how annoying _are_
the people in your neck of the woods ? :-)) how about the following:

A single push button with inclusive red indicator and a speaker mounted
above it.

Press button and the following message is played:

"Warning! Intruder countermeasures system activated. You have 30 seconds
to enter authorisation code D Y in morse code."

The official language makes newcomers nervous about what is going to
happen when 30 seconds is up, but it's easy enough for regulars to enter
the correct code to cause the bell to ring. (Reduce to one morse code
letter if two is considered to be too long).

A doorbell which requires a morse code sequence to activate sounds
just like the kind of thing which would appeal to you. :-)

Simon.

-- 
Simon Clubley, clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Microsoft: Bringing you 1980s technology to a 21st century world

On 2/22/15 10:52 PM, Don Y wrote:
>
> Goal isn't to harm them.  Rather, "confound"/confuse.  Force them to
> expend more effort than they had originally (subconsciously) planned.
> "Set them back on their heels".  Sort of like having NO outgoing
> message on your answering machine...

One thought that comes to mind is to install a "Simon" game where the 
Door bell would be. Of course this would be making noises and 
entertaining your visitor, but NOT really ringing a bell, you need to 
knock for that.

On 2/22/2015 8:12 PM, Don Y wrote:
> Hi,
>
> [Amusing that we tend to call the *button* and the *annunciator*
> "The Doorbell"!  :-/ ]
>
> Anyway...
>
> I'm looking for an unusual idea as to how to implement the
> "button" portion of a (home) "doorbell".  I.e., the interface
> that is presented to the *visitor*.
>
> Note that this need not be electronic.  Or, could be some
> perversion of an electronic adaptation of a *mechanical*
> device.
>
> Goal is to "mess with the heads" of (first-time) callers
> (I expect folks who visit often to quickly understand the
> mechanism).
>
> Note that actually *knowing* that a visitor is "at the door"
> is not an issue -- I can do that a number of different ways.
> What I am actually interested in is how the *visitor* thinks
> he has to signal his presence.
>
> The sorts of things I've been exploring:
> - a "knocker" that is not movable (no "hinge")
> - a knocker that is hinged at the *bottom*
> - a knocker that "fights back"
> - a knocker that "makes no noise"
> - a knocker that FALLS OFF when actuated
> - a "button" that you *pull* (Addam's Family)
> - a button that isn't "pushable"
> - a *group* of buttons ("which one do I press??")
> - a numeric keypad ("what do I *type*??")
> - a telephone *dial* ("WTF??")
> - a coin slot (or dollar bill validator!  :> )
> - a big red "HAL" eye
> - "In case of Emergency, break glass" (with LEXAN :> )
>
> etc.  (I've heard some REALLY off-the-wall ideas that I won't even
> mention, here  :> )
>
> [Remember, I am not interested in how you would *sense* the
> visitor's action -- that's typically easy]
>
> I.e., the point is to force first-time visitors (e.g., solicitors)
> to pause and have to think about how to proceed -- set them back
> on their heels, momentarily.  ("regulars" won't think twice about
> any scheme I come up with AFTER their first encounter)
>
> So, how would you "confound" someone interacting with your
> door for the first time?

One button. When pressed, it announces,"We are currently experiencing 
heavy door bell ringer traffic. Please wait. You are number 1 in the 
door bell ringer waiting queue."

Frank

On 2/23/2015 8:22 AM, adule wrote:
>
> One button. When pressed, it announces,"We are currently experiencing
> heavy door bell ringer traffic. Please wait. You are number 1 in the
> door bell ringer waiting queue."
>
> Frank

Traffic ??

Not after this: 
http://charlottearc2010.homestead.com/sf046a_Amrad_Spark_coil.jpg

On Mon, 23 Feb 2015 09:22:37 -0600, adule <somedude@here.com> wrote:

>
>One button. When pressed, it announces,"We are currently experiencing 
>heavy door bell ringer traffic. Please wait. You are number 1 in the 
>door bell ringer waiting queue."
>
>Frank

"Please stand still with your arms outstretched for backscatter
scanning" (LEDs illuminate in a vertical Knight Rider configuration). 

On 2/23/2015 6:19 AM, Richard Damon wrote:
> On 2/22/15 10:52 PM, Don Y wrote:
>>
>> Goal isn't to harm them.  Rather, "confound"/confuse.  Force them to
>> expend more effort than they had originally (subconsciously) planned.
>> "Set them back on their heels".  Sort of like having NO outgoing
>> message on your answering machine...
>
> One thought that comes to mind is to install a "Simon" game where the Door bell
> would be. Of course this would be making noises and entertaining your visitor,
> but NOT really ringing a bell, you need to knock for that.

<frown>  We don't want to *encourage* people to "come visit"!
E.g., I could set up a slot machine or video poker just as
easily  :-/

I want to put a discontinuity in their preconceived behavior
of "approach door, ring bell, begin spiel".  As I said, like
NOT having an outgoing message on your answering machine
(it tends to leave folks unprepared: "I'm not ready to
speak, yet!")

N.B.  Simon was derived from an arcade piece called "Touch Me"
(which was about the size of an "apartment" washing machine).
IIRC, it was just lights, though -- no tones.