Odeon: when will they learn?

Years ago there was a big hoo-ha about the Odeon cinema's totally inaccessible web site. The eventual line from the cinema was that they were coming up with a new version which would solve all of the usability problems. However they didn't actually do this for a number of years. Their web department was a national joke.

I've just used the Odeon website (which, alongside everything else, doesn't render correctly in Firefox) to book some tickets. The interface to do so is in Flash. Seriously.

They do have a "plain text" version, except that it isn't just plain text, and it should be their default interface - other than a graphic showing you where standard and superior seats are it's exactly the same, but written in HTML rather than a proprietary, inaccessible, poorly written Flash interface. There is nothing stopping them using this as their primary booking interface - it would increase usability, accessibility, improve visual consistency and create a more streamlined, efficient way to book tickets.

Let's make this clear: whoever is in charge of the Odeon website is an utter incompetent. Because of their atrocious booking system this will be my first visit in years. With the thought that I might have to use their website again, it will also be my last for years. If I'd worked on that website I would be absolutely ashamed of myself.

Thunderbird 2.0 Icons

Thunderbird 2.0 Icons
Originally uploaded by Xurble.

I (like everyone else) hate change.

Every time I upgrade a piece of software, if the icon set changes, then as far as I am concerned it is always for the worse.

However within a week I usually can't even remember what the old icons looked like, so I have learned to quell my inner rage and just wait for my memory to fail me.

However in the case of Thunderbird 2 there is one icon that I think must be genuinely worse and that's the mail folder icon.

Just look at it. When closed it looks nothing like a folder. When open it is drawn standing on it's end which were it the real life folder it is aping would mean that all your mail fell out all over the floor.

Rubbish!

Of course given my memory, it's entirely possible that this is what the old one looked like too.