Comments on: Film Critic

By: Bob Aman

Bob Aman — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 22:31:14 +0000

At RIT, where I graduated from, they have a major called “Packaging Science.” It’s probably the most harrassed major in the whole school because they tend to make 6-figure salaries immediately upon graduation, and, so far as anyone can tell, mostly they’re just experts in injection molding. If they bothered to train them in “package usability,” I would totally cut them some slack, but nooooo… We’re going to go on making those strange indestructable plastic containers that surround all manner of cheap consumer electronic devices preventing their use for all eternity.

By: Ara Pehlivanian

Ara Pehlivanian — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 01:07:17 +0000

I was just opening a jar of Nutella (hands down, the best spread in the world) and sadly noticed how the pseudo-aluminum film has no tabs to pull on. It’s really hard to open, which made me think of this post. :-)
*Sigh* off to get my Nutella.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 03:07:30 +0000

I just love the little diagrams you add to these posts :)

By: Jeremiah

Jeremiah — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 23:55:31 +0000

Whats your address I have an intire drawer of those things.

By: Tom Parson

Tom Parson — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 20:22:03 +0000

“Back to toys…why do they all have battery compartments that require screwdrivers to open?”
Presumably so children can’t open them and put the batteries in their mouths…?
Good point, though!

By: Ty

Ty — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 02:06:45 +0000

Back to toys…why do they all have battery compartments that require screwdrivers to open? And how many of us have phillips screwdrivers that are small enough to fit in the hole with the screw 2cm deep? I used to hate the battery hatches that required a coin to open, but much prefer those to these new screw-based hatches. And with Christmas coming, I hope someone sends me an assortment of small screwdrivers…and batteries.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 19:52:12 +0000

You’re so totally right.
I was working on making dinner last night and in a moment of panic, I realized I had to open a new container of pesto. I tried to do it with the “easy lift tabs” but I ended up having to use a fork to break through the plastic film and just ended up making a big mess.
A single, larger, tab would have done the trick.
I also have issues with CD/DVD packaging, but let’s not go down that road.

By: PaulV

PaulV — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 19:17:52 +0000

My packaging nightmares are
1) The hard moulded plastic wrappers that are about the right shape for the item they are packaging. They have no tabs, so you cannot separate them withpout a sharp knife or a pair of scissors (which also sometimes come packaged in said packaging). They used to be folded over and have a sort of plastic rivet punched from one side to hold the sides together.
2) Supermarket cheese in shrink wrapped thick plastic. Unless you can get the scissors out of the packaging in 1), you are not going to eat.
There is some good packaging these days though – ketchup and shampoo bottles designed to sit upside down (with the lid at the bottom). As long as the lid seals, this makes things much easier.

By: Chris Hunt

Chris Hunt — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 18:12:54 +0000

@Virginia – The way to pour fruit juice from a carton without it glugging is to make a small extra hole in the top of the carton at the opposite end to the pouring spout. Air comes in through the little hole while juice goes out the other. Result = no glugging.
My own packaging peeve is vacuum packed rashers of bacon (or whatever). One corner of the package is not fused together, implying that you could grab the bits concerned and tear the package open. Well, you could if you could get any purchase on two half-inch slithers of PVC and if you were as strong as the Incredible Hulk. But the Hulk only gets that way after he tries opening modern packaging…
Don’t make me angry…

By: eddmun

eddmun — Sat, 22 Oct 2005 23:12:39 +0000

Reggy: wow… how cool!
And Heinz foil tops. Now they *are* annoying…