Idea number 8, that it might be based on a counter in the ones column, might also work. Here’s how (First, though, a disclaimer: I may be completely wrong, I have no experience with programming devices like that)…
If a counter were based solely on the tens column, the snooze could last from anywhere slightly above 0 seconds (i.e. 9:09:59 (snooze) -> 9:10:00 (alarm goes off)) to 10 minutes (i.e. 9:00:00 (snooze) -> 9:10:00 (alarm goes off)).
With a counter based on the ones column, 10 minutes is tough to do. Say a 0 was in the column… 10 minutes from then, 0 will be back in there. But, if the snooze is hit with a 0 in the ones column, the clock would have to go off with a 0 in the ones column, and might go off immediately.
If 9 minutes are used, though, the numbers are different. If a 0 is in the ones column, a 9 has to be checked for. No 9s appear until between 8-9 minutes later. In the case of a 0, 0 goes into memory, subtract 1, it underflows and is set to 9 by the clock. 9 comes up, alarm goes off.
Or the clocks may just have another timer to handle the snooze, and the engineers find humour in making people guess as to why 10 minutes aren’t used…
In the thread soon after the article was written, I posted my opinion that exactly matches yours. It just sets the next alarm when the ones digit of the minutes gets to (n-1). This will be between eight and nine minutes, depending on how many seconds past the minute you hit the snooze button.
As I was setting my alarm last night, I came up with a theory as to why alarm snoozes are 9 minutes. Basically, the last minute digit counts down your snoozes, until you have to get up.
Lets take an example:
You want to get up at 9am (that’d be nice)
You want to hit the snooze 2 times.
You would want to set the alarm for 8:42.
Here’s where the 9 minutes comes in handy.
First alarm goes off at 8:42. Look at the last digit. 2. You have 2 more snoozes.
Second alarm goes off at 8:51. Look at the last digit. 1. You have 1 more snooze.
Final alarm goes off at 9:00. Look at the last digit. 0. Time to get up.
The last digit of the time counts down how many snoozes you have left. No need to do any math or even try an comprehend the time, just look at the last digit.
Any thoughts anyone?
It’s the only way I can see 9 (instead of 8 or 10) making any sense.
akrako1, that only works if you want to get up at an even ten minute increment, i.e. the ones column being zero. What if I want to get up at 8:15? I set it for 8:06 for one snooze, and 7:57 for 2 snoozes. Oops, that means I get 7, then 6 snooze periods. Oh wait, no it doesn’t.
Irishman, you caught me. I was assuming that most people wanted to get up on the hour, or the half hour. I’d think that most people would want to get up at an even time, and that the clock manufacturers would cater to the majority ( ‘cuz you can’t make absolutely everyone happy). But that’s all comin’ right outta my ass, so the critique was warranted.
Anyone have a better idea?
btw: I didn’t think most alarms cared how many seconds it took you to hit the button, that it would just go off at 9 minutes exactly from the time of the first alarm. Anyone tested this?