# What does this do? Useless unused features on things that you own. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 30, 2011, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744 "2011-05-30T10:55:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/121 "2011-06-04T17:02:34Z")
My widescreen monitor swivels 90 degrees. When I’m proofing a laid-out PDF I turn the monitor on its side for easy viewing. The arrow key method is a lot quicker than going through the driver’s menu. In the other room there’s a big, red button. It’s labeled ‘History Eraser Button’. I don’t know what it does, but there’s this big cat guarding it. One day I’ll convince him to push it. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/122 "2011-06-04T17:23:37Z")
This morning it occurred to me that the [gimmick that Oral B uses](http://www.oralb.com/products/indicator-toothbrush/) to suggest when it’s time to replace your toothbrush is spectacularly, incomprehensibly useless. How did this concept even get to market? “Hey, here’s an idea: What if there was some way that people could tell it was time to replace their toothbrushes, _just by looking at the bristles_?” “Wow, that would be revolutionary! Let’s get our top people on it right away!” I just don’t understand this. To start with - before this innovation, I learned to replace my toothbrush when the bristles started to be worn enough to ineffective and/or damaging. Now, I know that not everyone changes their toothbrush in a timely manner, but those people who can’t be arsed to buy a new toothbrush when the bristles start to look natty aren’t going to be any better about it because some of the blue has worn off. Beyond that, the “indicator” isn’t tied in any meaningful way to actual wear. My toothbrush currently claims that it’s overdue to be replaced, though it’s still in great condition and I expect to get at least another month’s use out of it - but my wife’s is indicating that it’s still fine, when you can tell by looking at it that it should have been retired weeks ago. Utterly useless. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/123 "2011-06-04T20:13:36Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > My guess is that it is something to do with a common international design and fastext. > > [http://www.teletext.sg/faqs.htm#12](http://www.teletext.sg/faqs.htm#12) > > The four coloured buttons, red, green, yellow and then blue, on this remote are the fastext buttons: > > [http://www.remotec.com.hk/photos/04082010121056\_L.jpg](http://www.remotec.com.hk/photos/04082010121056_L.jpg) Or (to save on costs) they use the same molds and tooling for several models, some of which have more functions than others. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/124 "2011-06-04T22:48:06Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > This morning it occurred to me that the [gimmick that Oral B uses](http://www.oralb.com/products/indicator-toothbrush/) to suggest when it’s time to replace your toothbrush is spectacularly, incomprehensibly useless. > > How did this concept even get to market? “Hey, here’s an idea: What if there was some way that people could tell it was time to replace their toothbrushes, _just by looking at the bristles_?” “Wow, that would be revolutionary! Let’s get our top people on it right away!” > > I just don’t understand this. To start with - before this innovation, I learned to replace my toothbrush when the bristles started to be worn enough to ineffective and/or damaging. Now, I know that not everyone changes their toothbrush in a timely manner, but those people who can’t be arsed to buy a new toothbrush when the bristles start to look natty aren’t going to be any better about it because some of the blue has worn off. > > Beyond that, the “indicator” isn’t tied in any meaningful way to actual wear. My toothbrush currently claims that it’s overdue to be replaced, though it’s still in great condition and I expect to get at least another month’s use out of it - but my wife’s is indicating that it’s still fine, when you can tell by looking at it that it should have been retired weeks ago. Utterly useless. I think the idea was to sell more toothbrushes. But I also think you were supposed to replace them after X amount of time even if they still looked good due to germ build up. But I lose the blue in a week or two, and I know it’s not that short. Also, the same thing with razors. ---
**Author:** ![NBYodo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9a28c/32.png) [@NBYodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NBYodo)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/125 "2011-06-05T03:17:14Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > I had an old Mercedes for a few years that had a feature to allow you to turn on only one parking light or the other. Worse than having no idea why I would ever need that feature was that the middle setting, straight up-and-down, was off. It took my wife a long time to not turn it all the way to the left, which kept the left parking light on all night. I lived in Germany for a while, and I think the idea was to make your parked car more visible to traffic at night. e.g. if you were parallel parked you leave your traffic-side one on so that cars could see it parked there. Seemed a bit superfluous to me. If they need your light on to notice your car, they’ve got bigger problems. CAPS-LOCK-related: CATIA V4 would notoriously crash when one of those special keys was pushed (maybe printscreen?), so it was always pried off on my computer after hitting it often enough (I think F11 or F12 was a common command, so the PrintScreen button was dangerously near…) NB ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/126 "2011-06-05T03:47:53Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > (gears below D on an automatic transmission) > > Can also be handy when climbing if it is too steep to hold speed in high gear, then the transmission ends up shifting back and forth a lot. Better to drop a gear and back off the gas pedal. VERY useful when towing a trailer. This has come in quite handy in hot weather, as well. My sweetie’s car tends to overheat going up the grade to San Diego when the temp’s over 100, which it frequently is. (USUALLY is, during the summer). I suggested he used a lower gear, and, though he is a quite intelligent man, all he said was ‘What?’. 😛 It doesn’t rain here, the roads he’s on are paved; there’s no reason to USE anything but the standard drive gear. But I got him to try it, and lo and behold, no more overheating on the grade. Yay! ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/127 "2011-06-05T13:11:03Z")
> [@DZedNConfused](#): > > Slick wet snow on steep downhill grades; it’s MUCH safer to shift down into 2nd or 1rst than to ride your brakes. And as mentioned above when coming down steep mountain grades in any weather but especially in wet weather, gearing down is much safer than brakes and risk sliding. Ummm… The reason to shift into a lower gear is to prevent your brakes from overheating. Brakes are much better and more controlable than shifting into a lower gear when going downhill on slick surfaces. Also, if you’re in a two wheel drive vehicle, the downshifting is only going to slow down two wheels. This can be extra bad in a front wheel drive car when it’s slick. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/128 "2011-06-05T13:56:52Z")
There is no “one reason”. Some transmissions, if in second, will -start- in second. Helpful in low traction situations with a high hp car. If you don’t need it, you don’t need it, but if you DO, it’s nice to have. Eta: AND as taomist stated, leaving the Vehicle in second while going down a grade prevents brake overheating. ---
**Author:** ![Caractacus\_Pott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Caractacus\_Pott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caractacus_Pott)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/129 "2011-06-05T13:57:23Z")
Modem on laptop computer. In those thankfully rare cases I can’t get Wifi or faster connections, I just wait until I can. Themes on non-smartphone cell phones. If I were bored enough I could change backgrounds, sounds, and God knows what. For that kind of fanciness I’d just get in iPhone. Preset scene settings on midrange and higher dSLR’s. Let me save my own presets there instead. That would save me a bunch of cranking through settings manually when I’m going between back and forth between changing scenes, such as at a zoo. AE/AF Lock button on dSLR’s. Half-pressing the shutter release until it’s time to take the picture will do the same thing without the gymnastics my hands can’t make to get to the AE/AF Lock button. Depth of field button on a dSLR. It’s easier to take a shot and review it for proper depth of field. On my current camera it’s very easy to hit that button accidentally. ---
**Author:** ![Uber\_the\_Goober](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/58956e/32.png) [@Uber\_the\_Goober](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uber_the_Goober)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/130 "2011-06-05T14:04:48Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > We got a flat-screen tv for Christmas. The remote control has a row of four colored buttons that do nothing. Seriously. The instruction booklet even admits, “These buttons have no function at this time.” Hah! At least they’re honest. My Blu-Ray player has a remote with the same exact four colored keys in exactly the same place as my television remote. So I started taking notice of other’s remotes. They’re spreading! It’s like a new industry standard or something. My father in-law’s new tv and dvd system both have remotes with the colored keys. My Blu-Ray player uses one of them for setting up the wireless internet connection…but I don’t understand why there needs to be a button on the remote for that?! Especially one which I have more than once accidentally hit while streaming netflix and disabled my wireless internet connection unwittingly! It’s plenty easy to have that feature accesible through the menu…which you access by hitting the MENU KEY!!! Damnable technological progress! ---
**Author:** ![levax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@levax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levax)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/131 "2011-06-05T21:43:58Z")
> [@Jaguars](#): > > My laptop and car stereo both came with remote controls. The laptop, at least I could see being used as a standalone music player. But the car stereo? Why? So that backseat passengers can change tracks without asking the driver? To aid in broadcasting your taste in music to fellow beachgoers? I think the car stereo remote is a feature of car stereos that go way too loud for you to be inside the car when it’s turned up to max. So that you can test it at full volume without going deaf. ---
**Author:** ![fredricwilliams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fredricwilliams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fredricwilliams)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/132 "2011-06-07T12:45:32Z")
Understanding the logic of the useless may be advanced by this anecdote. Years ago, I was hired to evaluate NASA’s Space Museum in Florida. I brought three top experts with me, and they all asked why there were so many different signs saying the same thing. The answer from the bureaucrat in command was that various potentates had asked why there wasn’t a blue sign on the wall, or a silver sign on the floor, or a decal on the object. So they added all three. So, all those unneeded things serve a purpose. They cover the asses of the folks who have to explain to their countless superiors why there isn’t one of these on one of those. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/133 "2011-06-07T14:03:01Z")
My friend works on truck engines for Cummins. On all of the engine blocks he works on, there is a drilled hole. It is drilled, reamed, machined, everything. It’s obviously there for a reason. But no one at his company knew what it was for. There was no optional equipment that could be attached there. It was not usable for lifting or manipulating the block. It was really driving my friend crazy and he couldn’t find out why it’s there. Then he took a company trip up to the factory in Ohio, I think. He asked the exec giving the tour about the hole and the exec didn’t know either. They asked all around the factory and NOBODY knew what it was there for. The Blocks arrived premade with the hole already in them. Finally, they found this ancient line worker and he told them what it was for. The hole itself had no function in the operation of the engine. But it was the first hole drilled in the block and served as a guide for all the other holes that are drilled in the machining process. When he heard this, my friend said it was like fulfilling a quest. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/134 "2011-06-07T14:14:16Z")
> [@Unintentionally\_Blank](#): > > There is no “one reason”. Some transmissions, if in second, will -start- in second. Helpful in low traction situations with a high hp car. If you don’t need it, you don’t need it, but if you DO, it’s nice to have. > > Eta: AND as taomist stated, leaving the Vehicle in second while going down a grade prevents brake overheating. Since this is a life ‘n’ death statement, I will clarify: Selecting a lower gear going down a hill will allow ‘engine braking’, which will reduce the overall load on the wheel brakes. Doing so will most certainly not prevent brake overheating. Using a lower gear, an initial lower speed and making judicious use of the wheel brakes will all work toward preventing failure of the wheel brakes. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/135 "2011-06-07T14:15:28Z")
Does anyone ever press the red button on the GFCI outlet as part of a regular test? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/136 "2011-06-07T14:23:08Z")
Not regularly, but I’ve done it for the hell of it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SunSandSuffering](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@SunSandSuffering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunSandSuffering)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/137 "2011-06-07T15:10:05Z")
> [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](#): > > I always vandalise my caps lock key. If they must have a caps lock, put it up with the function buttons, not where I hit it every third time I use the letter a. That’s why the caps lock key usually has a little flat area between it and “A”. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/138 "2011-06-07T15:30:33Z")
> [@SunSandSuffering](#): > > That’s why the caps lock key usually has a little flat area between it and “A”. I think you misspelled “vanishingly rarely.” A couple of decades of crammy aesthetics have taken us pretty far from the old model M. ---
**Author:** ![ebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@ebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ebb)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/139 "2011-06-07T21:48:20Z")
> [@echo6160](#): > > Hah! At least they’re honest. > > My Blu-Ray player has a remote with the same exact four colored keys in exactly the same place as my television remote. So I started taking notice of other’s remotes. They’re spreading! It’s like a new industry standard or something. My father in-law’s new tv and dvd system both have remotes with the colored keys. My Blu-Ray player uses one of them for setting up the wireless internet connection…but I don’t understand why there needs to be a button on the remote for that?! Especially one which I have more than once accidentally hit while streaming netflix and disabled my wireless internet connection unwittingly! It’s plenty easy to have that feature accesible through the menu…which you access by hitting the MENU KEY!!! > > Damnable technological progress! It’s my understanding that the four colored buttons are required for television sets sold in (some parts of?) Europe, to tie into the European cable standards. It’s probably cheaper for companies to use the same hardware no matter where the unit’s being sold, though, so those of us who don’t need 'em still get 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744/140 "2011-06-07T23:15:54Z")
> [@Unintentionally\_Blank](#): > > There is no “one reason”. Some transmissions, if in second, will -start- in second. Helpful in low traction situations with a high hp car. If you don’t need it, you don’t need it, but if you DO, it’s nice to have. > > Eta: AND as taomist stated, leaving the Vehicle in second while going down a grade prevents brake overheating. Actually…we use it on the up grades. (It’s all up and down really, but there is no braking) In normal gear, the car overheats \. Same conditions but in second gear, nothing overheats. So…not sure what second gear is really doing in that situation, but it’s not overtaxing the engine to the point it overheats, the way drive does, and that’s good enough for me. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-do-useless-unused-features-on-things-that-you-own/583744.md?page=8)