enough with the linear

[zed]

Im ignoring resistance coils etc.
Why do things often have linear scales. When non linear is better
Eg fans 3 speeds like 500rpm 1000rpm 1500rpm. Speed 1 still makes do much noise at night when I'm trying to sleep.
Smartphone brightness even on its lowest level its still to bright at night, yet during the day going from 7 to 8 its hard to notice the difference
IPod vol. Vol1 is too loud at night with my head phones on. Yet I can't tell the diff between 12and13.

Each step should be like 1.5x more than the previous or something for a better experience

 

[Billy Idol]

Problem is that all people 'think' linear and are used to linear behavior.

This goes as far as in actual science, where for instance there are much more theoretical results available in mathematics for linear partial differential equations compared to non-linear ones.

People can solve linear algebraic equations with billions of unknowns...'no sweat', but non-linear problems are an order of magnitude more difficult to solve, typically by linearizing, without factoring in the question about unique and valid solutions.

In short...in my opinion people 'lack' understanding of non-linearity. Why? Because you are used to linear, which is sufficient for every day life.

So in my opinion, you asking about more non-linearity, being unhappy with linear behavior is an...anomaly

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Just do like A/V receivers. The volume is labeled in a linear fashion, but adjusts based on decibels, which is non-linear.

Regards,
SB

 

[Davros]

My god zed your a moaning bugger

 

[Pressure]

Just do like A/V receivers. The volume is labeled in a linear fashion, but adjusts based on decibels, which is non-linear.

Regards,
SB

This.

That should really be the solution and I agree, too bright at night and too loud.

 

[zed]

My god zed your a moaning bugger

Its a human trait.
Another thing, the earth ain't fair
Today it felt like 46.7 degrees here yet there's no relief in the sea since its also above 30degrees.
A better designed planet would have the cooler seas around the equator and the warmer away from it.
Smartass - we've got that its called a bath/pool

 

[milk]

Is´t that a physical limitation of consumer level hardware? Can a smartphone LCD´s brightness go bellow its minimum brightness without introducing flicker or some other undesired side-effect? Can an ear-phone speaker lower it´s volume more than it already does without completely degrading its sound quality while still producing an inevitable constant buzz? I really don´t know the answer, but I always assumed that stuff is clamped at the limit of those device´s operability. Yet I am not very sure of that. Actually I have no idea at all, I´ve just always assumed that to be the case.
If that´s not though, then going non-linear isn´t really the best answer either I think. That gives you the great fine tuning you want at the beginning of the spectrum, only to screw you over at the other end. Imagine, by going in 1.5x increments, the only volume/brightness level available bellow 100% would be 66%! (if I´m doing my math right that is)
I think if possible, the best way to go would be the intuitive linear we currently have with sort of a "bevel" at the extremes. Imagine something like: start unlinear: 0,2% - 0,4% - 0,8% - 1,6% - 3,2% - and then snap into linear - 5% - 10% - 15% - 20% ... 85% - 90% - 95% - now back to non-linear - 96,8% - 98,4% - 99,2% - 99,6% - 99,8% 100%. See, now everyone is happy.

 

[nutball]

Today it felt like 46.7 degrees here yet there's no relief in the sea since its also above 30degrees.

Damn those linear temperature scales!!1!

 

[Silent_Buddha]

As well just imagine how much better men with small penises would feel if you measured penis size on a non-linear scale!

Regards,
SB

 

[zed]

Damn those linear temperature scales!!1!

touche, though Ive heard ppl say something like 30 wow thats like 10x hotter than 3degrees.
Ive never also understood this idea of 40+ being nice, like lets all go down to the south of spain, where its too hot to do any physical activity.
I blame the weather on tv, each city gets a number.

An ideal day is like
~27degrees, ~30-40% humidity, <10km/hr wind, lotsa sun

 

[Blazkowicz]

I have some software volumes expressed in dB : ALSA, Pulseaudio, a new music player called "DeaDBeeF" are all in dB, with the max level being 0 dB.
VLC still has from "0" to "100" (and 100 to 200) and the youtube volume slider does whatever, I don't know.

 

[Davros]

thats what I never understood should 0db be silence ?

 

[Blazkowicz]

dB is a ratio
It's actually a dimensionless number, it only means that "+3dB" is "twice", "+10dB" is "ten times more". So 0dB means 100%, or 1. (it's just log 1 = 0)

There also are dB units with an additional meaning such as the dBu which measures voltage, dBi which is something for your wifi antenna, and dB SPL which is what we usually know what the dB is for : is this thing loud or quiet. The 0dB here is some very arbitrary thing, I'm afraid : silence ought to be minus infinity.
To experience background noise below 20 dB SPL you probably need a very soundproof chamber, it would be an interesting experience to be in one. then we should hear our own bodily noises anyway, unless if deaf enough.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

thats what I never understood should 0db be silence ?

It depends. Decibels (dB) is just a log. scale. With 0 being 1. Most high end A/V receivers go from 0 to some negative number. Hence 0 is maximum power. -3 is roughly 1/2 power. -10 is 1/10th. -20 is 1/100th. -30 is 1/1000th. Etc.

Of course, many consumer grade receivers do the opposite because your average consumer doesn't understand volume in terms of negatives numbers, and go from 0 being 1 being the lowest and goes up from there. So as Blazkowicz mentioned when going that direction then 3 dB is roughly x2. 10 dB is x10. 20 dB is x100. Etc.

And then the really shitty low end receivers just have a volume knob that doesn't adjust based on dB.

Regards,
SB