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Crashing Windows: a signage of the times? (0)

 

The rapid take-up of digital display solutions is bringing with it a far less welcome phenomenon. Crashing operating systems are the bane of every computerised signage operator’s life.

Crashed displays pop up everywhere. UK computer magazine Micro Mart even runs a regular column in which readers send in photos of them. High-tech railway-station displays offer a ‘Restart Windows’ button instead of train times, the cash machine at your local bank shows ‘Fatal Error’ instead of giving you cash (sounds like my credit-card bill) and a shopping centre’s interactive map urges you to restart your machine. Trouble is, the end user has no way of restarting it – that’s the operator’s job, and if he’s got any sense, he’d better do it quickly.

You see, digital signage offers all sorts of advantages over more traditional mediums, but only if it works. A malfunctioning display not only fails to do its intended job, but also reflects badly on your company or client. Instead of carrying your message to the masses, it makes you look tatty and unprofessional.

It can’t be stressed enough. Before installing a digital display in a public area, test it thoroughly under all conditions in which it’s expected to function. Give it a kick before someone else does. Get someone to play hard with it, doing their best to make it crash, then take the necessary measures should it do so. And when it’s up and running, make sure you monitor it regularly, especially when new. 

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