Last Wednesday I went to the monthly BayCHI meeting, where the computer-interaction experts of the Bay Area congregate to gab and see presentations.

That evening's main speaker was one of the founders of Google, who had a lot to say about a lot, and I took some notes, and I'll write up a little synopsis.

But not just yet. First I have to tell you about the mens room at PARC (where the meetings are held).

So before the presentation started, I went to visit the mens room. It's a testament to the true banality of this weblog that I not only feel compelled to inform the noble reader that I was going number one, but that it's vital to also convey to you that at least four, and possibly all ten of the people in this story also had to go number one. There was no number two to be seen.

Okay, the scene: One urinal, two stalls (one handicapped, one small, both with doors that come to a close when at rest). I walked into the restroom and there was one person using the sole urinal, two people waiting for him, and two closed stalls.

Standing there for at least a half-minute, the guy waiting in front of me cautiously taps the handicapped stall's door. No response, so he gently pushes on the door. It opens onto an empty stall. He's in business. Err, so to speak. Urinal guy is done and the other waiter takes his place. I'm tempted to knock gently on the second stall, but as someone comes into the restroom and starts waiting behind me, another temptation enters my mind (no, this isn't that kind of story!).

I wait.

Handicapped guy finishes, I go into the stall, and by the time I'm done, there are now six people in line, all waiting for one urinal and two stalls, one of which (I peeked from the other stall) has stood empty for the last five minutes.

Heh. Usability professionals... he hee... Unless each one of them was performing the same experiment I was...