@bojan: “Or better yet, print a bunch and make some money ;)”… and pay me percentage for the rest of our lives : )

@dusoft: Security measures are adding more thoughts to consider when designing this interface. So, perhaps this linear arrows are not enough?

@emti: You just can’t do anything seriously, don’t you? : )

Seriously, this is one of those things that obviously hasn’t been given enough attention. Why on earth don’t they make it more simple? Another thing comes to mind, regarding ‘making it simple’. It’s those damn forms you have to fill out at the post office (here in Croatia), when sending packages. Those forms are so tough to understand if you’re filling them out for the first time! Tiny letters, tiny format design, enclear instructions… Keep it simple, for crying out loud!

@zyt: I thought it looked farmiliar :)

Also that means that all the proposed design are lacking secure operation - you must have smaller flame down and not up, the top position must be zero, then followed by the quarter of emptiness (e.g. no gas) and then by the strongest flame slowly passing away to the bottom with the lowest flame possible (from 3 quarters left to bottom left). This guarantees that nobody could leave gas open when moving to ZERO position since the last quarter (top left quarter following the strongest flame) means gas is off.

Add to that a simple “off indicator”, and I think it should be quite usable : )

P.S.
The arrow icons are “stolen” from bojan’s version, hope he doesn’t mind : )

The symbols above the switchers should make it clear… It’d be much easier if there were ie 4 burners, of course. This way, you must make it absolutely clear which is which - I’ve done that by making one symbol larger than the other.

The switchers IMO must have 2 things - a line, as I illustrated, which tells you exactly where the switcher is moved, and an arrow or any other symbol that clearly indicates in which direction you should move it.

My stove also has awful ‘user interface’. I’ve been using it for several years and still have to think what is where. Instead of making it more simple, they complicate it. Amazing.

It’d be great if the symbols were made in such way that you could feel them under your fingers, that would make them even more easy to use.

You’re right—it is a bit unnatural. For example, volume control on my stereo has positive action in clockwise direction.

But I think it’s bit illogical due to the nature of alphabet and left-right way. I think the rotation should be other way round if trying to be more cooker-friendly. ;-)