Sunday, July 09, 2006

How to use a lift, and more importantly, how not to

Common myths surrounding the lift:



1. Calling *all possible lifts* to your floor instead of calling just
that lift that's closest to your floor and/or moving in the required
direction does *NOT* reduce your average waiting time. If any, it
increases the average waiting time, and leads to *much* annoyance to
others who use the lift.



2. Lifts already use the elevator algorithm[1]. (hehe) And even though
the lifts on the left and on the right aren't co-ordinated, a little bit
of logic will go a long way  in reducing waiting time for others.



Imagine the scenario where everybody on all floors call both the lifts
to their floor and take just one. The other lift has to stop at every
floor even if there isn't anybody to carry.



Agreed,this works out to be the normal scenario during rush hours when
there are always people to carry. But please, let the lift decide that!


[1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator_algorithm

Mood: Very very annoyed.

1 comment:

Epiphany said...

Game theory at work!! The least time spent waiting for the lift would be the blond (as in the muvi....butiful mind)???