@pluralistic My favorite factoid is that those buttons are generally not even wired to anything, or if they are, they don't function unless the fire dept key is turned.

@pluralistic Pretty sure that button is plastic, not steel.

@aadriasola @pluralistic

Zombies coming! Zombies coming! Press press press press press

@mdc @pluralistic could very well be that the button isn't even wired to anything

@pluralistic Interesting skeuomorphic design in the symbol here, which imitates stencil forms, even though it's clearly moulded.

@pluralistic I have nothing to cite, but I've been told by people who seemed like they ought to know, that that button doesn't actually do anything.

@dwhisper @pluralistic In Japan and other Asian countries they are most definitely connected and routinely used by people as a courtesy.

@dwhisper @pluralistic This has been debunked! https://computer.rip/2023-03-13-the-door-close-button.html

@LonM @pluralistic

My guess is the "Lock" one prevents the elevator from moving and the other one opens the panel for maintenance. Or maybe the other way around.

@dwhisper @pluralistic
The option for the door buttons to work or not will be specific to the elevator location, operation, and its maintenance,

But i wanted to say that i used to fix skee-balls and the factory key for their ticket dispensers worked in that elevator keyhole for me once

@RnDanger @dwhisper @pluralistic

If I had a job fixing skee-ball games, I'd never work a day in my life.

@dwhisper @pluralistic So, if we want the wave of mis- and disinformation to stop, which will never happen, should we not stop spreading nonsense?

Maybe there are places where this button is not connected. Unlikely, but possible...

I know from fact - living and working where I lived and worked - the buttons are connected and work as designed.

Want to be taken seriously? Check your facts and stop feeding the monster. Please.

@dwhisper @pluralistic Not true at all. Yes, depending on where you live, local regulations may require that elevator doors have to stay open (held) for a minimum period of time after opening, though after that minimum door open time has been elapsed, the door close button should work fine as normal. I've never personally encountered a scenario where the door close button is intentionally not wired up to anything inside the elevator (and if it was, I'm sure it would fail an inspection).