In The Beginning

At the heart of any great journey is a purpose.  In fact, at the heart of any small journey  is a purpose.  Otherwise going out to buy cereal would be an aimless drive.

I recommend when you start adding more technologies to your home, you think about the purpose.  This way you can be sure that what you install:

• is what you really want.
• does what you need.
• fits your budget.

 My Techno Purpose

Since one of the purposes of this blog is to explain the technologies used in my own home, I will share the charter for the technology of my abode. Some are concepts; some are specific requests (also known as demands). Concepts

• It must help us entertain ourselves and others.
• It must be easy to use without retraining.
• It must be usable when tech support (me) is unavailable.
• It must have  a direct cost to benefit ratio (scientific formula involving smile levels).

Requests

• I would like to be able to play music videos on demand on our flat screen.
• I would like to be able to control all of our music from the study, kitchen, bathroom, living room, and media room.
• I want to hit one button when guests come over to set the lights, change the thermostat, and start the music.

Once you pick your purpose, it is time to dive in.  My next blog entry will discuss some things to keep in mind when defining your purpose.