Technical Reason

When developing the purpose for your next technical journey, it is important that you act “reasonable” and not get caught up in hype.

This is a constant battle for me.  I am drawn to buy anything shiny that plugs in or comes in shrinkwrap. I, luckily, have balance.  My wife, Rebecca, is the voice of reason for technology; she helps define the purpose of my technical journeys.  Reason has taught me:.

“Just because you can, does not mean you should.”

That one is easy to understand. 

Yes, I could have the stereo automatically play “Who Let the Dogs Out” every time the back door opens, but should I?  I have been told the answer is, ” no.”

“It can’t check the milk.”

This relates to a heated debate in my house between me, my brother & sister in-law, and my wife.  The conversation had turned to a plan to have the refrigerator track exactly what we had in it; thereby allowing us to automatically create shopping lists.

The entire plan was brought to halt when Rebecca said, “but it can’t check milk.” If you only had a splash of milk left in the carton, a person would check it and buy more.  The auto grocery list refrigerator would not “think” about the almost empty milk; therefore, milk would not be on the grocery list.  Granted the debate went on with a system of scales and dates to solve the problem, but the point was made.  If the purpose was to automate making a grocery list, this solution did not meet our purpose.

“Don’t take anything away.”

Technologies are great when they enhance our lives–making lives more fun definitely counts as an enhancement..  However,  these same technologies suck when they take things away from us.  Automated lamps or lamps on timers pull this nasty trick.  Having a lamp automated gives you the ability to turn that lamp on or off from anywhere in the world, except one place…  the knob under the shade.  If you turn a lamp off from the knob, a timer can not turn it on, and an automation system is dead in the water. And no one wants to fumble for a remote if you need to quickly kill the light to hide from the zombies.

As you decide how you are going to meet your purpose, be sure you don’t take anything away.

With these nuggets in tow, I am able to begin my home technology journeys with direction, grand ideas, and wife approval.