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Using what you have (and when to change)
Some friends came by my office recently and commented on my monitor, a 10-or-so year-old Samsung SyncMaster, shown below in the photo of my desk:
I hadn't thought much of the monitor for years, since it just - works. When I'm looking at the screen, I'm thinking about the bits flying around inside, not the plastic chassis holding the screen.
My friends were amazed that a "technology guru" would be using such an old piece of equipment. And it's true, this monitor is old enough that it's almost retro-cool at this point. But I'm using it with no irony - the thing works!
That got me to thinking: there's a particular pleasure to using what you have, without having to change. I suppose I'll get a newer monitor at some point, whenever this one dies, but in the meantime I'm happy to have a piece of equipment that I don't have to think about much. That's the point of technology, isn't it? To be a tool that we can use for some purpose, without having to think about the tool itself.
Of course this runs counter to the dominant theme of the technology industry - buy more, and buy often. Count this "guru" as caring less about what's new and more about what works. (If it happens to be new and works better than what came before, then I'll be the first to add my praise.)
The photo above shows another way of working with what you have: not just working with it but turning it into a strength. The "B" sign on the left shows the New York City health rating, which every restaurant is required to display in their entrance. This particular restaurant got a "B" - a middling rating that restaurant owners aren't too happy to receive.
You can see what the restaurant did: they copied the same font, size, style, and color of the "B" rating into two more pages, showing an "A" and an "R". And there you have the most creative sign for a BAR in New York City.
Finally, there are some cases when it's not enough to work with what you have - it's time to change. Take a look at the photo below, of my local post office's kiosk where I was trying to buy stamps:
I read and re-read this menu of options: where are the regular stamps? I've bought from this kiosk before, and there's always something called "stamps." The only mention of stamps here is to buy one of "different value" (which had me thinking, different from what?).. I didn't want Express Mail, or some holiday baubles (whatever those are - Christmas tree ornaments, perhaps?), or Priority Mail, or "different value."
My best guess was the 1st class stamp, which mentioned that it could go international as well. Turns out that was too expensive, around a dollar.
It took me some time but I finally figured out where the normal stamps were hiding out. I can't be the only customer who was confused (though perhaps you figured it out already). It's obvious that the postal service should make some changes here.
Here's to a 2012 knowing when to hold on to what we have, when to use it creatively, and when we really should make a change. Happy holidays!
This topic very much hits home for me. It has taken me a long time to learn - and I am still learning - that less truly is more and that *keeping* it simple is better than making a decision that makes it more complex. The sophistication of the new shiny object can be so alluring. It takes discipline to commit to practicing the less is more philosophy but it is totally worth it. Life is so much more enjoyable when you are not distracted by things you don't need and that will only make life more complicated - not less.
Mark, save your eyes, buy yourself a flat screen.
I sure agree on the general idea in the post, though.
resting on a book
Those post office kiosks sometimes do another confusing thing - if you're mailing a package, *sometimes* it'll show a picture of the label it's going to print, and asks you if it'll fit on your package. But it never explains what happens if you answer "no" (it prints a smaller label), and sometimes it doesn't ask at all (and prints the bigger label). There seems to be no way to predict what will happen; my theory is it depends on whether it's out of supplies to print the smaller labels.
For some work CRT based monitors are much better than LCD ones. They have more accurate color and higher dynamic range.
I had the *exact* same experience at the USPS kiosk last month.
I had the same confusion two days ago with the post office kiosk. Unfortunately the users' experience if often the last thing discussed (if at all) in development projects. It doesn't matter who the potential end users are or how technical they are, the user experience is absolutely critical to a product's success.
The only thing better for that restaurant would be to post a "B" and an "R" on either side of their A rating...
My eyes opened (sorry for the pun) when I got a new and bigger monitor at work. I could just do more.
I don't know what monitor size you have. If it's smaller than most monitors sold today, steal a bigger one and try it for a day or two. Maybe you will change your mind.
I drive a 1996 car I bought used in 2002. It has almost 190,000 miles on it now & needs repairs (some major) from time to time, but it works and it is exciting and...it is one of my dream cars. (1996 Pontiac Trans-Am WS-6).
Regarding the P.O. - despite their obfuscation, the "holiday" stamps at .44 sort of fill the bill, until they update.
In 2010 I replaced, my 12 years old monitor for a new one (LCD); beacause the oldone died... but if not I were using the oldone yet.
Yikes! That monitor almost made me unsubscribe, bro. If you have a true eye for quality, you'd have gone hi-res widescreen years ago. I mean, are you serious with that hunk of junk?
My vote for most creative bar sign is at the Ear Inn:
http://earinn.com/photos/
"Then in 1977, new resident-owners christened the place the Ear Inn. The new name was chosen to avoid the Landmark Commission’s lengthy review of any new sign. The neon’ BAR sign was painted to read EAR, after the musical Ear Magazine published upstairs."
This could be by design. Maybe US Post wanted you to buy the more expensive stamps. Which you have.
Mark, I can't help but think there's potentially a usage component to this as well. I imagine you spend less and less time on this desktop and more and more time on your iPad. My hypothesis is that if you used your desktop more, your desire to replace it might increase. Thoughts?
Not only does it makes practical sense to stick with something what works - it makes economic sense. This is something that baffles me given the economy today. There seems to be a sort of battle between common sense and say… broader "expectations" (and you know what I mean about expectations don't you?)
Normal people don't have the time or money to keep up with *everything*. And Chris notes that you probably have a bunch of other computing devices to work with.
The only real problem with the "it works so I'm staying with it" approach to hanging onto stuff is *how that makes you look to other people*. It really is just about perception. So say for example, your monitor might have lost you some work with a potential client because it made them wonder about their idea of who they think you are.
My Gmail switched, they "upgraded" the design, and now I'm suddenly working slower in my email. Thanks Google! What's good for their valuation, is bad for my productivity.
I agree with this. I like things to work, reliably, when I need them, and don't like change just for change's sake.
I've had the same cell phone for 8 years. It doesn't do too much other than to make phone calls, which is all I need and want my cell phone to do.
I still use paper "At-A-Glance" calendars (rather than a PDA)!
As I approach the 1/2 century mark, I still have some perfectly serviceable articles of clothing from middle school, high school and college (that still fit).
I have these things because they work for me. When they stop working I replace them...well eventually! :-)
I had the same experience with that USPS kiosk. Dreadful UI. Its design is actually counter-intuitive.
I feel like you are channeling Andy Rooney...