The worst tool for the job
johndcook.com
The worst tool for the job
1–10 of 196 posts
Re: The worst tool for the job
#2What a great principle. One of those things I've felt for a long time but never express so well as John did.
This idea extends to many other things, like... sports equipment. Beginner runners/bikers/skateboarders/whatever will not really feel the difference between equipment that cost $100 and $1,000, so get the cheap one and use it to (its) death. If you're still into the sport by then, go ahead and get the nicer one. You'll actually appreciate the difference then and be happier, and also know that you'll actually make good use of it.
Another interesting way to put it: Minimum Viable Tool.
Re: The worst tool for the job
#3This extends to software.
Don’t start by building an app. Start with a spreadsheet. Figure out every step, get it real ironed out. Do manual work if you have to.
Only when you’re certain tht your idea solves a real problem and your magic spreadsheet is killing your will to live, then write code and make a real thing.
Too often people jump into building only to realize they have no idea what they need or that their idea isn’t needed.
Re: The worst tool for the job
#4Eh, something to be said for mid-range too.
I have a 12v cordless drill. Ended up saving me tons of work over the years but by no means either the best or the worst.
Musical instruments. The low-end ones tend to be true disasters.
Mid-range CPUs and GPUs are wonderful. Kitchen mixers, knives, screwdrivers, soldering irons, drill presses, etc.
Plenty of times the worst tool is so obviously terrible that you probably shouldn’t consider it. Sometimes the worst tool is dangerous, damages what you’re working on, or has bad ergonomics.
Bicycles. All those $100 bike-shaped objects out there. You don’t need to spend much more to get something comfortable that fits you and lasts a while.
Re: The worst tool for the job
#5Reminds me about how a lot of early Dropbox diagrams were just pencil sketches scanned and touched up. Someone had better things to do.
Re: The worst tool for the job
#6This extends to software. Don’t start by building an app. Start with a spreadsheet. Figure out every step, get it real ironed out. Do manual work if you have to. Only when you’re certain tht your idea solves a real problem and your magic spreadsheet is killing your will to live, then write code and make a real thing. Too often people jump into building only to realize they have no idea what they need or that their id…
There are millions of magic spreadsheets that kill people's will to live, lead businesses to make billion dollar bad decisions, etc. (We need weapons of mass construction, but spreadsheets-as-we-know-them are weapons of mass destruction.)
Re: The worst tool for the job
#7What a great principle. One of those things I've felt for a long time but never express so well as John did. This idea extends to many other things, like... sports equipment. Beginner runners/bikers/skateboarders/whatever will not really feel the difference between equipment that cost $100 and $1,000, so get the cheap one and use it to (its) death. If you're still into the sport by then, go ahead and get the nicer on…
I found a pretty big difference between a $20 tennis racket and a $60 racket. For one thing, any tennis racket is going to get loose if you play with it long enough. It cost more than $20 to redo the strings on a $20 tennis racket and $20 racket is going to send balls in totally the wrong direction in the next season.
Re: The worst tool for the job
#8I totally second this and I have been doing something similar for decades, for any kind of tool/equipment.
Re: The worst tool for the job
#9What a great principle. One of those things I've felt for a long time but never express so well as John did. This idea extends to many other things, like... sports equipment. Beginner runners/bikers/skateboarders/whatever will not really feel the difference between equipment that cost $100 and $1,000, so get the cheap one and use it to (its) death. If you're still into the sport by then, go ahead and get the nicer on…
I found a pretty big difference between a $20 tennis racket and a $60 racket. For one thing, any tennis racket is going to get loose if you play with it long enough. It cost more than $20 to redo the strings on a $20 tennis racket and $20 racket is going to send balls in totally the wrong direction in the next season.
Sure but you have to use it long enough for the stings to get loose. What percentage of tennis racket purchases are used more than once?
Re: The worst tool for the job
#10This is why I love using Emacs. It's great for one-off tasks, super customizable, and yet easily replaced by the right tool when needed.