When I explain to my wife those – ahem – items that show up on our credit card bill, she often looks at me and questions why I need to pay $60 a year for a calendar app, or $48 a year to track my tasks. Oh, Fantastical and Todoist respectively, in case you were wondering.
But it’s the little things they nail and perhaps more importantly, that I’m used to, that they get right.
I did a trial run of a few apps this week to see if I could finally say goodbye to Fantastical or Todoist but for yet another year, I don’t see it happening.
Fantastical - calendar sets, design, natural language parsing, various views, interesting calendars, same app across all devices.
Todoist - Quick add, natural language input, design, filters/labels.
But you know what minor thing really sets me off? Like, can’t use your app if you haven’t implemented it? I want and use a medium sized calendar widget. The one in Outlook is fine, but it insists on displaying with a white background unless my phone is in dark mode. That’s a non starter for me. White widget that can’t be adjusted to another colour – see ya.
I know, right.
What are some of those little things no one else notices that keeps you up at night?
I’ll add one more. Let’s say iOS releases a new feature that people are looking forward to (e.g. interactive widgets). If I’m paying you a sub, that widget better be ready to roll day one, or you should have a blog post stating why it’ll take a little longer. Not acknowledging a new feature and then letting it sit for months and months tells me you either don’t know about said new feature or you don’t care. Also something I deem to be not acceptable.
My ex’s parents bought me a cordless computer mouse for Christmas one year. It was a $15 Logitech wireless one (Unifying receiver, standard budget mouse). It went back to the store, and somehow they found out about it.
They were a little cranky. Why did I return it?
Because back then, I used a trackball, not a mouse. Because it didn’t fit my hand quite right. Because I have the beginnings of wrist issues and I frequently use my computer for the better portion of a day. Because for me, the comfort difference between a wireless mouse that doesn’t quite fit my hand and a trackball that fits it perfectly is huge over that period of time.
That’s not judgement on anybody who likes those mice. And it’s not judgement on the value of the Christmas gift. But it is a statement that the difference between a budget wireless mouse and a more expensive ($70 at the time) trackball - whether or not my in-laws could tell the difference - was huge to me.
To the title of the post, “Does being a power user increase your level of finickiness?”, yes. In the same way that academics are finicky about bookcases. In the same way contractors are finicky about things like batteries for their power tools. In the same way my hairstylist is finicky about scissors.
I don’t need the fancy scissors, batteries, or bookcases. But I do need quality input devices.
I can completely understand your reaction to the Mouse, If I’m going to use something on a daily or hourly basis, I’m going to buy something good which I enjoy using, and anything I touch regularly needs to feel like quality.
I’m fortunate that I’m able to do that, and I also subscribe to the maxim that if you buy cheap, you usually end up buying twice, this is especially true with Mattresses, Shoes and coats in my experience.
I’ve bought a number of cheap computer peripherals over the years and I just reached the point where I stopped, it was a false economy.
I’ve never been a power user. I was a guy that helped others with their first PC that eventually ended up in I.T. I’ve always enjoyed problem solving which is one reason I like participating in this forum. But I couldn’t care less about native apps or a good looking interface. Computers and programs are just tools to me. The Gmail app is relatively ugly but can create a Task linked to an email with two taps. And it can find any email in a few seconds, so that’s why I use it.
Does being a power user increase your level of finickiness? It can, just being a tech enthusiast can do that. And that’s fine as long as it doesn’t get you in debt, or in trouble with your boss (IMO). I can remember when getting a new computer was fun.
I won’t use a writing or notes app that won’t let me set iA Writer Quattro as the default for writing and editing (or, with reservations and as a distant runner up, a monospace font I find acceptable). But I usually shy away from using iA Writer itself, because the heavy-handed way it renders markdown codes annoys me in a way I can’t get used to.
In a markdown app, not only do cmd-i and cmd-b have to insert the markdown asterisks, but hitting the same shortcut again has to escape them. I also won’t use a markdown app that forces me to use underscores for those attributes instead of asterisks.
Who’s considered a power user seems to vary with the context. A power user in a marketing department probably wouldn’t be considered one by programmers.
From what I’ve seen, power users prefer native apps all other things being equal, but those who refuse to use anything but are usually just Apple fanboys. I recognize that native apps have real benefits, but sometimes other benefits outweigh them. I used Bear for a few years and liked it, but switched to Obsidian because I refuse to continue using an app I find inferior simply because it’s native.
The power users I’ve known have installed and done whatever works best for them, regardless of the opinions and preferences of others.
The command line isn’t an especially pretty interface, but it’s powerful.
The thing that keeps me using the Gmail app is scheduled send.
Yes, yes it does. I doubt my power user status these days, but I’m still finicky about software. And security methods (don’t get me started tonight, please, as I’m about ready to go nuts on our IT department for their flawed login security method). And many other things. It is a testament to my wife’s patience that she hasn’t killed me in the middle of the night.
But finickiness has its benefits. We don’t settle for just any ol’ crap that works poorly (or barely works at all). We appreciate the artistry in interface design. We understand that even after all these years, Windows UI just looks, well, very 1990s. It’s finicky people like us who prompt app developers to set their goals higher—and who push the envelope to keep us happy. Outlook is a mess, but then you look at something like Day One and see how nice a piece of software can be.
We should feel compassion for those who don’t get it. They probably also don’t get the beauty in art and music or the joy to be found in a great book or wonderful movie.
I think that @webwalrus had it right. Power user in this context is a bit misleading. I think that somebody who spends a lot of time doing something as a vocation or an avocation wants to use the best tools that they can afford. They want their “work” to be productive and feel smooth and pleasant.
I’ve bought a million cheap screwdrivers in my life and the ones that are still around are still miserable to use. Each keyboard that I buy is more expensive than the previous one. I type a lot and I want it to feel good. I much prefer playing my grand piano than an upright. Etc.
My first job from University was programming operating systems for Hewlett Packard.
Spent just enough time to learn the development process and reality of building production software.
Was recruited ‘across the street’ for a job I didn’t know existed until I took it - Software QA for operating systems of a fault-tolerant, high reliability online processing servers (Tandem Computers).
Later went on to other engineering and then marketing positions with various companies.
But those two jobs ‘cursed’ me with:
A no BS understanding of how software is built and how engineers do, or do not, actually do their job.
A lifetime obsession with perfection, and the inability of most products (both hardware and software) to achieve it.
Testing large systems used for everything from back-office banking to real-time-ish air traffic controls, impressed upon me how a few lines of bad code could cost millions and potentially cause some people to lose their lives.
Obviously, most PC and then Mac productivity software is a totally different game, but the pursuit of perfection, never achieved, has never completely be banished to the back burner of my brain.
Not really a power users but I spent a lot of times in front of a computer and I do get obsessed over the little things like windows placement, shortcuts to get things done, beautiful software that pleases the eye. My wife wished that I’d fuss over house chores as much as I fuss over the damn computers. She rolled her eyes when I was adjusting the keyboard/monitor/speakers while ignoring how crooked the placement of the TV and family photos on the wall. So yeah, I do get finicky over everything computers but I guess it is due to passion than being a power users
That’s one of the best things about this stuff. You can be as picky and idiosyncratic about it as you want, because it’s your setup and no one else has to use it.
On a similar page, in 2005 I was to buy an iPod Nanobut was preempted by my wife who bought a no-brand device. I did not dare to tell her that it was not was I was after, so I waited a few months and got an iPad Nano. Of course she noticed it, but she also understood. Fast forward 20 years, she keeps saying: “Any gadget you need, you already have it or intend to have it, this year you get shirts!” And she’s damn right, I’m less finicky with menswear.
In a similar vein, I have a standing rule that I never buy anybody a gift that is related to either their work, or something they are deeply passionate about. The only exception is if I have a clear and obvious reason to believe that it is exactly what they want.
I need note versioning, my choice of font, ability to pinch and zoom on handwritten notes, and better export. Other than that, it would totally work, but they keep avoiding those things with each iOS/OS update.
