I like how the contrary opinions are converging on “act retired.”
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I have a Studio display being driven by a 14" MBP and when I switch between the cameras and ask people which looks better they tell me that there isn’t a noticable difference. I haven’t had one person (out of the 6 or 7 that I’ve asked) tell me that the MBP camera looks better. To me, they look similar, but frankly on a Zoom call nobody has especially good picture quality.
…and that (contrary opinion here?) is probably a good thing.
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As an elderly retired physician, I am familiar with the “danger” that falling poses to old people. I generously place “automatic” nightlights in many locations of the house.
I am happy with the brand AUVON.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MHVTHQS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
The simplicity of the system is what appeals to me most. I know that I will not have to Google some topic in the future if something goes “wrong”. At worst I can just throw them away.
A small metal plate is glued to the wall. The device sticks magnetically to that. If it is DARK and if it DETECTS MOTION, it turns on for about 20 seconds. That is it. I don’t care if servers crash or if new software comes out etc. It goes for several months before needing to be recharged. Just pull off wall and recharge and then stick back in place. It does not care where outlets are in your house. It doesn’t care where its companions are. It does care if some hub power supply get dislodged by the dog. There is no “conflict” with some other device. It does only one thing: turn on when it detects motion in the dark. If it ever fails, then it gets throw away.
After the recent home automation podcast, I bought a hub and various “devices” for Christmas just so I can “understand” home automation more. After the holidays I will play with this stuff for my amusement. But I am aware that when I have done similar stuff in the past I just have to deal with more “stuff” to be dusted and “understood” months after purchase.
I have embedded memories from childhood so I know how to turn lights on and off using switches.
I am glad that others are pushing this technology along. I am interested enough to play with it. But I am not embracing more complexity in my life and that of my spouse. About once every two months, I have to do something with my WiFi because there is some problems with some device. Syncing data is very convenient but there is a drumbeat of occasional failures or “peculiarities” that are going to demand my attention. Managing backup. Etc. For me this stuff works most of the time: say 98%. But then a problem rolls around and off you are again having to deal with it. I do not want to “add” to this pile of things even when it is “almost” perfect.
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I completely agree. I find it crazy that people invest so much in lighting and security systems. I got one lighting hub to test and find a switch more convenient than opening my phone or asking Siri.
Also, all the home security with smart devices makes zero sense to me. I’ve had two houses broken into in the past and the first thing the robbers did was cut power on both occasions. This makes most “smart” security systems useless as it disconnects power and Wi-Fi. I know a friend who spent hundreds on cameras, and then they were robbed, and the intruder cut the electricity before they entered so nothing was recorded. I much prefer professional systems that use batteries and SIM cards so they work during robberies.
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Thanks for the product suggestion, I just added a few of these to my cart. I can think of several places in the house for these especially in our guest bedrooms and bathrooms.
I am pleased that people are advancing this technology, as I can see its potential. However, based on my own experience with two light switches that required resetting in HomeKit approximately every month (I have subsequently put them in a drawer), the potential headaches and extra time that this technology often requires to maintain lowers the cost to benefit ratio. I am an example of technology adding unintended cost in lost time, lost productivity and increased frustration with my recent difficulties with syncing my Apple Notes. This experience reinforces my position that I will only use home automation when it is a much more seamless, plug and play experience. It will get there, but it is not there yet.
Case in Point: MyQ getting worse and worse, any good alternatives?
Here’s what I suggest for learning shortcuts, based on cognitive science.
When you want to invoke a shortcut, but it doesn’t immediately come to mind, just sit with that for a few seconds before looking up the shortcut. Actively try to recall the shortcut. This primes your brain to integrate the answer after you look it up. It might not immediately seem like it helps, but our brains integrate these associations when we sleep, and over time it should help.
I do like live preview. Part of the attraction of markdown for me, is the principle found in other systems like LaTeX - separating the text from its presentation. Just type and don’t worry about what it looks like. Mark some text as to what you want it to do (emphasize, reference, etc.). Work out the display later. Microsoft Word, Pages, et al. have unwittingly turned us all into desktop publishers.
Such a great show for the first few seasons.
My cadre of Hue bulbs have worked well. I’ve never experienced the update woes that others are relating. Hands free operation is nice. I can stay warm under the covers and tell Siri to turn off all the lights. I have outside lights come on in the morning so school kids waiting for the bus across the street have a little light. The light strip on our stairs is motion sensitive and helps us see. My wife’s bedside lamp gently increases in brightness in the morning to simulate sunrise and help her wake up in the correct sleep cycle. Automation closed our garage door last night at 9:00pm because we forgot it was open. Etc.
I’ve probably posted somewhere above (actually 12 times when I searched it), but here are today’s contrary opinions:
- a lot of free software is really good
- Apple forces us to buy new, rather than upgrade what we have. E.g. there’s no reason for iOS devices not to have a microsd slot. There’s no reason M1/2 devices can’t have expandable memory and storage.
- single core performance of M1/2 devices is about the same as a recent iPhone.
- I’m trying to be less acerbic, so will sit on the others.
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The 2019 Macbook Pro 16" is still the most powerfully versatile of all Macbook Pros.
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Paper Planners have turned into art sketch books on the internet, think Hobonichi. There are no websites/blogs to give direction anymore for work use of a paper planner. I’m still using mine (Jibun Techo Biz mini B6 Slim with a custom cover from Etsy) as a planner for work every day. My work as an independent technician entails many jobs a day, and every day is different. No patterns at all. It’s much faster to write one entry in a specific place in my paper planner than type all of the details into Calendar. I’m finding I don’t use the monthly calendar, either. That’s only going to be for special events. I also didn’t use the special pages in the front this last year.
The Zettelkasten method worked marvelously for the creator of his system because of the structure of his unique mind and the specific field he was writing and researching in. It may not work for another mind and/or another field. Everyone wants to be as productive as he was, hence the fascination with his method, but he was himself, and not you. Know thyself before considering planning and researching tools. Also, know that your mind and needs will change over time. Be flexible and kind to yourself if you need to be. There will be other times when you need to be hard on yourself, too. Balance.
DEVONthink Pro is too much for me and my needs (not wants; I want to use it, but really don’t need to). This past year, I’ve been trying out a lot of apps and spending too much money in the process that I can’t afford to spend. I’ve also been trying to radically simplify my processes so I can quit thinking about the process and just get work and life done. “Continuity is better than Change”, and that for a person who has never really known continuity until this year, to an extent. I’ve always lived in change in my computing life.
EDIT: more contrary opinions: I hate tags and labels and Markdown. I’m a rich text note in a folder guy. Keep It v 2 works fine so long as one doesn’t fill it as much as you can fill Evernote. My undone tasks are a Checklists smart folder in Keep It.
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My contrary opinion is that a lot of the opinions in this thread aren’t really that contrary, 
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I 100% agree! For 2023 I’m eliminating the following podcasts Mac Power Users, Connected, and Upgrade from my queue so as not to be tempted to fiddle with my setup.
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I’ve already committed to saving money in 2023. Minimizing my tech and media consumption is now a new resolution as well, and it’ll help with the saving money goal as well.
Now – I just need to make a note of this so I don’t forget. I think I’ll make a “2023 Goals” document. Evernote or Obsidian? Or could I put this in Todoist? Maybe moving it all into NotePlan would help if I could just — there, I’m doing it again. LOL.
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I have similar ones, albeit smaller, inside my cupboards. They work as expected, and are futureproofed via USB charging and being easily replaceable.
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This is not a contrary opinion at all, but lately I am becoming more and more sensitive to switching costs when considering a new app.
I’m still doing a lot of switching – perhaps more than I would like — as my work has required me to use Windows for the past few months, and therefore I have had to switch from Apple-only tools to Microsoft and cross-platform tools.
But I am becoming more sensitive to the fact that even the better tool is not necessarily better, if the time cost of switching outweighs the long-term benefit.
I know these insights are not new, but they became fresh to me when I was chatting with a friend a few months ago. He is one of the most productive people I know – maybe one of the most productive people in the world. He wrote seven or eight books since 2020. Like me, my friend is a heavy RSS user, and the last time I checked in with him a few years ago he was using newsblur. I asked him if that is still the case and he said yes because it seems satisfactory to him, and he just doesn’t like to switch apps as much as I do.
That said, I switched off Inoreader a few months ago, because it was too hairy uncomplicated at cost $10 a month. I tried newsblur briefly and ended up at Feedbin. Every few weeks I look at the readwise reader app, which is in beta, to see if it suits my needs, but it does not. At least not yet.
So I guess I am not living up to my non-switching principle just yet. But I hope I’m getting there!
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@MitchWagner have you documented or written about the impact/changes in your workflow/app stack as a result of using Windows…Seems like a big change in itself.
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If I could just get mine to work reliably, I’d agree with you 
I haven’t listened to any tech podcasts for a year now. My Apple Pencil lies unused as I could not get used to the confines of app selection and pencil grip on glass.
At work, I’m a technical writer, I mind map on an A3 pad or my huge office whiteboard. My work is entirely Windows based using Word, InDesign and Illustrator.
Tasks are either MS Planner or written in my A5 spiral bound notebook.
I don’t even get on with my calendar app on IOS as I find it so clunky to enter something. I’m not quite ready to go back to a Sasco year planner but I like the 20,000 ft view of my next few weeks and months and I haven’t been able to achieve that using tech.
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Some of the most productive people I’ve ever known find a workflow that works for them and never change until they have a strong reason to do so. One was a senior executive who used a Franklin Covey wire-bound planner. AFAIK he mainly used his Mac mainly for email and reading reports.
He did, however, use his personal Mac for a great number of things.
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This is me as well and I’ve reverted to MS To Do for now. Yes, others are possibly better, prettier and with more features (than I generally use) but the disconnect between home and work leaves me feeling unproductive and ineffective having to switch all the time.
I could use Reminders via iCloud at work but MS just done just enough with connection between apps that there is some benefit. OneNote is becoming my note taker of “choice”. I’m in the process of committing to it around the philosophy of “one source of truth” which has a comforting element - though I am toying with the idea of a SuperNote A6x - because the “new shiny” syndrome is alive and well!
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Brainstorming, doodling, mind-mapping, outlining, prototyping ideas, etc is way faster, easier, and more satisfying with loose leaf paper and a black ballpoint pen than with an iPad and Apple Pencil.
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