A Simple Tool

I've come to the realization that I love simple tools. My church's digital mixer is not such a tool. Most controls on the board have several functions depending on context. A user can only access many of the deeper functions through the central touchscreen. That touchscreen can only display eight channels at a time. This means I can't change the gain on channels nine and thirty-two at the same time. The complex nature of the board leads to a huge array of effects and equalizing tools, but it's not an easy tool to use.

Contrast this with the analog mixer sitting on my desk. I can touch each function's controls at the same time. There is no need to toggle a display to access hidden features: if I can adjust it, I can see it. If I can see it, I can adjust it. I don't have the options available to me on the big digital board, but my mixer does what I need it to do without a difficult learning curve.

As I look over the rest of my desk, another pair of simple devices catch my eye: a set of helping hands and my camera.


The helping hands are a soldering tool. They holds two components together so my hands are free to use the soldering iron and solder. A heavy base, a pair of alligator clips and a magnifier that folds away when it's not needed. There are other models available with extra features, but I just need a stand that holds two pieces of wire together.

Finally, my camera. Not a simple device, per se, but one with a simple purpose. To take a picture I turn it on and push the shutter release. There are insane combinations of settings, sure, but at it's core, this thing takes pictures. That's what I need it to do. When I use it the device itself gets out of the way and does what it's told.

These three devices give a broad picture of the principle I'm considering. The idea that a tool will do just what I need and do it well is growing more and more attractive to me as time goes on.

There are exceptions to the rule, of course. My iPhone and Mac Mini aren't simple tools. They're complex tools good at solving a variety of problems. There will always be a place for tools with a wide range of uses. But rather than filling our lives with tools that do more, it might be worth considering the tool best suited for the job.