Skip to main content

The Value of Simplicity

Navigating information technology often means navigating through layers of competing platforms. For every choice in operating system, there are choices for word processors, browsers, chat applications, media players, etc. As a fan of GNU/Linux, I'm also a fan of choice, so I have no complaints about the options. As long as you know what you want or are willing to explore, you can find an operating system and software suite that at least mostly meets your needs. I find that most people are really not interested in doing so and as such just use whatever they first learn.

If all software were created equal, there would be no problem with taking applications as you find them. Unfortunately, there are merits and demerits to every choice, and, even worse, there is a cost to switching. A quirky application you know is better than a quirky application you don't know, especially when productivity is an issue. As such, it's often to a user's benefit to survey a few options. Of course, competition for users causes a bit of standardization, so trying out a new application (or even a new OS) is really not all that difficult. I had my students do just that with Ubuntu a few semesters ago, and I really enjoyed reading about what they learned when they tested the waters.

Having as much experience as I do, I've developed some pretty clear preferences on OS and application, and I keep an eye on new developments to test or revisit other options. Nevertheless, I've found that as I've learned more, I find I need less out of an application. Take word processing for an instance. I like LibreOffice, and I can use Word with about an equal level of proficiency, but nothing beats LaTeX for formatting control and (with BibTeX) citation management. While there is a somewhat steep learning curved to LaTeX (I recommend testing the waters with LyX, a more user-friendly presentation), one of the main benefits is that I can edit a document with nothing more fancy than a text editor. 

Converting documents from one format to another often creates artifacts or errors that have to been cleared up by hand. In general, it's best to stick with one application and one format, especially for a document in process. When without access to the preferred set of tools, compromises will have to be made, and sometimes compromises harm productivity. Furthermore, unless you've in the Apple-verse, mobile devices have made working cross platform even more important. As such, I really value the ability to open a file on any device and work with it.

In this process, I've gained a appreciation for simple text editors like Kate and gedit. When composing simple documents such as this post, I don't need tend to need italics or citations. Even less so when putting together reading notes or early drafts of longer articles. I do need a program that opens quickly (no splash screen), doesn't offer formatting assistance, and has inline spellcheck (negotiable). I get all of that with any text editor, including the one on my phone. No matter the platform, I can write, so I don't have to lose time just because I can't access my computer.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

RPG Systems: An Analogy with UI Design

The current game in our weekly role-playing group is Deadlands. The previous game was Shadowrun. Both rule systems lie closer to the “chunky” side of the spectrum. Shadowrun has a particular reputation for its complex and somewhat cumbersome rules, and while Deadlands has less overall complexity, the system has a degree of granularity that interrupts play more often than it enhances narration. I enjoy role-playing games because I like participating in a good story. The rules system provides a set of constraints for the characters, the setting, and the conflicts. They help give the narrative structure, a background against which the story will take place. Too few rules, and telling an interesting and well-developed story becomes difficult. Too many rules tend to get in the way of individual scenes or events. With the right balance, it’s possible for the game master, usually me, to be sufficiently fluent in the rules system to resolve any conflict without extended consultation of on

Some Thoughts on Dharma Decline

Many of these blog entries have concerned my main research in political philosophy, intellectual property and technology. Now for something a little different, I thought I would write up some thoughts on another area of interest: Buddhism. For those who don't know, I've taught courses in Buddhism since I began teaching, having learned a great deal from my undergraduate advisor, Donald Hanks, and Ashok Aklujkar, a now-retired professor of Indian languages, literature and philosophy for whom I served as teaching assistant during my time at UBC. Thanks to their instruction, I developed a solid knowledge of the Indian Buddhist tradition, and I've used what they taught me to deepen and develop that knowledge to improve my teaching and my personal meditation practice. While I don't want to write a full tutorial on Buddhist thought, I would like to discuss a notion that prevails in some traditions, and that discussion will require one to know a few basic ideas. At its cor

Justifications for Intellectual Property Part 1: Utilitarianism

There is no way this tutorial series would be complete without some discussion of justifications for intellectual property. While not necessarily a matter of law, some knowledge of the philosophical foundations will provide a better sense of the values at stake in intellectual property debates. Notice, for instance, that the tutorials on fair use were punctuated with appeals to values, social goods, and individual rights. Without an understanding of the moral and political framework against which the law stands, one can very easily find oneself in a stalemate, with one value pitted against another and no way of deciding which should prevail. To understand the jurisprudence around intellectual property rights, one has to have some idea of the justifying theories to which attorneys and judges appeal in their arguments and decisions. So, without further ado, let's get to the tutorial. There are three main ways of justifying intellectual property rights: the Utilitarian theory, th