Simplicity Vs Complexity In Modern Living.

[garbon]

I don't understand why this is dilemma. Some things are better when simpler, some are better when more complex.

The dilemma, of course, is which things are better complex and which are better when simple. Apparently opinions differ.

I don't know. Most people in this thread have said they like simple things.

[crazy canuck]

I don't understand why this is dilemma. Some things are better when simpler, some are better when more complex.

The dilemma, of course, is which things are better complex and which are better when simple. Apparently opinions differ.

I don't know. Most people in this thread have said they like simple things.

But what is meant by simple.  I am coming to love my Iphone because it is simple to use but it is a rather complex piece of technology.

[garbon]

I don't understand why this is dilemma. Some things are better when simpler, some are better when more complex.

The dilemma, of course, is which things are better complex and which are better when simple. Apparently opinions differ.

I don't know. Most people in this thread have said they like simple things.

But what is meant by simple.  I am coming to love my Iphone because it is simple to use but it is a rather complex piece of technology.

Indeed. Really there seems to be no real outline here of what we're talking about.

[derspiess]

Man, sometimes I wonder what I'd be doing if the Internet didn't exist.  I'd either be a lot better off, or a hell of a lot worse.

I'd be more productive, but a lot more bored.

[PDH]

Fuck simplicity.  Millions of poor people over centuries didn't have lives of squalor and tedium building the future of complexity that I live in for nothing.

You want me to turn my back on all the peasants of the past?  You are a cruel, heartless bastard, Mongers.

You know skis are rather simple things, maybe you should invent some gps enabled, motorised ones for your feet.   

You want simple skis, strap two barrel staves to your feet.

You want complex skis, get composite fiber skis with variable edges for telemarking if need be (I am assuming cross country here).

Fuck simplicity.  It causes splinters.

[crazy canuck]

Yeah, skis are a good example of something that is simple to use (just strap the suckers on) but for a really nice skiing experience you would want the skis the are complex in design and manufacture.

[Sheilbh]

I don't know. Most people in this thread have said they like simple things.

Yeah, but I agree with CC.  I think Apple's great virtue is that they make simple products.

[garbon]

I don't know. Most people in this thread have said they like simple things.

Yeah, but I agree with CC.  I think Apple's great virtue is that they make simple products.

Not per the opening context of this thread. The first post was explicitly against the complexity of smartphones.

[Sheilbh]

Not per the opening context of this thread. The first post was explicitly against the complexity of smartphones.

Yeah, but I said Apple in particular because I think they're good at avoiding 'faffing about new technology, learning it, updating it, finding answers to difficult technical issues'.  Their design in my experience is simple and intuitive, even though there's a lot going on behind the screen.  So I think mongers and I would disagree on our definition of simple.  For me it's more like uncluttered.

I imagine it takes quite a lot of thought to make a single speed bike worth it, though it is the 'simpler' option.

Edit:  Another example would be modernism, which I love in part for its simplicity.  But I know it's taken a long time and a lot of science to get to the point where we can build Unite d'Habitation, but I'd still consider that fundamentally 'simple' and that that's the point of it.

[mongers]

I don't know. Most people in this thread have said they like simple things.

Yeah, but I agree with CC.  I think Apple's great virtue is that they make simple products.

Remember this was a product in its last iteration that could only be held in a certain way, otherwise its core functionality of being a cellphone wouldn't actually work.  Had the designers spend so much time designing something with all many bells and whistles that they'd forgotten to test its basic functions ?

[HVC]

I don't know. Most people in this thread have said they like simple things.

Yeah, but I agree with CC.  I think Apple's great virtue is that they make simple products.

Remember this was a product in its last iteration that could only be held in a certain way, otherwise its core functionality of being a cellphone wouldn't actually work.  Had the designers spend so much time designing something with all so many bells and whistles that they'd forgotten to test its basic functions ?

you'd have to hold the phone in such a awkward and impractical way to render it useless as a cell phone. if i saw someone holding it in such a fashion it'd question their mental faculties.

[mongers]

I don't know. Most people in this thread have said they like simple things.

Yeah, but I agree with CC.  I think Apple's great virtue is that they make simple products.

Remember this was a product in its last iteration that could only be held in a certain way, otherwise its core functionality of being a cellphone wouldn't actually work.  Had the designers spend so much time designing something with all so many bells and whistles that they'd forgotten to test its basic functions ?

you'd have to hold the phone in such a awkward and impractical way to render it useless as a cell phone. if i saw someone holding it in such a fashion it'd question their mental faculties.

Then why did Apple actually give away for free a case to over come the problem and in the latest models that way of building the antenna has been abandoned ? 

[garbon]

I don't know. Most people in this thread have said they like simple things.

Yeah, but I agree with CC.  I think Apple's great virtue is that they make simple products.

Remember this was a product in its last iteration that could only be held in a certain way, otherwise its core functionality of being a cellphone wouldn't actually work.  Had the designers spend so much time designing something with all so many bells and whistles that they'd forgotten to test its basic functions ?

you'd have to hold the phone in such a awkward and impractical way to render it useless as a cell phone. if i saw someone holding it in such a fashion it'd question their mental faculties.

Then why did Apple actually give away for free a case to over come the problem and in the latest models that way of building the antenna has been abandoned ? 

I don't really understand how one design flaw that was later rectified has any role in this.

[HVC]

I don't know. Most people in this thread have said they like simple things.

Yeah, but I agree with CC.  I think Apple's great virtue is that they make simple products.

Remember this was a product in its last iteration that could only be held in a certain way, otherwise its core functionality of being a cellphone wouldn't actually work.  Had the designers spend so much time designing something with all so many bells and whistles that they'd forgotten to test its basic functions ?

you'd have to hold the phone in such a awkward and impractical way to render it useless as a cell phone. if i saw someone holding it in such a fashion it'd question their mental faculties.

Then why did Apple actually give away for free a case to over come the problem and in the latest models that way of building the antenna has been abandoned ? 

Get some PR back for the blown out of proportion reactions. You'd literally have to cover 3 sides of the phone, and even then you wouldn't lose the singal in most casses, just get a bad one. i have one of these phones, as do several of my friends.  i have never had the issues bitched about.

[mongers]

Not per the opening context of this thread. The first post was explicitly against the complexity of smartphones.

......

I imagine it takes quite a lot of thought to make a single speed bike worth it, though it is the 'simpler' option.

......

I'm not sure it is, sometimes the simple solution is the best, cheapest, quickest, most obvious solution to a specific problem.

But most bikes are sold as consumer durables, where a longer list of functions and specifications, wins out over simpler designs, the consumers thinks they're getting more, where as it's just extra stuff they have to move with their own limited motive power. 

So many people end up with a bike that has 27+ gears (many not usable), front and rear suspension and impressive looking tyres rather than asking someone experience to help them find the bike for their needs.