I think a lot about tools.
Truth be told, I think about tools just about all day, every day. We at 4TLAS build tools. I’ve spent a good portion of my career building tools.
What makes a great tool?
It works and feels right. It’s pleasant to use and disappears into the work. It’s intuitive but may require practice. Practicing with it provides joy.
It solves your problem. Not just a problem. Your problem.
It makes you better. It provides a capability that you didn’t have previously, or it increases your capacity and value in a way that was impossible without it.
It teaches. It helps you understand the problem and solution better. It reveals patterns and encourages innovation, new directions, or new uses.
It fades into the flow. You either stop noticing it, or you build your vernacular around it.
Great tools have function, of course, but they’re also art. They make us, or allow us, to feel.
Here are some great tools:
A well-balanced hammer, language, a map, a level, the library, Google search, a compass, a great question, breath, a straight edge, needle and thread, a mirror, a well-formed analogy, a broom, a ToDo list, a perfectly weighted cordless drill, your legs (arms, hands, and feet), a flashlight, a hockey stick, a backpack, and a calendar.
I think LLMs are on the cusp of being great tools. Not quite yet. But maybe soon.
The best tools don’t just help us do. They help us become and enjoy the journey.
