Environmental or Skills-Based

　I think there are a lot of gadget enthusiasts out there, and it seems like “old-timer syndrome” is something we all recognize, both in ourselves and others. I’ve been thinking about what the most important thing to keep in mind is when buying a gadget. Of course, there’s the price, and whether you’ll actually use it right away… and so on.

　While thinking about what criteria to use, I took a broad look at the gadgets I’d acquired in the past… I realized they could be broadly divided into two categories: environmental and skill-based.“Environment-type” gadgets are ready to use right out of the box. In engineering terms, they’re the kind of gadgets that are “operational” right away. Examples include speakers, amplifiers, and standard keyboards. In contrast, “skill-type” gadgets, as the name suggests, require a certain level of skill to use. For example, musical instruments you’re encountering for the first time fall into this category, as do devices that require you to write your own programs. There are also gadgets that combine elements of both. Take split-keyboard setups, for instance. For someone experienced, they’d likely just integrate it into their setup—fade in—but for a beginner like me, it takes time to master.

　I wonder what kind of gadget I’ll get next?