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The biggest productivity boost I've ever had is switching from excel 2003 to 2007. Before I had a limit of 65k rows, now I had just over a million! A whole new
by Devasta 2y ago
The biggest productivity boost I've ever had is switching from excel 2003 to 2007. Before I had a limit of 65k rows, now I had just over a million! A whole new world in calculation had opened up.
I can't really recall anything that's come out since then that matches it.
- lotsofpulp 2y agoHaving a computer in one’s pocket connected to broadband internet at almost all times with the capability to navigate, pay, search, communicate (globally, at no cost), photograph, and work on that million row spreadsheet seems close to matching Excel 2003 to 2007. Obviously, it can distract too, but for me, it’s easily been a net positive for productivity.
- shswkna 2y agoPlease, could you elaborate how it has worked for you? Specifically how do the productivity gains balance out all the available distractions? Or are you just particularly talented at singleminded focus?
- lotsofpulp 2y agoMostly, I remember the inefficient of life before smartphones. A very specific thing I was unable to do before was pull up a video on how to fix almost anything, anytime. House projects, car repair, networking/computer issues at someone else’s house, etc. Another is checking stock and comparing prices while I am shopping. I waste near zero time finding items and where are in a store, and finding the best price I can buy them at. Yet another is taking pictures for my reference, or to send to others instead of having to describe something. Being able to video call has made resolving so many problems quicker and easier. Product manuals are at my fingertips. Buying a flight. Researching a vacation while sitting on mass transit. Finding places to eat withe menus amenable to my family’s taste while on the go.
- shswkna 2y agoThank you for the reply!
- grues-dinner 2y agoThis determination will swing wildly between huge positive and negative depending on what you use the phone for at work or during other "productive" activities, as well as what you define a productive activity (is watching a film on your phone after work productive? Depends on outlook and who you ask). A field engineer with access to manuals, video calls, a camera, an ERP app and the company expenses and so on: massive help. A guy at a desk with a computer: likely to be a distraction that didn't add anything not already available through the computer.
- lotsofpulp 2y agoOne could say similar for Excel, helping MBAs to sell and destroy organizational value that benefits many built over many years for short term gains benefiting a few. Also, in your example, I would expect a smartphone to be more distracting to someone that doesn’t already sit at a desk on an internet capable computer. The person in the field is the one who now has the ability to browse the web or whatever, whereas before that was limited to the person sitting at their desk.
- z3ncyberpunk 2y agoHaving an addictive propaganda and surveillance device in one's pocket at almost all times.
- benoau 2y agoTabbed browsing.