Browsers, KISS and decisions

Browsers have to be the most used and under-talked-about software.

I don’t remember when, but at some point started using Safari and never looked back. I like the simplicity and the way the bookmarks and pins work. I like how the developer tools are laid out. The developer tools do not seem the best, but I like how easy it is to find what I want.

Lately, though, I have been testing other browsers. It started with work because I have so many passwords to maintain. So I created a Google account just for a work password manager. I have to remember one password.

I cannot remember why, but Google started pissing me off. Maybe it was slow, or crashing or always logging me out, but I said f-it. I’m going to Firefox.

I like Firefox. It’s probably my second favorite browser after Safari for usability and interface, especially for work. It’s quite simple, has a nice password manager, and just works… until I started crashing a remote network because Firefox was using too much memory.

Add in freelance marketing, web design, SEO, and time tracking and honestly, you cannot beat the Google extensions that assist with this.

And we haven’t even talked about Edge (I just don’t), Arc which was like going to an alien planet, weird and fun, I’m sure could be great but the learning curve is rough, and Opera which is top tier in privacy.

There are so many options and depending on what you need there is most definitely something for everyone.

I am trying to love Google Chrome because of the extensions, but often find myself drifting back to Safari for things.

Tell me what is your preference? You go to browser?

The exact opposite of Occam’s razor is Merriam Webster’s definition, a mouthful of $50 words that require multiple read-throughs to digest.

Better examples of Occum’s razor are “When you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras” or as the US Navy KISS design principle states, “Keep it simple, stupid”.

Simple is not easy, and the harder the problems you are trying to solve, often start with complex solutions. Weirdly, the simplest solutions don’t seem to be the first idea.

This is where the art of subtraction comes in. How much can you remove or refine before you lose critical elements?

A mantra that has been trained in me, is “You make the best decisions you can with the information you have,” followed swiftly with, “Not making a decision, is a decision.” Honestly cannot say how many times I have heard those words.

And I believe them. I believe in them. I think this is how good business people (or anyone needing to make a decision) can do so quickly. How people are able to move fast, and iterate or adapt. They don’t stew and fester. They take what they know, and make a call. And when new information arises, there is no ego, they adjust the call as needed.

When solving problems and making a choice, I like to lay out my constraints and non-negotiables. Once I know what I have to deal with, with results or boundaries I need to manage, I am often left with a certainly on a path forward.