Why I like things: home office, a house and too much curiosity

I'm Marc, a programmer, tech nerd and probably the kind of person who does not simply turn on a new lamp, but first wants to know whether it can be controlled through an app, an automation or a stupid workaround.

That is not always healthy.

But it is often very entertaining.

I work from home a lot, which means I spend more time at my own desk than I sometimes want to admit. Small things become obvious there: a keyboard that annoys me. A microphone that makes calls sound like a wet cardboard box. Lighting that makes the room feel more like a dentist waiting area than home.

That is where good stuff starts for me.

Tech does not have to be spectacular

I do not like products that only impress on a spec sheet.

Of course I read spec sheets. Way too many of them. But in the end, something else matters: Do I actually enjoy using it? Does it make something better without constantly pushing its existence into my face?

A good keyboard eventually becomes just the keyboard. A good webcam makes sure I do not look like a hostage video on VHS. A good robot vacuum reduces the little floor mess you otherwise ignore for three days.

That is not glamorous.

That is everyday life.

Owning a house is dangerous

Since owning a house, the playground has become bigger.

Before that, a gadget was usually something for the desk. Now it can suddenly involve the network, lights, cleaning, doorbell, cameras, coffee corner or some hallway spot that was absolutely never supposed to become a project.

Spoiler: every corner can become a project.

That is the trap. A house gives tech ideas room. You try something, notice that it is actually useful, and suddenly you stand there on a Saturday thinking: "Actually, I could automate this a little cleaner."

Nobody asked. You do it anyway.

Why I recommend things

I do not recommend something because it is new.

Not because it is expensive.

And not because a product page puts eight exclamation marks behind a feature.

I recommend things when they stick. When, after a few weeks, I notice that I no longer want to return, replace or mentally improve them.

That is why this site exists. The bigger starting point is Why guteszeug exists. Concrete examples are things like the Keychron Q3 Max, Hermes as everyday AI or, later, some light strip where I convince myself that atmosphere is a valid technical use case.

It is, by the way.

The actual standard

I am not trying to collect perfect products.

Perfect products almost never exist.

I want to collect things where the everyday upside is bigger than the flaws. Things that are pleasant without constantly demanding attention. Things where I can honestly tell someone: "Take a look at this, it might fit you."

There is not much more behind it.

Just some curiosity, a home office, a house and far too little resistance against good stuff.