Have you ever found yourself using a tool in a most unusaual way?  A way in which you are sure that the designer of the tool never intend the tool to be used.  Is this behavior a good thing or a bad thing?  Is this new usage a testestimonial to the original design of the tool, or to your lack of judgement in selection of the tool, or perhaps a statement of frustration at the situation?

What do these images bring to mind?

Who needs a box-end wrench when you have channel locks?

Is it Hammer-Time? Beat it or pull it.

Who's calling - pardon me while I see if you are on the level?

So which iPhone application do YOU use the most?  Is it the phone? I’ll bet it is not!  Was that the original intention of this wonderful device?

Certainly of the tools above I have used the hammer the most in my life and in the most creative ways beyond the intention of the designer.  After all Mr. Hammer (inventor of the tool) did not intend it to be used as a weight tied to a rope and thrown over a tree limb to hoist a young kid up a tree (reminder to young kids bring the hammer in from the forest before it rains or your father will learn of the rusty hammers use).

Did the cell phone just usurpe the computer as the Meta-Tool of all creation?  Or does the hammer still win?

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This entry was posted on Sunday, June 28th, 2009 at 12:04 pm and is filed under commentary, tools. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.