Elegant Automation v. "Beautiful Complexity" Automation

[asb3pe]

In theory, I strive for elegance in my designs, but that bogs me down and causes me to question everything I do. Should this block go here? Or maybe over there would look better? Maybe a different look would be nicer? etc.
In practical terms, I always end up just "gettin' er done", no matter how it looks. It's usually a jumble of wires and conduits and pipes and machines, but it works so I don't touch with it and play with it to try and make it look cooler or prettier. After it's complete, I step back and admire it. And loathe it too. On the one hand, I'm happy I did it and got everything working! On the other hand, I'm upset that I always strive for elegance and never end up with very much (in my own opinion). So I always seem to be both a bit happy and a bit upset after I build something significant. Then I go watch some youtube videos of the amazing stuff other people have built, and I feel even worse about my lack of elegance. I feel like that Neanderthal dude in the Geico commercials, resigned to a minecraft life of very practical and efficient, but inelegant builds.

 

[Inaeo]

In theory, I strive for elegance in my designs, but that bogs me down and causes me to question everything I do. Should this block go here? Or maybe over there would look better? Maybe a different look would be nicer? etc.
In practical terms, I always end up just "gettin' er done", no matter how it looks. It's usually a jumble of wires and conduits and pipes and machines, but it works so I don't touch with it and play with it to try and make it look cooler or prettier. After it's complete, I step back and admire it. And loathe it too. On the one hand, I'm happy I did it and got everything working! On the other hand, I'm upset that I always strive for elegance and never end up with very much (in my own opinion). So I always seem to be both a bit happy and a bit upset after I build something significant. Then I go watch some youtube videos of the amazing stuff other people have built, and I feel even worse about my lack of elegance. I feel like that Neanderthal dude in the Geico commercials, resigned to a minecraft life of very practical and efficient, but inelegant builds.

I feel you pain, and I identify all too well.

 

[darkeshrine]

I don't know, the more complex the automation, the more it tends to create lag issue. I like trying to find the smallest way to automate something.

 

[ShneekeyTheLost]

If it is 'front facing', then I go for beauty. If it is 'behind the scenes' I typically go for efficiency. I give no damns for cost, that's simply a matter of resource generation. However, my behind the scenes automation typically is set up for maximum efficiency. Whatever gets the job done the most efficient in the least amount of space involved. Which generally involves EnderIO Conduits.

Front facing, however, I do like to make things look good, which is where Thermal Dynamics comes into play, so you can see the stuff flying around the tubes.