Home Automation For Dummies

Chapter 3

Determining Your Home Automation Needs (and Wants)

In This Chapter

Considering which factors are important to your home automation needs

Determining what you want to automate in your home

To be prepared is half the victory.

— Miguel de Cervantes

It’s all about the preparation, friend.

Do you think General George S. Patton was prepared when his troops went into battle? Can you imagine one of the greatest leaders in United States military history just showing up with a few guys he picked up at the bar on the way to the front lines? No, I don’t think so. Patton knew his troops and they knew him, and as such they were prepared for whatever was thrown their way.

If you ever saw the late Steve Jobs at an Apple event launching a new product, like the iPhone, I doubt the word “unprepared” comes to mind. The man was a master showman and salesman, and every pitch had been made to perfection. I’ll bet Jobs knew where every crease and wrinkle in his turtleneck was.

Julia Child could cook, I’ll have you know. As one of the world’s premiere chefs in her day, she was also an international celebrity with her own cooking show. When she cooked on her show, every single ingredient was already measured and prepared, and all she had to do was reach for everything she needed, keeping ...