Services can be tools as well. The aforementioned If This Then That (which
can also be used to control WeMo smart plugs), aims to make it easier for non-
technical users to link up and program devices and services.
Tools aren’t bad. They can be very powerful for users with technical or
domain knowledge. Users who have the time and motivation to configure a
system to meet their own very specific needs and aren’t daunted by the need to
learn the system may really enjoy this process. This could be the home brewer
who enjoys rigging his or her own fermentation chamber out of an old fridge
(see figure 4.11). Or a horticulturalist might be motivated to learn about the
technology to configure a remotely controlled plant monitoring, watering and
feeding system. Tools give us the possibility to be creative and take control of
our environment.