LAN-ID

Derick Moore - June 2002 - JDR Catalog 104

The value of a 'good' tool is difficult to estimate, whereas, a 'bad' tool is easy to identify and leaves no question as to its real value.

Bad tools break when you need them the most. They bruise your knuckles, bend under pressure, and go dull when the going is tough.

They are hard to use, confuse you with their lack of precision, weigh down your toolbox, and mislead you into putting off the purchase of good tools.

They are advertised with smiling owners, features to solve every problem, and used on brand new products that won't break a nail or smudge your clean white shirt. Stay away from low grade tools.

And my point is? I like tools that are easy to use, solve a few problems well, take an appropriate amount of space, and don't require that I haul along a manual of instructions. An oscilloscope is a wonderful tool for a certain range of problems, but it is overkill to the extreme in many situations.

I like the LAN-ID because it is easy to use, easy to read, and flexible enough to quickly check out one or a dozen LAN connections in a hurry. It is after all, a niche tool, but one which both a technician and an administrator can use with equal ease. That qualifies it as a 'good' tool, and a must have for network troubleshooting.

(Now if I could just learn how not to bend so many nails! Perhaps if I had a cheap hammer, I could blame it for my problems.)