Good vs Better

The French philosopher Voltaire said that "Good is the enemy of Better."  This has been translated in several different ways and interpreted in even more.  I would like to use it today to describe a situation which is probably not that uncommon.  In fact, I wonder how many times I have limited myself because of this.

Pat, the bookbinder who has taught me the basics of book binding as well as many tricks of the trade is now placing some of his valuable books for sale on Biblio.com.  Biblio allows him to describe in great detail each of the books he wants to sell.  He also has the ability to include pictures of each book.  Pat has worked with computers before and is a quick learner But as I watch him I notice little things that he does which could be eliminated or done in a more efficient manner.

For example, to scan the cover of a book, he has been placing the book on the scanner, then masked the rest of the glass scanning plate with  paper.  If he's lucky the scanner will detect blank paper and actually crop the scan to show only the book's cover.  But that doesn't happen all the time so he is often left with a small picture of the book and lots of surrounding white space.

When I first suggested a better way of using his scanner by Previewing first then scanning only the book image, he resisted saying, "I know what I'm doing now and that is Good Enough."  I persisted - gently and he finally agreed to try a new way.  A couple of mouse clicks replaced all that paper masking and hoping .  After trying the new way a few more times and even writing it down, he asked me why I hadn't told him how to do that sooner.  I don't think he yet believes that I tried because he can't remember rejecting my proffered help because his way was Good Enough.

How many times have I rejected Better because what I had was Good Enough?  Would I welcome someone sitting at my shoulder watching how I work and offering me Better ways to do things?  How often when I find a way to do something that works Good Enough do I continue to look for even Better ways to accomplish the task?  How about you?  I'm just asking.