[megaman22]

> Your task is to keep your house at a steady 70F when you're there, and 55F when you're not. Can you do this task more quickly now than you could 20 years ago?

I can, but I still have an old, analog thermostat that I could have had 20 years ago. Just turning the dial every time is, in my experience, much easier than fussing and babysitting a "smart" thermostat.

[neogodless]

I only have experience with the "not very smart" programmable thermostats, which I adore. I've had one for over a decade with no issues. When I bought another house, it was one of the first things I put in. It's "slightly" easier (lower effort) to program it once and never touch it again (except for "exceptions") then to try to remember each time I move from zone to zone or go to work. Definitely pays for itself in net lower energy (unless you're super diligent yourself, which I am not!)

[ehnto]

Imagine every switch in your house was just a screen, you had to swipe to unlock it, and then find the light switch you're standing at in a list of all switches in the house. That would be a nightmare.