Control: Never Gonna Stop Till I Get What I Want

I'm a Control Freak. I've said it a million times on this site, and I'm not shy about the fact. I want what I want, I want it to do it the way that I want, and I want it done know. I also want to be able to take the further step in the Control chain and customize it to my liking.

I suppose I should clarify here that I'm talking specifically about gadgets, gizmos, computers and electronics. I've always known that in order for some piece of tech to truly make me happy, I'll need to have full control over it, or at the very least the feeling of full control. I've argued for that benefit many times, and it's one of the reasons I prefer Windows over Mac (I've always felt more in control on a Windows machine), and one of the reasons I'm experimenting with Linux distros now. I want it to work, and I want it done now and in the exact manner that I want it done, and if it doesn't work, I want the uninhibited ability to find out why.

I've always thought myself to be a bit on the extreme end though, but that may not be so true. A Computer World article speculates that control, or perception of it, is the biggest reason products succeed or fail. Of course, other factors play in like UI and User Experience, but the article suggests that even if those two items are nailed in Testing, if the concept of control doesn't exist, the product will fail in the real world.

It's an interesting read, and definitely an interesting proposition. When we look at Gmail, for example, we see that it's not a pretty interface, yet many of us have converted because it feels like we have more control over our email than with any other mail service. Look at the rather meteoric success of the iPhone 3G over the original iPhone (the first did not perform badly, but the 3G has sold many more), which could be attributed to price as well, but I think it's the App Store more than anything else.

How much does control factor into your tech decision making process? With people looking to upgrade their tech this year, I have to wonder if this idea of control is a conscious decision making trait we look for, or if it's something we subconsciously look at, or maybe we don't look at all. What do you think?