Manual Actions: A Cautionary Tale

The algorithm’s job is to keep you safe — mostly from yourself. Manual buttons are like playing with sharp objects. Please don’t hurt yourself. Machines are better at this. Go watch media. — Murderbot

Powston’s Magic Mode makes 288 trading decisions every day. It reacts to prices, forecasts, and your usage in seconds — far faster (and calmer) than any of us can.

Manual actions are tempting, but here’s the reality:

Export/Import: Fun in the moment, usually worse in hindsight.
Auto/Charge/Discharge: Runs the house mostly on self-consumption, but can miss opportunities.
Auto-Curtail: Handy if you want zero exports, but Magic Mode often handles that automatically.

Stories about why prices move (“people turned on their heaters”) are comforting, but markets don’t work that way. You’re up against pro trading desks and unpredictable events. The only thing that matters: prices settle in 20 seconds — and that’s when Powston gets to work. Think Flash Boys, not fairy tales.

Manual controls are there if you need them. But for everyday trading, the smart move is simple: leave it in Magic Mode and Powston does the work.

PS If you can't tell, I am a Martha Wells fan. If you have time, check out her books or the Apple TV series.