The frustration expressed by that Reddit user is entirely justified, and it points to a design inconsistency that has no good excuse. When SUMIFS asks for three separate arguments (sum range, criteria range, criteria) while FILTER demands that you embed the condition as an expression inside a single argument, users are left to memorize arbitrary rules instead of applying logic. This is not a matter of preference or style; it is a failure of consistency that slows everyone down.
For anyone who works with data regularly, this inconsistency creates a mental tax that adds up. Every time you switch between functions, you have to pause and recall which syntax the function expects. The user who posted this question is not alone, countless spreadsheet users have hit the same wall. The practical consequence is that people avoid powerful functions like FILTER simply because the syntax feels unintuitive. That is a loss for productivity, and it is a loss that could be avoided with a more thoughtful design.
The good news is that this problem is not inevitable. AI-native spreadsheet tools can learn from these pain points and offer a better way. Instead of forcing users to remember whether a function takes two arguments or three, a smart tool can recognize intent and adapt. If you type "FILTER this range where column A equals 'X'", the system should understand that as naturally as it understands "SUMIFS this range where column A equals 'X'". The burden of memorizing syntax should shift from the user to the tool.
What this means for you is simple: you do not have to accept this friction as normal. If you find yourself hesitating before writing a FILTER or SUMIFS formula, that is a sign that the tool is not working for you, you are working for it. The spreadsheet of the future should let you focus on what you want to accomplish, not on how to spell the command. Until that future arrives, the best advice we can offer is to keep questioning these inconsistencies. Every time a user asks "why?" they push the industry toward a more human-centered design.