4 ms·

I think all technological revolutions were a big game changer and people who didn't follow it lost a lot of advantages for that. It is the same with this one. N

by erikb 10y ago

I think all technological revolutions were a big game changer and people who didn't follow it lost a lot of advantages for that. It is the same with this one. Now if you are 55 years old (and this guy seems to be) and you have saved enough money to stop caring, then go ahead. But don't misunderstand that this is a luxury that you need to be able to afford. If you don't have rich parents, or saved enough money to live without the internet, you must must must find a place in the internet world that you can stay at (e.g. some FOSS 1990 style mailing list) and at least find some way to use social media (gnu social or G+ anyone?) in some reasonable way and have some kind of internet presence (e.g. a github page and some foss projects you supply commits to). Really, try if you can't afford the luxury to ignore it. Politics always talks about the gap between rich and poor that gets bigger and bigger. But the same is true for the gap between people who take part in the internet and use it to their advantage, and those who ignore it. Both these gaps already overlap to some degree, and that overlap will continue to grow!

jazzyb 10y ago
> you must must must find a place in the internet world that you can stay at (e.g. some FOSS 1990 style mailing list) and at least find some way to use social media (gnu social or G+ anyone?) in some reasonable way and have some kind of internet presence (e.g. a github page and some foss projects you supply commits to) I'm curious why you would say this. I understand that most of the people here are coders and github or the like would be a good place to point to potential employers for work samples, but a "1990s style mailing list" isn't going to increase your visibility enough to get hired. It almost sounds like you think a presence on the internet at all is a good end in itself. > Politics always talks about the gap between rich and poor that gets bigger and bigger. But the same is true for the gap between people who take part in the internet and use it to their advantage, and those who ignore it. Both these gaps already overlap to some degree, and that overlap will continue to grow! I agree in part, but there is a third category that the OP hints at which is "consumers of information who don't create". Most people use Facebook, Twitter, etc. for consuming entertainment and advertising their identities, but they are not using it for any advantage. People may be able to use them to network, but most don't, and there is nothing inherently worthwhile in using social media by itself.
- erikb 10y ago
  > a "1990s style mailing list" isn't going to increase your visibility enough to get hired This is too limited thinking. I can't tell you what the opportunity will be, but there are opportunities if you participate pro-actively, even if you think of opportunities only as job opportunities. In percent it's probably smaller than in 1990, but in absolute numbers it has grown just like every other market around the internet and IT. > there is a third category Completely agreeing with that part. To some degree they are also part of these people who don't really use the internet. If you just scroll through your facebook feed and click like here and there, you are not participating. You must at least be able to answer most daily questions via google to be considered participating.
  - jazzyb 10y ago
    > I can't tell you what the opportunity will be, but there are opportunities if you participate pro-actively, even if you think of opportunities only as job opportunities. I agree. However, I think it's worth noting that this is no different from any other community/social activity. You can make the same argument for being involved in churches, civic organizations, the local city council, etc. In fact this argument could be used to encourage people to give-up some of their time on the internet and become more involved in the aforementioned analog organizations.
pjc50 10y ago
> must must must find a place in the internet world that you can stay at Why?
- JKCalhoun 10y ago
  I wonder this as well, why? I believe there is life outside the internet.
  - erikb 10y ago
    *edit: At first I wrote a text that listed lots of examples, but usually people don't agree with examples that aren't close to what they have experienced. The question "why" is a really good one, and we should ask it more often. Look around you. Are you a heavy internet user or not? How is your life comparing to the alternative? You will probably realise that the person with more internet knows more (why? how?), his opinion has more facettes (why? how?), finding things (places, translations, info, jobs) is easier for him (why? how?). And he has a much bigger world view (why? how?). Much fun while learning by looking!
dognotdog 10y ago
> Now if you are 55 years old (and this guy seems to be) I don't quite think that's the case. More like 35, by the timeline given. This isn't old-timer grumpyness, it's simply seeing something you grew up with change, while you lose your childhood naivity, and it loses its innocence. Welcome to adulthood. It ain't quite as unilaterelly great as we all pictured growing up ;)
dictum 10y ago
> you must must must find a place in the internet world that you can stay at That's why it's no longer fun. It's no longer a choice, an improvement over some baseline. It's an obligation.

by erikb 10y ago

jazzyb 10y ago

> you must must must find a place in the internet world that you can stay at (e.g. some FOSS 1990 style mailing list) and at least find some way to use social media (gnu social or G+ anyone?) in some reasonable way and have some kind of internet presence (e.g. a github page and some foss projects you supply commits to) I'm curious why you would say this. I understand that most of the people here are coders and github or the like would be a good place to point to potential employers for work samples, but a "1990s style mailing list" isn't going to increase your visibility enough to get hired. It almost sounds like you think a presence on the internet at all is a good end in itself. > Politics always talks about the gap between rich and poor that gets bigger and bigger. But the same is true for the gap between people who take part in the internet and use it to their advantage, and those who ignore it. Both these gaps already overlap to some degree, and that overlap will continue to grow! I agree in part, but there is a third category that the OP hints at which is "consumers of information who don't create". Most people use Facebook, Twitter, etc. for consuming entertainment and advertising their identities, but they are not using it for any advantage. People may be able to use them to network, but most don't, and there is nothing inherently worthwhile in using social media by itself.

erikb 10y ago
> a "1990s style mailing list" isn't going to increase your visibility enough to get hired This is too limited thinking. I can't tell you what the opportunity will be, but there are opportunities if you participate pro-actively, even if you think of opportunities only as job opportunities. In percent it's probably smaller than in 1990, but in absolute numbers it has grown just like every other market around the internet and IT. > there is a third category Completely agreeing with that part. To some degree they are also part of these people who don't really use the internet. If you just scroll through your facebook feed and click like here and there, you are not participating. You must at least be able to answer most daily questions via google to be considered participating.
- jazzyb 10y ago
  > I can't tell you what the opportunity will be, but there are opportunities if you participate pro-actively, even if you think of opportunities only as job opportunities. I agree. However, I think it's worth noting that this is no different from any other community/social activity. You can make the same argument for being involved in churches, civic organizations, the local city council, etc. In fact this argument could be used to encourage people to give-up some of their time on the internet and become more involved in the aforementioned analog organizations.

pjc50 10y ago

> must must must find a place in the internet world that you can stay at Why?

JKCalhoun 10y ago
I wonder this as well, why? I believe there is life outside the internet.
- erikb 10y ago
  *edit: At first I wrote a text that listed lots of examples, but usually people don't agree with examples that aren't close to what they have experienced. The question "why" is a really good one, and we should ask it more often. Look around you. Are you a heavy internet user or not? How is your life comparing to the alternative? You will probably realise that the person with more internet knows more (why? how?), his opinion has more facettes (why? how?), finding things (places, translations, info, jobs) is easier for him (why? how?). And he has a much bigger world view (why? how?). Much fun while learning by looking!

dognotdog 10y ago

> Now if you are 55 years old (and this guy seems to be) I don't quite think that's the case. More like 35, by the timeline given. This isn't old-timer grumpyness, it's simply seeing something you grew up with change, while you lose your childhood naivity, and it loses its innocence. Welcome to adulthood. It ain't quite as unilaterelly great as we all pictured growing up ;)

dictum 10y ago

> you must must must find a place in the internet world that you can stay at That's why it's no longer fun. It's no longer a choice, an improvement over some baseline. It's an obligation.