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What a terribly dogmatic way of looking at things. Some things don't change because they work fine, like core network protocols. Other things have improved so d
by guidovranken 6y ago
What a terribly dogmatic way of looking at things. Some things don't change because they work fine, like core network protocols. Other things have improved so dramatically that they're indistinguishable from magic to anyone who lived a century ago (real-time HD video conferencing, deep fakes, VR, speech assistants like Siri), but according to the author these are merely "incremental improvements".
Computing is the area that has seen the most innovation since the seventies. This is the point Peter Thiel often makes; computing has gone through a Cambrian explosion while other fields like medicine have been comparatively stagnant (cancer still isn't cured).
- karmakaze 6y agoYes, computing in general but what has SV done lately? I could likely do without most of it. A web browser and HTML for info is enough. The excess complexities keeps me gainfully employed so that's something.
- birdyrooster 6y agoConsidering we are contrasting with 1978, I would offer, even though I am not a Google fan: Maps and YouTube Web Browser and HTML is useless without the videos and photos which have been aggregated and precomputed for distribution from the datacenter.
- karmakaze 6y agoI was fine with Mapquest before Maps and mostly a Wikipedia fan. Lately during lockdown though, I do find myself looking for things on YouTube. If it didn't exist I wouldn't know what I was missing and be doing something else. It's probably different if you don't already have many sources of educational information readily available: +1 YT.
- pmontra 6y agoI remember that I used Mapquest and switched to Google Maps. I don't remember why but I assume that GM contained some significant improvements. I remember my enthusiasm for the maps API that let me put markers on a map embedded in my website (2005.) Maybe also satellite view. Street View later. So Google did do something substantial with their implementation of mapping. Satellite and Street view are the main reasons I keep using GM now, plus checking addresses, some car directions and navigation and sharing links to locations with friends. I'm using OpenStreetMap based software for discovering and recording cycling tracks.