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I know this argument doesn't work well in this example since it's Amazon. But in principle, centralizing data on the internet around a few big services is not a
by duckmysick 5y ago
I know this argument doesn't work well in this example since it's Amazon. But in principle, centralizing data on the internet around a few big services is not a good thing.
These days forums and IRC channels are replaced with Facebook and Discord. An untold amount of code is hosted on GitHub. And now Stack Exchange is the go-to platform for Q&As.
I understand it's convenient and those services have a network effect behind them. But something is lost. Something that made the internet great, where everyone hosted and shared their own content.
- GuestHNUser 5y agoI agree with your general point about avoiding centralized data, but StackExchange definitely stands as unique since all of its posts are in the creative commons. Due to that, I think SE is one of the few bastions for sharing knowledge since it doesn't own its users answers. Not saying that SE is the end all be all of QA forums, just that it's a much better centralized system than you are giving it credit.
- duckmysick 5y agoStack Exchange - or more precisely their moderators and power users - gets to decide which content is allowed and which isn't. For example which questions are marked duplicate (even if they aren't) or which questions are off-topic (even if it's not clear). And yes, theoretically the community can change the guidelines. But at one point the organizational inertia is so big, the proposition becomes "take or leave it". And it's not just Stack Exchange that has this problem. Wikipedia too.