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If you ever wonder why Germany is trapped in a predigital state since the late 2000s: Things like this are the reason. If met people from all over the word, so

If you ever wonder why Germany is trapped in a predigital state since the late 2000s: Things like this are the reason. If met people from all over the word, some of the coolest hackers and devs were from Germany, but: The perpetual effort of the German government to make all things „safe „ and „stable“ hinders the evolution of the country into something greater than a nation of car manufacturers.

aleph_minus_one 3y ago
> If you ever wonder why Germany is trapped in a predigital state since the late 2000s I think the term "(pre)digital" does not fit: for example CDs and punchcards are clearly digital.
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pmarreck 3y ago
Here's a good article on the problem. Seriously, given how excellent most other qualities of life are in Germany, and how smart/educated Germans are, the Internet situation is jarringly bad (for anyone who visits or emigrates, and isn't used to it). I think there's even a bit of pride about it, I hate to say. Germans are pretty proud of their outdoor activities and general physical health, and "device obsession" works directly against that... and is still not as much of a thing there as in the US for example. You could make an argument for it... https://www.settle-in-berlin.com/why-is-internet-so-bad-in-germany/ https://www.settle-in-berlin.com/why-is-internet-so-bad-in-g... tl;dr Blame Helmut Kohl. Helmut was clearly the type of guy who would have printed out his emails (if he even had to email, if perhaps only by necessity) until the day he died.
- aleph_minus_one 3y ago
  > Here's a good article on the problem. Seriously, given how excellent most other qualities of life are in Germany, and how smart/educated Germans are, the Internet situation is jarringly bad (for anyone who visits or emigrates, and isn't used to it). > I think there's even a bit of pride about it, I hate to say. Germans are pretty proud of their outdoor activities and general physical health, and "device obsession" works directly against that... and is still not as much of a thing there as in the US for example. You could make an argument for it... Honestly, I am not sure what kind of "device obsession" in other countries vs Germany you are talking about. My impression, as a German, is that many German people value other qualities of technological products than what is valued in other countries. For example, many German customers value long-lasting, robust products instead of the latest fad that will be out of fashion in a few years. For example, many Germans who are able to afford them would love household appliances built by Miele. Also, because of the German history (two dicatorships on German soil of which one ended little more than 30 years ago), many Germans are much more suspicious of "spying devices" (e.g. internet-enabled home appliances (IoT)) and things that might track you (this is also a reason why many Germans strongly prefer paying cash). But it is nevertheless my impression that many Germans nevertheless do have quite some love for devices that do fit their values; it's just that the taste is quite different from the taste in other countries.
  - pmarreck 3y ago
    That's a great point. I was trying to strike a noncritical tone, believe it or not. Germans, like everyone else, are shaped by personal and shared experiences of the past.
AtNightWeCode 3y ago
A colleague had a valid German driver license with a photo stapled on, way into the 21st century. Nice.
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aleph_minus_one 3y ago

> If you ever wonder why Germany is trapped in a predigital state since the late 2000s I think the term "(pre)digital" does not fit: for example CDs and punchcards are clearly digital.

deleted 3y ago

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pmarreck 3y ago

Here's a good article on the problem. Seriously, given how excellent most other qualities of life are in Germany, and how smart/educated Germans are, the Internet situation is jarringly bad (for anyone who visits or emigrates, and isn't used to it). I think there's even a bit of pride about it, I hate to say. Germans are pretty proud of their outdoor activities and general physical health, and "device obsession" works directly against that... and is still not as much of a thing there as in the US for example. You could make an argument for it... https://www.settle-in-berlin.com/why-is-internet-so-bad-in-germany/ https://www.settle-in-berlin.com/why-is-internet-so-bad-in-g... tl;dr Blame Helmut Kohl. Helmut was clearly the type of guy who would have printed out his emails (if he even had to email, if perhaps only by necessity) until the day he died.

aleph_minus_one 3y ago
> Here's a good article on the problem. Seriously, given how excellent most other qualities of life are in Germany, and how smart/educated Germans are, the Internet situation is jarringly bad (for anyone who visits or emigrates, and isn't used to it). > I think there's even a bit of pride about it, I hate to say. Germans are pretty proud of their outdoor activities and general physical health, and "device obsession" works directly against that... and is still not as much of a thing there as in the US for example. You could make an argument for it... Honestly, I am not sure what kind of "device obsession" in other countries vs Germany you are talking about. My impression, as a German, is that many German people value other qualities of technological products than what is valued in other countries. For example, many German customers value long-lasting, robust products instead of the latest fad that will be out of fashion in a few years. For example, many Germans who are able to afford them would love household appliances built by Miele. Also, because of the German history (two dicatorships on German soil of which one ended little more than 30 years ago), many Germans are much more suspicious of "spying devices" (e.g. internet-enabled home appliances (IoT)) and things that might track you (this is also a reason why many Germans strongly prefer paying cash). But it is nevertheless my impression that many Germans nevertheless do have quite some love for devices that do fit their values; it's just that the taste is quite different from the taste in other countries.
- pmarreck 3y ago
  That's a great point. I was trying to strike a noncritical tone, believe it or not. Germans, like everyone else, are shaped by personal and shared experiences of the past.

AtNightWeCode 3y ago

A colleague had a valid German driver license with a photo stapled on, way into the 21st century. Nice.

deleted 3y ago

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