All the recent furore about Twitter's monetisation and Reddit's API changes reminded me of this article from 1993. Clearly, only one guy's opinion but I think we've strayed pretty far from this vision of the internet, as a protocol and connective tissue for people.
I can't help but feel like the fact the internet began as (or grew into) something free, underground, experimental led us inexorably to this path: where we expect or demand that online products are free at the point of use, which means we become the product.
I don't know that a small, more decentralised, cottage-y internet would be Better. But it's interesting to think about.
Comments
All the recent furore about Twitter's monetisation and Reddit's API changes reminded me of this article from 1993. Clearly, only one guy's opinion but I think we've strayed pretty far from this vision of the internet, as a protocol and connective tissue for people.
I can't help but feel like the fact the internet began as (or grew into) something free, underground, experimental led us inexorably to this path: where we expect or demand that online products are free at the point of use, which means we become the product.
I don't know that a small, more decentralised, cottage-y internet would be Better. But it's interesting to think about.