Re:Facebook going down meant more than just a social network...
by worldsayshi on Tuesday October 05, 2021 @02:18AM
(#28756043)
> To wit, the global monopolist who benefited the most from the network-effect lock-in used to be IBM. Then it was Microsoft. Now it's Facebook. In time, this too will change.
Why does there have to be a global monopolist though? I wonder if we ever will end up in that decentralised dream.
Re:Facebook going down meant more than just a social network...
by jraby3 on Tuesday October 05, 2021 @02:22AM
(#28756071)
The outage yesterday reminded me of how many other services do the exact same thing. The only app I use by FB is WhatsApp and it wasn’t too bad using signal, FaceTime and sms to communicate.
I understand where you're coming from. I'm increasingly the least-tech focused of my family/social circle, despite being the most heavily involved in the tech industry. In fact, I think my lack of bullishness in tech is due to the fact that I've been in the tech industry for 40 years. I know where the downsides lie.
However, don't let the current reality get you down. One thing that being in this industry has taught me is that nothing is completely fixed and permanent. To wit, the global monopolist who benefited the most from the network-effect lock-in used to be IBM. Then it was Microsoft. Now it's Facebook. In time, this too will change.
What wont change is the need for level-headed 'grey-beards' and those others who have lived sufficiently long in the tech space to have accumulated some level of wisdom, which they can then share with those that follow.