Snapchat, Whatsapp, etc...

sufi

lala
Does anyone?

I use whatsapp lots, especially for chatting across the continents, (also my mum is on it!) I haven't delved into snapchat, but occasionally connect with one particular mate in N Africa via (even sleazier sounding?) viber.

this is mildly entertaining: there's a response somewhere from an oldster (i.e someone over 20)

I havent gone for a pinterest or instagram, but i really like medium.com itself - nicely designed platform (better than the rather crap ello.com), and lots to read, though i don't really have a feel for quite what it's for or where it ends.

There's lots going on in teh world of apps and chat and platforms and that...
 

glasshand

dj panic attack
that was an interesting read cuz i don't have a smartphone and i do wonder how people use and apply informal rules to a lot of those apps.

i'm reading jaron lanier's who owns the future atm.

if u haven't read it/heard of it... he's a former silicon valley tech startup dude who has had a change of heart and is now criticising tech startups for extracting value in the form of "information" or the free exchange of art/writing/music without reimbursing users, and for eventually undermining the global middle class by undervaluing their jobs/destabilising the economy. he basically sees what happened to the music and creative industries slowly happening to virtually everything in the future. silicon valley startups focused on harvesting data to sell advertising will eventually have no one left to sell to, startups focused on using algorithms to exploit otherwise undetectable market anomalies (not HFT but along those lines) will derail the global economy they depend on (even puts the financial crisis down to big servers).

very pessimistic and a bit repetitive but pretty compelling. not sure about the argument yet.

medium looks really good. i just read the 'about' section and had a browse - are all posts edited? does it let everything get posted but sorta float the better ones to the top of the home page thru the recommendation system? the book does make me wonder where the money gets made on medium, does anyone get paid for contributions?
 

Leo

Well-known member
that medium article was interesting, but made me think "who has the time?"

i barely have time to keep up with work/personal email, a dozen or so bookmarked websites, a few forums like dissensus and Facebook. signed up for twitter and followed a bunch of people and then never went back to it after the first month.

maybe other (younger) people care a lot more about being connected, maybe they just have more time and energy. i know i'm sounding like an old geezer but think of all the stuff you could be doing other than staring into your phone or computer all day and night? what can i say, i just don't find most of these apps very interesting or rewarding.
 

NATO

Well-known member
Medium started as a place for under-talented valley wannabes over-indulging themselves in the written word about stuff inconsequential to anyone but themselves (or just well, inconsequential). For that very reason it is never going to get a pass from me, ever.
 

ome

Well-known member
privacy

if one uses a communication tool that is privately owned, then if successful, it will eventually be bought out by someone that can farm it's users to sell the waste of their data. I don't want to be in an environment where I am fed 'if you liked that you will love this' so I can produce more crap.

my vote goes for telegram.org for chat and email for all other comms inc. feeds.
 
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Leo

Well-known member
i just got on instagram (yeah, i know), who are some folks worth following? interested in both music and non-music people.
 

DannyL

Wild Horses
that was an interesting read cuz i don't have a smartphone and i do wonder how people use and apply informal rules to a lot of those apps.

i'm reading jaron lanier's who owns the future atm.

if u haven't read it/heard of it... he's a former silicon valley tech startup dude who has had a change of heart and is now criticising tech startups for extracting value in the form of "information" or the free exchange of art/writing/music without reimbursing users, and for eventually undermining the global middle class by undervaluing their jobs/destabilising the economy. he basically sees what happened to the music and creative industries slowly happening to virtually everything in the future. silicon valley startups focused on harvesting data to sell advertising will eventually have no one left to sell to, startups focused on using algorithms to exploit otherwise undetectable market anomalies (not HFT but along those lines) will derail the global economy they depend on (even puts the financial crisis down to big servers).

very pessimistic and a bit repetitive but pretty compelling. not sure about the argument yet.

I enjoyed the Lanier book a lot. I wrote a little piece about one of the interludes which I will post here when I've finished editing it. I felt the repitition came from the fact he's a weird techy guy and I found it interesting to sit inside his brain for a bit. His basic thesis is convincing I thought.

He doesn't use social media himself which is also interesting. I got rid of my smart phone recently and love not having a screen on me to peer at all the time. I miss not having a camera but I can live with it. I feel like a trendsetter rather than a reactionary: http://www.thelightphone.com/
 
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