From d5bfc8840746df1667a0d20925afced557afcf53 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Robby Zambito Date: Tue, 1 Dec 2020 08:59:23 -0500 Subject: Added some photos, updated theme, moved posts around, started working on new post --- ...deleting-social-media-with-algorithmic-feeds.md | 53 --------------------- .../index.md | 54 ++++++++++++++++++++++ content/posts/hello-world.md | 13 ------ content/posts/hello-world/index.md | 24 ++++++++++ .../index.md | 19 ++++++++ .../proprietary-software-is-anti-capitalist.md | 37 --------------- .../index.md | 38 +++++++++++++++ .../you-are-forbidden-from-innovating-here.md | 52 --------------------- .../index.md | 53 +++++++++++++++++++++ 9 files changed, 188 insertions(+), 155 deletions(-) delete mode 100644 content/posts/deleting-social-media-with-algorithmic-feeds.md create mode 100644 content/posts/deleting-social-media-with-algorithmic-feeds/index.md delete mode 100644 content/posts/hello-world.md create mode 100644 content/posts/hello-world/index.md create mode 100644 content/posts/neuralink-is-mind-control-and-mind-reading/index.md delete mode 100644 content/posts/proprietary-software-is-anti-capitalist.md create mode 100644 content/posts/proprietary-software-is-anti-capitalist/index.md delete mode 100644 content/posts/you-are-forbidden-from-innovating-here.md create mode 100644 content/posts/you-are-forbidden-from-innovating-here/index.md (limited to 'content/posts') diff --git a/content/posts/deleting-social-media-with-algorithmic-feeds.md b/content/posts/deleting-social-media-with-algorithmic-feeds.md deleted file mode 100644 index 12d08a9..0000000 --- a/content/posts/deleting-social-media-with-algorithmic-feeds.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,53 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "Deleting Social Media with Algorithmic Feeds" -date: 2020-11-03T06:01:51-05:00 -draft: false -tags: [personal, social-media, pleroma, activitypub] -description: "About a month ago I decided to deactivate my Facebook account, and to uninstall Snapchat, Instagram, and Slide for ..." ---- - -### Algorithmic feeds are designed with a purpose, to make consumers behave in ways that they otherwise wouldn't. - -About a month ago I decided to deactivate my Facebook account, and to uninstall -Snapchat, Instagram, and Slide for Reddit from my phone. I did this because I -felt like I was not using the internet on my own terms anymore. I felt (and -still do) that handing the power to curate everything I see over to black boxes -such as the ones I listed was not healthy for me. As a consumer of algorithmic -feeds, you are not allowed to view, let alone control the system that decides -what kind of information you see. - -As an example, if you wanted to use Instagram as a way to show you content that -makes you happy, the most you can do is aggressively suggest to the system that -it should show you that content, by searching for it and following users who -regularly post related content. For the last 2 years or so, I have tried to -exclusively use Instagram for looking up dog photos, videos, and memes, and -sharing them with a group chat of my friends. Despite this, I still would have -content in my feed that did not align with my desires, such as political content, -or other content that would evoke strong emotional responses from me. - -As an experiment, I didn't tell anyone that I was deleting the social media apps -that I listed above before doing it. I wasn't sure what kind of response I would -get from those around me for doing this, if any. The first person to notice -anything was my girlfriend, who noticed that she couldn't see my Facebook page. -I told her that I decided to deactivate my account, and that was that. To be -fair though, I haven't really been using Facebook for many years, so I figure -most people haven't noticed my page is missing. Snapchat on the other hand has -been a little different. I didn't look into seeing if I could deactivate my -account without deleting it, so my account is still accessible to people. I -think this may have caused some confusion, since people might be thinking that -I'm ignoring them. A friend of mine said that he sent something, and I told him -that I haven't had Snapchat installed for a while now. Again, that has been that -as far as my life without Snapchat. - -There is this idea that you need to have an algorithm to curate content for you, -or else it will be boring. After using my own Pleroma instance as my primary -social media platform since July, I can tell you first hand that you do not need -to have a timeline showing content in any order other than chronological in order -to have meaningful conversation. In fact, I feel like I have been able to have -healthier discussions with people of different backgrounds, since I am not being -artificially confined to my own bubble. I'm also in complete control over the -content that appears in my feed. If I decide that I don't want to see content -from someone anymore, if I stop following them, my server won't show me their -content unless I look for it. My feed on Pleroma is strictly a chronological -timeline of posts from the people that I follow, and that is great. - diff --git a/content/posts/deleting-social-media-with-algorithmic-feeds/index.md b/content/posts/deleting-social-media-with-algorithmic-feeds/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e195a84 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/deleting-social-media-with-algorithmic-feeds/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,54 @@ +--- +title: "Deleting Social Media with Algorithmic Feeds" +date: 2020-11-03T06:01:51-05:00 +draft: false +type: "post" +tags: [personal, social-media, pleroma, activitypub] +description: "About a month ago I decided to deactivate my Facebook account, and to uninstall Snapchat, Instagram, and Slide for ..." +--- + +### Algorithmic feeds are designed with a purpose, to make consumers behave in ways that they otherwise wouldn't. + +About a month ago I decided to deactivate my Facebook account, and to uninstall +Snapchat, Instagram, and Slide for Reddit from my phone. I did this because I +felt like I was not using the internet on my own terms anymore. I felt (and +still do) that handing the power to curate everything I see over to black boxes +such as the ones I listed was not healthy for me. As a consumer of algorithmic +feeds, you are not allowed to view, let alone control the system that decides +what kind of information you see. + +As an example, if you wanted to use Instagram as a way to show you content that +makes you happy, the most you can do is aggressively suggest to the system that +it should show you that content, by searching for it and following users who +regularly post related content. For the last 2 years or so, I have tried to +exclusively use Instagram for looking up dog photos, videos, and memes, and +sharing them with a group chat of my friends. Despite this, I still would have +content in my feed that did not align with my desires, such as political content, +or other content that would evoke strong emotional responses from me. + +As an experiment, I didn't tell anyone that I was deleting the social media apps +that I listed above before doing it. I wasn't sure what kind of response I would +get from those around me for doing this, if any. The first person to notice +anything was my girlfriend, who noticed that she couldn't see my Facebook page. +I told her that I decided to deactivate my account, and that was that. To be +fair though, I haven't really been using Facebook for many years, so I figure +most people haven't noticed my page is missing. Snapchat on the other hand has +been a little different. I didn't look into seeing if I could deactivate my +account without deleting it, so my account is still accessible to people. I +think this may have caused some confusion, since people might be thinking that +I'm ignoring them. A friend of mine said that he sent something, and I told him +that I haven't had Snapchat installed for a while now. Again, that has been that +as far as my life without Snapchat. + +There is this idea that you need to have an algorithm to curate content for you, +or else it will be boring. After using my own Pleroma instance as my primary +social media platform since July, I can tell you first hand that you do not need +to have a timeline showing content in any order other than chronological in order +to have meaningful conversation. In fact, I feel like I have been able to have +healthier discussions with people of different backgrounds, since I am not being +artificially confined to my own bubble. I'm also in complete control over the +content that appears in my feed. If I decide that I don't want to see content +from someone anymore, if I stop following them, my server won't show me their +content unless I look for it. My feed on Pleroma is strictly a chronological +timeline of posts from the people that I follow, and that is great. + diff --git a/content/posts/hello-world.md b/content/posts/hello-world.md deleted file mode 100644 index 8c03b9c..0000000 --- a/content/posts/hello-world.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,13 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "Hello World" -date: 2020-10-30T09:19:45-04:00 -draft: false -tags: [introduction] ---- - -I am ditching my old site for this one for several reasons. My old site was built in Vue, and I thought it looked very nice. However because the entire site was built in Vue, it could not be viewed without JavaScript. I don't have issues with using JavaScript in general, but it seemed a little absured that a site as simple as mine required it to render. - -Requiring JavaScript also meant that my site could not be properly archived by [The Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/). I enjoy looking at old versions of websites, so being able to look back on my own website in the future is important to me. - -I hope to use this site as a place to publish my ideas, and write about projects that I'm working on. You can get regular updates by following the [RSS feed](/index.xml) - diff --git a/content/posts/hello-world/index.md b/content/posts/hello-world/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..35be836 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/hello-world/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,24 @@ +--- +title: "Hello World" +date: 2020-10-30T09:19:45-04:00 +draft: false +hidden: false +type: "post" +tags: [introduction] +--- + +I am ditching my old site for this one for several reasons. My old site was +built in Vue, and I thought it looked very nice. However because the entire +site was built in Vue, it could not be viewed without JavaScript. I don't have +issues with using JavaScript in general, but it seemed a little absured that a +site as simple as mine required it to render. + +Requiring JavaScript also meant that my site could not be properly archived by +[The Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/). I enjoy looking at old versions +of websites, so being able to look back on my own website in the future is +important to me. + +I hope to use this site as a place to publish my ideas, and write about projects +that I'm working on. You can get regular updates by following the +[RSS feed](/posts/index.xml) + diff --git a/content/posts/neuralink-is-mind-control-and-mind-reading/index.md b/content/posts/neuralink-is-mind-control-and-mind-reading/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2d9be8e --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/neuralink-is-mind-control-and-mind-reading/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,19 @@ +--- +title: "Neuralink Is Mind Control and Mind Reading" +date: 2020-11-20T06:27:50-05:00 +description: "Description for post" +type: "post" +draft: true +tags: [free-software, neuralink, freedom] +--- + +The Neuralink team has done an incredible job at avoiding the terms "mind +control" and "mind reading", when that is exactly the product they are +developing. Every single talk from Elon Musk about Neuralink, and everything on +the Neuralink website describes the benefits on mind control. They mention +things like how their "brain-computer interface" can be used to "help people +with severe spinal cord injury", and how human-computer interactions could be +made more effecient. + +They do a good job at failing to properly mention the potential negatives of +commercial mind control. Who's computer will my brain be connected to? diff --git a/content/posts/proprietary-software-is-anti-capitalist.md b/content/posts/proprietary-software-is-anti-capitalist.md deleted file mode 100644 index 96cf0ef..0000000 --- a/content/posts/proprietary-software-is-anti-capitalist.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,37 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "Proprietary Software is Anti-Capitalist" -date: 2020-11-17T07:26:15-05:00 -draft: false -tags: [free-software, capitalism] ---- - -A theoretically perfect market under capitalism assumes that consumers have -access to an infinite supply of producers. This allows consumers to inspect the -market, and select the product that best fits their needs. In the long term, -monopolies erode capitalism, because they meaningfully constrict the market and -decrease the options available to consumers. This means that consumers have -limited access to a variety of products and services under a market controlled -by a monopoly. - -A patent is a construct that grants a company a temporary monopoly to produce -something. This is based on the assumption that guaranteed monopolistic power -for a temporary period can encourage innovation. Some assume that proprietary -software licencing can encourage innovation in a similar way. However this is -not the case, because the proprietor of a piece of software actually has a -permanent monopoly on the marketable actions to that software, such as -distribution, repair, and modification. - -The key difference between Free Software and proprietary software for the -average consumer is not that they have the right to view the source code and -learn to repair or modify their own software. The difference is that the -consumer can access an unrestricted market of software developers to make -the modifications or repairs to the software that the consumer desires. This is -no different than a consumer bringing their car to their mechanic of choice in -order to repair or modify their vehicle. - -Should you be interested in finding support for Free Software, or if you are -interested in providing service, the [Free Software Foundation has put together -a list of services](https://www.fsf.org/resources/service) that could provide -assistance. You could also reach out to freelance software developers on sites -like Fiverr, or Upwork. - diff --git a/content/posts/proprietary-software-is-anti-capitalist/index.md b/content/posts/proprietary-software-is-anti-capitalist/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3a84ca3 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/proprietary-software-is-anti-capitalist/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,38 @@ +--- +title: "Proprietary Software is Anti-Capitalist" +date: 2020-11-17T07:26:15-05:00 +type: "post" +draft: false +tags: [free-software, capitalism] +--- + +A theoretically perfect market under capitalism assumes that consumers have +access to an infinite supply of producers. This allows consumers to inspect the +market, and select the product that best fits their needs. In the long term, +monopolies erode capitalism, because they meaningfully constrict the market and +decrease the options available to consumers. This means that consumers have +limited access to a variety of products and services under a market controlled +by a monopoly. + +A patent is a construct that grants a company a temporary monopoly to produce +something. This is based on the assumption that guaranteed monopolistic power +for a temporary period can encourage innovation. Some assume that proprietary +software licencing can encourage innovation in a similar way. However this is +not the case, because the proprietor of a piece of software actually has a +permanent monopoly on the marketable actions to that software, such as +distribution, repair, and modification. + +The key difference between Free Software and proprietary software for the +average consumer is not that they have the right to view the source code and +learn to repair or modify their own software. The difference is that the +consumer can access an unrestricted market of software developers to make +the modifications or repairs to the software that the consumer desires. This is +no different than a consumer bringing their car to their mechanic of choice in +order to repair or modify their vehicle. + +Should you be interested in finding support for Free Software, or if you are +interested in providing service, the [Free Software Foundation has put together +a list of services](https://www.fsf.org/resources/service) that could provide +assistance. You could also reach out to freelance software developers on sites +like Fiverr, or Upwork. + diff --git a/content/posts/you-are-forbidden-from-innovating-here.md b/content/posts/you-are-forbidden-from-innovating-here.md deleted file mode 100644 index 9f64ed4..0000000 --- a/content/posts/you-are-forbidden-from-innovating-here.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,52 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "You Are Forbidden From Innovating Here" -date: 2020-11-12T09:12:55-05:00 -draft: false -tags: [free-software, software, technology, web, internet, social-media] -description: "Since the creation of the Web, there has been an incredible burst of innovation, that still continues today. In contrast ..." ---- - -### When was the last time you heard of someone creating an innovative technology built on top of the Web? - -Since the creation of the Web, there has been an incredible burst of innovation, -that still continues today. In contrast, when was the last time you heard of -someone innovating on top of Facebook? Maybe you have watched some talk from an -engineer at Facebook about technology they created to overcome some problem they -ran into, but that's about it. Innovation on top of Facebook's technology, occurs -at Facebook. If you do not make it past the interview process at Facebook, you -are **not allowed to innovate**. - -You might have a great idea for how Facebook could better suite your needs, and -even the skills to implement it given the opportunity. Should Facebook deem you -"unworthy" of hiring however, it is often *illegal* for you to implement your -changes. - -This is a disaster. The hiring team at Facebook should not have the power to -decide who has the right to innovate. Free Software is essential because it -grants you permission to innovate and create new things with the things you -already have. - -I believe many people understand the situation backwards. They think proprietary -software is a necessary evil because it drives innovation. The opposite is true -though: proprietary software leeches off the innovation done by Free Software -that had been created before it, and that it is built on top of. Facebook would -not have been possible had the Web not been created as a Free protocol for -anyone to use and build on top of. - -A tangible example of this is Android versus iOS. Let's say I wanted to build my -own smart phone right now, and sell it for a profit. I can use the Android -operating system on the device, and even make changes to Android to make it -better suite how I expect the device to be used. I wouldn't need to special -permission to do this, and my clients would benefit from having access to the -existing ecosystem of applications. In contrast, it is illegal to manufacture -and sell a device with iOS installed on it, without the permission of Apple. -That's why there are many companies that manufacture devices using Android, -such as Samsung, LG, Sony, Google, etc. and Apple is the only company that sells -devices running iOS. - ---- - -In short, the history of technology is a continuous stream of innovation, built -upon previous technologies. Companies have been allowed to become the gatekeepers -of innovation in the name of profit. Using Free Software is not breaking the -cycle, it is allowing the cycle to continue. diff --git a/content/posts/you-are-forbidden-from-innovating-here/index.md b/content/posts/you-are-forbidden-from-innovating-here/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a252f55 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/you-are-forbidden-from-innovating-here/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,53 @@ +--- +title: "You Are Forbidden From Innovating Here" +date: 2020-11-12T09:12:55-05:00 +type: "post" +draft: false +tags: [free-software, software, technology, web, internet, social-media] +description: "Since the creation of the Web, there has been an incredible burst of innovation, that still continues today. In contrast ..." +--- + +### When was the last time you heard of someone creating an innovative technology built on top of the Web? + +Since the creation of the Web, there has been an incredible burst of innovation, +that still continues today. In contrast, when was the last time you heard of +someone innovating on top of Facebook? Maybe you have watched some talk from an +engineer at Facebook about technology they created to overcome some problem they +ran into, but that's about it. Innovation on top of Facebook's technology, occurs +at Facebook. If you do not make it past the interview process at Facebook, you +are **not allowed to innovate**. + +You might have a great idea for how Facebook could better suite your needs, and +even the skills to implement it given the opportunity. Should Facebook deem you +"unworthy" of hiring however, it is often *illegal* for you to implement your +changes. + +This is a disaster. The hiring team at Facebook should not have the power to +decide who has the right to innovate. Free Software is essential because it +grants you permission to innovate and create new things with the things you +already have. + +I believe many people understand the situation backwards. They think proprietary +software is a necessary evil because it drives innovation. The opposite is true +though: proprietary software leeches off the innovation done by Free Software +that had been created before it, and that it is built on top of. Facebook would +not have been possible had the Web not been created as a Free protocol for +anyone to use and build on top of. + +A tangible example of this is Android versus iOS. Let's say I wanted to build my +own smart phone right now, and sell it for a profit. I can use the Android +operating system on the device, and even make changes to Android to make it +better suite how I expect the device to be used. I wouldn't need to special +permission to do this, and my clients would benefit from having access to the +existing ecosystem of applications. In contrast, it is illegal to manufacture +and sell a device with iOS installed on it, without the permission of Apple. +That's why there are many companies that manufacture devices using Android, +such as Samsung, LG, Sony, Google, etc. and Apple is the only company that sells +devices running iOS. + +--- + +In short, the history of technology is a continuous stream of innovation, built +upon previous technologies. Companies have been allowed to become the gatekeepers +of innovation in the name of profit. Using Free Software is not breaking the +cycle, it is allowing the cycle to continue. -- cgit