Source
- URL: https://x.com/rfleury/status/1576731875586224128
- Author: Ryan Fleury (@rfleury)
- Posted: 2022-10-03 00:32:28
Thread
1/ @rfleury
Simplifying formats and protocols—particularly making them easy to implement from scratch—prohibits true monopolization. As the computing industry entrenches itself further into a complexity addiction, control will centralize. This gets worse the more depended upon something is.
2/ @RFephemeration
@rfleury
How do you account for the emergent complexity of supposedly simple things that end up requiring lots of twisting to cover edge cases?
3/ @rfleury
@RFephemeration
This is a good question, and I think the same issue arises in a variety of scenarios. For example, a format may be simple, but limited in practical scenarios (e.g. the text file format, leading to complexity in compilers, IDEs, editors, etc.). (1/n)
4/ @rfleury
@RFephemeration
Problems may be intrinsically complex, at least until we discover better solutions, so there’s initial buy-in to complex solutions. A culture of (and techniques for) self-reliance and cruft-eviction (e.g. tossing out dependencies) have helped me, and might help the industry too.
5/ @rfleury
@RFephemeration
A full-on rejection of “don’t reinvent the wheel”, and of the idea that anyone has anything figured out. I realize “culture” is an unsatisfying answer, and that culture is unstable. Perhaps new organizations or groups can help promote culture through tangible benefits. (3/3)
6/ @RFephemeration
@rfleury
Yeah, I think of cultural strategies as incredibly complex, though I agree they are a necessary compliment.
It makes me turn my focus more towards community and communication, particularly activism.
With the eye for simplicity as an occasional check in rather than goal.
7/ @rfleury
@RFephemeration
I partly agree but think activism must be grounded and tested against voluntary participation and transaction in the market, to ensure it doesn’t devolve into a wishful fantasy.