Notices by Doc Edward Morbius ⭕ (dredmorbius@mastodon.cloud@mastodon.cloud)

@craigmaloney A common element of virtually *all* online services (and much software and technology generally) is MINDSHARE.

That's not something you can code.

It _is_ a common resource, and a commons, which tech monopolists enclose and profit by.

Which doesn't make it any easier to disrupt, though disruption does happen.

A chief question ought be "why is this situationb and how can we avoid those perils in future?"

@Ninjatrappeur I'd liken large screens (which I like) to index cards (dittos): if *entirely* under my control *and* used to present presently-relevant information, a net boost.

Though as I noted in another discussion, the realm of computers is complexity management, though by reducing costs they ultimately *increase* viable complexity.

@Ninjatrappeur ... "ecosystems" are also a major distraction. I find I've nearly zero tolerance for any level of advertising in audio, video, or print, and block or avoid virtually all of it.

I've gone to the extent of avoiding venues or retailers which advertise pervasively, or play adverts on in-store PA systems.

Most of my music is classical or jazz, either noncommercial stations/streams, or my own collection. Virtually no pop is tolerable any more.

@Ninjatrappeur ... multi-pane view, usually: code, output, error, and a manpage or other reference.

Elsewhere:

- Removing cruft ("link litter", "related" boxes, ads!, persistent headers, etc.) on Web pages has a *highly* notable and *immediate* calming effect.

- Stream-based (rather than curated/static) content is much more disruptive.

- *Not* having the ability to manage large reference sets (~15k articles, ~5k books) is a constant drag on me.

- Ads-driven, distraction-based ...

@Ninjatrappeur Much of this depends on *what information is present*. I don't think having more *relevant* information present is necessarily bad.

As I write this, I'm on an Android tablet (single-app-at-a-time present), looking at a multi-column Mastodon screen, with music playing, a podcast I've just paused, and others stirring in the office.

The extent to which additional stimuli can be distracting is something I'm keenly aware of. Though if I'm coding, I'll usually throw up a ...

@aral @maarteuh @gitlab "vetting customers is time consuming and potentially distracting"

If you think vetting customers is "time consuming and distracting", wait till you experience the consequences of NOT vetting your customers

@thomasfuchs Six what? All your base are...

I've been inclined myself to see excess data retention as *the principle problem*. But, viz Aesop's wolf and lamb, "any excuse for a tyrant". If someone means you harm, they'll find a justification, or fabricate one.

Also Richelieu's "six lines" quote.

Are those _not_ formulated and sprawling on a pin within some data archive _also_ equally at risk?

Again, my view has been that data is the eye which guides the blade. But we might consider the hand weilding and the mind intending as well.

@strypey The problem for computers and complexity specifically is that their domain is specifically the *management* of complexity.

Complexity cannot be managed. You can squeeze it into a corner. It will, in time, come unsquoze.

@strypey That's the story of all technology adoption though.

Consider something putatively harmless, like air conditioning.

@thomasfuchs Warning: Program has encountered a buffer overflow.

@thomasfuchs Warning: Program has encountered a buffer overflow.