There's a lot of issues with social media - I don't think anyone denies that. But not everyone thinks like the HN crew. What about the millions of users who actually enjoy FB and use it to connect with friends and family? To pretend that use case doesn't exist seems naive and biased. There's a reason these companies are so big - some people actually like them. Maybe they're the naive ones and we need to save them from themselves, but I don't think it's that black and white.
I want to respect the user here, but also they need to be saved.
The companies are big because they’re advertising machines with intense targeting abilities, which makes for a great place for advertisers to spend money.
Plenty of people enjoy Facebook, and plenty of people enjoy drugs and gambling and all sorts of destructive behaviors that many nations regulate. I think we can recognize that it can be fun and have utility, while still being dangerous or problematic.
If you had to convince people to pay for Facebook as a subscription, would people use it the same way? Would they still find utility there? Would they prefer a competitor?
I have a facebook account from my college days, but I don’t use it and neither does most of my network. My parents, despite being deeply suspicious and tech-savvy have started using it more and more to “connect” with family. In reality, I’ve seen their usage and it’s mostly generic groups and memes and similar stuff. I suspect that most people experience the same reality, and respectfully, I think society can survive without that.
To postulate, I think there are a million “better” ways to connect with friends and family, but I also think that there’s no one App that can do everything for everyone. My extended family bought a dozen smart picture frames, and everyone adds photos to a joint account we all share, and that has replaced a social feed for pics of kids/grandkids. I think people would be better served finding what works for them and letting it be bespoke to their family/friends.
If you do, please think very carefully before investing in any coin that's come out within the past 2 years. I lost a lot of money investing in get-rich-quick altcoins during the last bull run (which I only recently made up for by selling some btc/eth/sol I'd been holding onto since then).
I just looked it up - looks like VRML was a hyped 3D standard or tech back in the day that has since been replaced by other tech?
I agree - learning the newest trendy technology won't get you very far. I personally think AR/VR as an industry will grow quickly over the next decade and that even though the tech/languages/platforms may change, the field as a whole is worth getting into. Specifically for the purpose of learning to build businesses in the space, understanding AR/VR use cases, etc. The fundamentals of the space are more important than the tech, although you gotta start with something.
But like I mentioned in the post, I'm an AR/VR noob so this is all just a fun adventure :)
Hi All! I'm starting somewhat of a learning adventure with AR/VR and this is my first take on the space and why I want to start learning it.
I figured I'd share here since it'd be cool if other people wanted to join me on this quest to start from 0 and build some cool things in the AR/VR space.
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