lowtimer

I love this. Upon first reading it, I took it to refer to personality and attitude toward life. But I think it also encapsulates our approach to making stuff. You can make the "perfect" handbag out of super-tough nylon that's strong and convenient and durable and inexpensive that withstands water and abrasion and doesn't need any maintenance. Make the same handbag out of leather, and it won't be as convenient because it will need more care and maintenance. It probably won't be as durable or strong, and it won't withstand water and abrasion as well. But you'll pay for it with exposure to microplastics. Although you'll probably look and feel the same after using both bags, you will have lost something in pursuit of perfection—a small piece of your health, something people value highly in isolation but are happy to compromise on in little bits at a time for convenience. It's similar with software. Startups and big companies try their hardest everyday to make "perfect" closed experiences they can fully control for optimal user experience to reduce frustration (and churn). Free/libre open-source software tends to be more rough around the edges, less intuitive, and sometimes frustrating for users. People choose the closed software route because it's more perfect, but every time they do that, they're giving up a little piece of their freedom—something people value highly in isolation but are happy to compromise on in little bits at a time for convenience. The appeal of the perfect is understandable, but it's expensive in the long-term. The appeal of being real is often hard to understand in the present, but it's less expensive in the long-term. nostr:nevent1qqspmm5cx2rx80dllhzc58h9362adx78jpah9c5au7udm586t0ysgwgy60uc8