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> What do you not like about tech? I feel that it's no longer about making quality products, but more about milking money by any means, even if immoral and/or

> What do you not like about tech? I feel that it's no longer about making quality products, but more about milking money by any means, even if immoral and/or obviously (self-)destructive. It may have been like that for some time already, but I wasn't able to realize that before. It seems to me as if we've become the machine that we wanted to build. I would love doing something that's more "down to earth". Optimally, in some sector that is involved with treating people with respect - "as if" they were real human beings. An alternative would be working outdoors and being nearer to nature in general.

LVB 3y ago
I’m sort off in your boat, I think. Late 40s and quite tired of the tech rat race and money obsession. I’m about 6 months into a totally different thing: writing/selling my own apps (mobile). I have the luxury of a working spouse and some savings so I don’t have to focus too much on speed or high profitability. I very much like the idea of building the thing I want to, to the quality and aesthetic I want (eg no ads or dark monetization patterns), and selling directly to customer. It’s still early days but it has put me in a good state of mind.
abnercoimbre 3y ago
> I feel that it's no longer about making quality products, but more about milking money by any means Check out the Handmade online community [0] and/or attend one of our conferences [1] this year. I’m biased because I’m the organizer for the conferences, but we genuinely share your line of thinking. Wouldn’t hurt to congregate with like-minded folks :) [0] https://handmade.network https://handmade.network [1] https://handmadecities.com https://handmadecities.com
- dartos 3y ago
  How are you planning on affecting the industry at large?
  - abnercoimbre 3y ago
    Increasingly bigger conferences and meetups that remain 100% indie and sponsor-free. It’s going to take years, if not a decade. But let’s not underestimate the power of independent organizing. We haven’t seen much of it in our industry because us worker bees are historically well-paid.
    - dartos 3y ago
      I desperately hope you’re right. Not to be a downer, but I just don’t see how you could convince a business to go slower for the sake of a better technical foundation.
      - abnercoimbre 2y ago
        With enough collective anger, social pressures will factor into business decisions. It's a nebulous proposition, I get that, because you can't precisely engineer an outcome. My hope is there's enough of us organizing together to trigger the right shifts. We'll see.
- throwaway_0xff 3y ago
  [dead]
hgs3 3y ago
It doesn't sound like you're sick of tech but rather sick of profit-focused leadership corrupting it. I feel the same way so I'm starting my own business with values that matter to me. If starting a business doesn't appeal to you, then try finding a like-minded non-profit or cooperative.
- 0x20cowboy 3y ago
  Not to stop you from trying, I encourage the effort, but I think you’ll find starting your own business will just lead to you to becoming profit-focused - if you like eating and paying rent that is.

LVB 3y ago

I’m sort off in your boat, I think. Late 40s and quite tired of the tech rat race and money obsession. I’m about 6 months into a totally different thing: writing/selling my own apps (mobile). I have the luxury of a working spouse and some savings so I don’t have to focus too much on speed or high profitability. I very much like the idea of building the thing I want to, to the quality and aesthetic I want (eg no ads or dark monetization patterns), and selling directly to customer. It’s still early days but it has put me in a good state of mind.

abnercoimbre 3y ago

> I feel that it's no longer about making quality products, but more about milking money by any means Check out the Handmade online community [0] and/or attend one of our conferences [1] this year. I’m biased because I’m the organizer for the conferences, but we genuinely share your line of thinking. Wouldn’t hurt to congregate with like-minded folks :) [0] https://handmade.network https://handmade.network [1] https://handmadecities.com https://handmadecities.com

dartos 3y ago
How are you planning on affecting the industry at large?
- abnercoimbre 3y ago
  Increasingly bigger conferences and meetups that remain 100% indie and sponsor-free. It’s going to take years, if not a decade. But let’s not underestimate the power of independent organizing. We haven’t seen much of it in our industry because us worker bees are historically well-paid.
  - dartos 3y ago
    I desperately hope you’re right. Not to be a downer, but I just don’t see how you could convince a business to go slower for the sake of a better technical foundation.
    - abnercoimbre 2y ago
      With enough collective anger, social pressures will factor into business decisions. It's a nebulous proposition, I get that, because you can't precisely engineer an outcome. My hope is there's enough of us organizing together to trigger the right shifts. We'll see.
throwaway_0xff 3y ago
[dead]

hgs3 3y ago

It doesn't sound like you're sick of tech but rather sick of profit-focused leadership corrupting it. I feel the same way so I'm starting my own business with values that matter to me. If starting a business doesn't appeal to you, then try finding a like-minded non-profit or cooperative.

0x20cowboy 3y ago
Not to stop you from trying, I encourage the effort, but I think you’ll find starting your own business will just lead to you to becoming profit-focused - if you like eating and paying rent that is.