Jacuzzi_Splott
Apprentice
Some of you guys have been on the internet for two or three decades. What are the major changes that have occurred these years?
- Thread starter Jacuzzi_Splott
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Unpopular opinion - internet dealt with (Macromedia) Adobe Flash apps badly.
For eg., Google Finance flash based app, don't think current one can hold a candle against it.
They could've developed a far better more secure, power saving version.
Web development was comparatively less complicated then, now its a job requiring high skills.
NNTP, google groups took over exploiting the idea for advertisement pages, but miss the simplicity of nntp.
For eg., Google Finance flash based app, don't think current one can hold a candle against it.
They could've developed a far better more secure, power saving version.
Web development was comparatively less complicated then, now its a job requiring high skills.
NNTP, google groups took over exploiting the idea for advertisement pages, but miss the simplicity of nntp.
rsaeon
Herald
There's just no privacy or secrecy anywhere, both by platforms and by users. The internet started off with people using clever usernames that shielded personal identities. Someone you knew might be heir of a hotel empire while someone else might your gardener, you'd never know. These days you'll see sanjay_kumar23 asking how to bleach his armpits because he wants to get into modeling but keeps getting rejected.
People are way too eager to upload selfies as avatars, use real names, divulge personal information and overshare mediocrities on platforms exposed to search engine indexing.
As someone who still hand codes everything, I think it's the opposite — webdev is ridiculously easy because of all the frameworks. No one needs to learn anything anymore! Just choose a framework and go through the documentation or ask on stackoverflow if you have other things planned for the day.
And whatever happened to building mockups in greyscale to properly weigh element size and text readability and balance whitespace before committing to a colour palette? Nobody does that anymore! (I got most of my webdev snobbery from early 00's alistapart.com)
People are way too eager to upload selfies as avatars, use real names, divulge personal information and overshare mediocrities on platforms exposed to search engine indexing.
As someone who still hand codes everything, I think it's the opposite — webdev is ridiculously easy because of all the frameworks. No one needs to learn anything anymore! Just choose a framework and go through the documentation or ask on stackoverflow if you have other things planned for the day.
And whatever happened to building mockups in greyscale to properly weigh element size and text readability and balance whitespace before committing to a colour palette? Nobody does that anymore! (I got most of my webdev snobbery from early 00's alistapart.com)
buzz88
Forerunner
Monetization of every corner of the internet. Everywhere you click, somebody wants to sell you something. It feels like your favourite travel destination which was once a hidden gem has become too popular, too noisy and too crowded.
Used to be that you would discover a forum or a blog page or an obscure website and you would read pages and pages of people just discussing their favourite hobbies (TE and other such forums kinda provide that nostalgia drug), but back then, it seemed most people who were posting were very knowledgeable or even experts in their fields. These days, such experts are few and far between and noobs and casuals have much more to say.
Political debates or social issues were hardly given any importance (or at least that is my recollection, it maybe that I was just running in different circles.) These days, you can't escape them anywhere. Surfing (haven't used that word in a long time) the internet was considered leisure or relaxation. Nowadays, there is nothing relaxing about it.
Used to be that you would discover a forum or a blog page or an obscure website and you would read pages and pages of people just discussing their favourite hobbies (TE and other such forums kinda provide that nostalgia drug), but back then, it seemed most people who were posting were very knowledgeable or even experts in their fields. These days, such experts are few and far between and noobs and casuals have much more to say.
Political debates or social issues were hardly given any importance (or at least that is my recollection, it maybe that I was just running in different circles.) These days, you can't escape them anywhere. Surfing (haven't used that word in a long time) the internet was considered leisure or relaxation. Nowadays, there is nothing relaxing about it.
Now everyone on the internet is an expert...in every field
- Me, an expert on the internet
kartikoli
Innovator
That is so true, I used my username from a combination of my best friends thinking if something goes wrong they will be caught so those who think I am Kartik (thats not my name).
Now a days everyone is a master in each and every subject with an opinion, If somehow you disagree with them be ready to listen to thousand word essay "Bhashan".
Yeah Normally I keep my distance because you can't change anyone narrative so why bother.
blr_p
Oracle
I saw how forums (the good with the l33t folk) got dumbed down with social media that wants eyeballs. Lower access cost and everyone online. Nice and democratic.
From an Indian pov this invariably leads to hindi language YT channels because that's where the numbers are. I've seen channels that start off English only to attract elites which then switch over to hindi to increase subscribers and with it the inevitable IQ level drops. Why?
Social media is essentially a glorified messaging platform that does not lend itself to granular communication.
Second, to get any useful degree in India, no matter where can only be had in one medium. English. So pandering to the hindi speakers means school leavers without degrees or high school kids without the requisite critical thinking a college degree should foster.
The thing that rubs me is on social media, the content creators are very defensive of any criticism even when it's valid. It's like devaluing their brand. They are used to 99% praise and that other 1% gets the Saddam hussein treatment.
On a forum everyone is a content creator. We are anonymous unlike in these WhatsApp groups that list your phone number for everyone to see. That's the other thing. With a little work or connections a phone number can reveal the real name and address behind it. Burner numbers are a security risk in India so that's out.
Pro's and cons.
I think Don Henley had a point with dirty laundry which was a critique of what media became by the early 80s. Well the Internet today is no different.
From an Indian pov this invariably leads to hindi language YT channels because that's where the numbers are. I've seen channels that start off English only to attract elites which then switch over to hindi to increase subscribers and with it the inevitable IQ level drops. Why?
Social media is essentially a glorified messaging platform that does not lend itself to granular communication.
Second, to get any useful degree in India, no matter where can only be had in one medium. English. So pandering to the hindi speakers means school leavers without degrees or high school kids without the requisite critical thinking a college degree should foster.
The thing that rubs me is on social media, the content creators are very defensive of any criticism even when it's valid. It's like devaluing their brand. They are used to 99% praise and that other 1% gets the Saddam hussein treatment.
On a forum everyone is a content creator. We are anonymous unlike in these WhatsApp groups that list your phone number for everyone to see. That's the other thing. With a little work or connections a phone number can reveal the real name and address behind it. Burner numbers are a security risk in India so that's out.
Pro's and cons.
I think Don Henley had a point with dirty laundry which was a critique of what media became by the early 80s. Well the Internet today is no different.
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25-20 years of so ago, the internet was web, email, newsgroups, usenet etc., but the web was :
1. Small hobbyist websites, mostly without profit.
2. Yahoo (later rediff) tried to be a "portal" to the internet. It is difficult to understand today.
3. Altavista search was ok, but much worse than Google which came later
4. Universities, large companies had websites, but much simpler than today's.
5. Advertisements were on the few websites that were trying to make any profits i.e. non-hobbyist, non-University, and the ads were not only moving, blinking, gifs, but flash with sounds as well.
When Yahoo created geocities, and lots of people created their "homepages". Most were very gaudy, and the whole web suddenly became much uglier.
The advent of Google made searching much much easier, but there wasn't much to search.
1. Small hobbyist websites, mostly without profit.
2. Yahoo (later rediff) tried to be a "portal" to the internet. It is difficult to understand today.
3. Altavista search was ok, but much worse than Google which came later
4. Universities, large companies had websites, but much simpler than today's.
5. Advertisements were on the few websites that were trying to make any profits i.e. non-hobbyist, non-University, and the ads were not only moving, blinking, gifs, but flash with sounds as well.
When Yahoo created geocities, and lots of people created their "homepages". Most were very gaudy, and the whole web suddenly became much uglier.
The advent of Google made searching much much easier, but there wasn't much to search.
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@kiran6680
> When Yahoo created geocities, and lots of people created their "homepages". Most were very gaudy, and the whole web suddenly became much uglier.
Most of that demographic directly shifted to FB.
FB empowered narcissistic attention seeking behavior without substance.
Ugly, artsy or enthusiastic depended on content provider's taste and interest though.
> When Yahoo created geocities, and lots of people created their "homepages". Most were very gaudy, and the whole web suddenly became much uglier.
Most of that demographic directly shifted to FB.
FB empowered narcissistic attention seeking behavior without substance.
Ugly, artsy or enthusiastic depended on content provider's taste and interest though.
nRiTeCh
Oracle
Older days were much simpler and sorted with simple html/dhtml pages coupled with basic js and vb script and then there was flash animations.
Yes, ebay and aliexpress still flourished back then even if today you call that era an outdated one.
Orkut was the only social media platform used in India and FB was still taking baby steps while yahoo, rediff and many other international chat platforms was a real fun.
I was fortunate to actually meet real people in person back then and even communicate on phone as well. There was literally no need of this shit called as Tinder which today is flooded with fake profiles.
Experiences were REAL unlike today where its a truly fake virtual world.
While today, if you are not on social media and yet not active, you are been looked as if you have committed some sin or you are some 8 legged alien and do not belong to this human race!
From grandpas to kids. everyone is so much engrossed into social media posting as if its an air or water for survival.
Life was purely balanced back then...not too less not too much or addiction of anything!
Viruses were actually viruses..causing little damages but now its a terror war..ransomware and what not looting people of their hard earned monies, jobs and data!
We had to pay even for those small kbps speed pack and make a good or at least a fair justifying usage of that bandwidth and time.
P2P sharing was the real fun..no torrent and warez crap. Searching for games, music and movies was pure fun on imesh, kazaa etc. which then got replaced by torrents and now you have to pay for everything as everything banned! Oh! how can I forget to mention the almighty DC++!
And much more to think off...
Yes, ebay and aliexpress still flourished back then even if today you call that era an outdated one.
Orkut was the only social media platform used in India and FB was still taking baby steps while yahoo, rediff and many other international chat platforms was a real fun.
I was fortunate to actually meet real people in person back then and even communicate on phone as well. There was literally no need of this shit called as Tinder which today is flooded with fake profiles.
Experiences were REAL unlike today where its a truly fake virtual world.
While today, if you are not on social media and yet not active, you are been looked as if you have committed some sin or you are some 8 legged alien and do not belong to this human race!
From grandpas to kids. everyone is so much engrossed into social media posting as if its an air or water for survival.
Life was purely balanced back then...not too less not too much or addiction of anything!
Viruses were actually viruses..causing little damages but now its a terror war..ransomware and what not looting people of their hard earned monies, jobs and data!
We had to pay even for those small kbps speed pack and make a good or at least a fair justifying usage of that bandwidth and time.
P2P sharing was the real fun..no torrent and warez crap. Searching for games, music and movies was pure fun on imesh, kazaa etc. which then got replaced by torrents and now you have to pay for everything as everything banned! Oh! how can I forget to mention the almighty DC++!
And much more to think off...
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burntwingzZz
Innovator
internet was a special place to be away from idiots .thanks to fb all of them are here and we have no space to go
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Darth Vader
Galvanizer
Nothing changed, Internet still runs on TCP/IP stack.
burntwingzZz
Innovator
Decadent_Spectre
Forerunner
What has changed? Now ease of access and cost is much lower, apart from being able to download a lot more faster and affordably, a lot more people are on the internet, this leads to a lot of stupidity. One other primary difference is the rise of social media and people's addiction to it. While the internet hasn't changed all that much apart from more people, more stupidity and more data, what has changed is that exposure has made people greedy and selfish and insecure. This breeds a desire for money which breeds ambition. Most of the time people fail and this drives them insane. They don't learn, they keep going back to see more, and feel more inadequate and it goes. I've been on the internet for about 25 years now ever since it was available here, I would summarize the internet thus -
xkcd.com
This comic, is the spirit, the heart and the very personification of the internet itself. It is as relevant today as it was back then IMHO.
Duty Calls
This comic, is the spirit, the heart and the very personification of the internet itself. It is as relevant today as it was back then IMHO.
When there are limitations present, you make the most of it and make it count.
I remember when I first starting modding a non-smart phone and met people with the same phone on a UK forum. We were people from UK, India, Pakistan, Russia working to create mods. We would translate tools that were available only in Russian or find new ways to create ringtones with LED and vibration effects. None of it was documented and it was fun discovering things for ourselves and sharing them. Someone would share their work FTP server and it would take an hour to upload over a 45 Kbps connection, so you made sure to upload your best work. Same applied to meticulously deciding what to download and watch/listen to, which made every bit of content personal and a lot more valuable.
Now it is a problem of abundance and unfortunately too much self-centeredness. The greater democratisation has devalued every bit of content created, there is a paradox of choice, too much of faux expertise and too much pressure to create something for monetising than sharing.
I remember when I first starting modding a non-smart phone and met people with the same phone on a UK forum. We were people from UK, India, Pakistan, Russia working to create mods. We would translate tools that were available only in Russian or find new ways to create ringtones with LED and vibration effects. None of it was documented and it was fun discovering things for ourselves and sharing them. Someone would share their work FTP server and it would take an hour to upload over a 45 Kbps connection, so you made sure to upload your best work. Same applied to meticulously deciding what to download and watch/listen to, which made every bit of content personal and a lot more valuable.
Now it is a problem of abundance and unfortunately too much self-centeredness. The greater democratisation has devalued every bit of content created, there is a paradox of choice, too much of faux expertise and too much pressure to create something for monetising than sharing.
Major changes in India - Speed and access!! Just 10+ years ago - video streaming was impractical and we couldn't book a cab using a mobile device.
I remember going from 56k dialup to 5 kbps "broadband" (coaxial) to 256 kbps DSL to 300 mbps Fiber. Now mobile devices can pull in over 5 mbps! We have come a long way.
smAsh
Forerunner
Earlier:- Nobody should know who I am.
Now:- Everybody should know who I am.
Now:- Everybody should know who I am.
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