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Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

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Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#41

Post by acomjean »

elwebmaster wrote: post #34
starbugs wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have owned both a shitty beginner car without any extras and two more or less fully equipped ones. I would love a car that does not have a single display and just connects to my phone or pad for setting things up and streaming audio. All controls should be haptic buttons, switches, whatever. Minimal software required to run the car. No internet connection, no subscriptions. The only extras that I would keep are: *…

If only we could make the car and most of its parts from a material which doesn’t rust, we could use it forever and just keep replacing parts as they break. I would be happy with such a vehicle without any extras except AC.

I’m old, and live in a snowy salty area. Car body rust is much less a problem that it used to be.

I think they’re all galvanized now. Some parts still rust, but having had some 80s vehicles rust out… plus they always tried to sell some “undercoating” to protect that was snake oil as far as I can tell.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#43

Post by danaris »

carom wrote: post #17

>Today, we live in a rentier's paradise. People don't aspire to create value – they aspire to capture it... don't provide a service, just figure out a way to interpose yourself between the provider and the customer I think the customer has just changed. Consumers don't have money anymore. Businesses do. Maybe said a different way, for the highest margin products you are targeting businesses. A consumer spending 100k…

> I think the customer has just changed. Consumers don't have money anymore. Businesses do.

...You...recognize that's not a sustainable state of affairs, right?

Ultimately, if consumers don't have money, the economy will start to collapse. The upper echelons can feed on each other for a while, but you need an economic base to support the whole edifice.

Plus, if "consumers" are unable to get what they need for survival and thriving for long enough, they're going to decide (correctly) that someone has taken it from them, and take steps to get it back by whatever means necessary.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#44

Post by w4termelon »

blfr wrote: post #12

While I dislike the elecronification trend, cars are definitely better than they were 30-40 years ago, in a completely different league when it comes to reliability. Plenty of people also like the touchscreens or seemingly superflous features like Tesla's dog mode. Not gearheads but many normies genuinely do. To the extent that cars did get worse, it was mostly to meet stringent emissions regulations, not computers o…

> While I dislike the elecronification trend, cars are definitely better than they were 30-40 years ago

It's interesting that users of US based web-sites (are you an american?) claim that cars are getting better. While people from developing countries say the opposite. Especially, their mechanics. Particularly, they claim that new cars are less reliable, less repairable, and metal is as thick as a can (popular complaint).

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#45

Post by spudlyo »

The ending section discussing Web Environment Integrity, Google's recent foray into attestation technology, with the ultimate goal of ensuring you're not running an ad-blocker or doing anything to limit their rent-seeking behavior is great:

"Releasing a technology like this into a world where companies are willing to make their products less reliable, less attractive, less safe and less resilient in pursuit of rents is incredibly reckless and shortsighted. You want unauthorized bread? This is how you get Unauthorized Bread!"

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#46

Post by lcnPylGDnU4H9OF »

LapsangGuzzler wrote: post #36
carom wrote: post #17

>Today, we live in a rentier's paradise. People don't aspire to create value – they aspire to capture it... don't provide a service, just figure out a way to interpose yourself between the provider and the customer I think the customer has just changed. Consumers don't have money anymore. Businesses do. Maybe said a different way, for the highest margin products you are targeting businesses. A consumer spending 100k…

> It is less market choice but often produces a free or subsidized product. A lot of companies are going down the “captive customer” path wherever they can. Rental properties are a good example of this. Nowadays, there are a handful of compulsory services that you, the renter, must pay for on top the rent and there are no options to cancel (the federal government is currently targeting this practice). I worked for a…

> Nowadays, there are a handful of compulsory services that you, the renter, must pay for on top the rent and there are no options to cancel (the federal government is currently targeting this practice).

Off the top of my head:

- cable TV I don't use

- a trash retrieval service my friends don't use (the service is to take it from the apartment door to the dumpster)

- parking space someone without a car doesn't use

Good to know I might be able to tell my landlord someday that I don't care about the deal they got with Comcast, I'm not paying for the stupid cable.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#47

Post by rhyme-boss »

carom wrote: post #17

>Today, we live in a rentier's paradise. People don't aspire to create value – they aspire to capture it... don't provide a service, just figure out a way to interpose yourself between the provider and the customer I think the customer has just changed. Consumers don't have money anymore. Businesses do. Maybe said a different way, for the highest margin products you are targeting businesses. A consumer spending 100k…

The more power shifts to businesses the worse society gets. "Profit motive" is extractive and full of negative externalities. If lone businesses wield more power than the entire government (or capture government) then, as individuals, we're really back to taxation without representation.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#48

Post by ianferrel »

xeromal wrote: post #40

Enshittification seems to be growing in populator as a word to describe things.

The word "enshittification" was coined by the author of the linked piece, Cory Doctorow, so I think it's being used as originally intended.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#49

Post by whywhywhywhy »

fefe23 wrote: post #38

> To make Medium work, we log user data. By using Medium, you agree to our Privacy Policy, including cookie policy. > Read the full story with a free account. Please don't link to Medium when you can link to, in this case, Pluralistic. https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-de... Medium.com has been thoroughly enshittified :)

The medium sign up gate says more about the current state of technology than this blog post ever could.

Re: Autoenshittification. How the computer killed capitalism. – by Cory Doctorow

#50

Post by xeromal »

pjmorris wrote: post #42
xeromal wrote: post #40

Enshittification seems to be growing in populator as a word to describe things.

I prefer 'crapification' (h/t 'Naked Capitalism') for its relative cleanliness and brevity.

Yeah, I like that more. Enshittification is awkward on the tongue
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