from Hacker News

The End of Ownership

by wowtip on 6/21/21, 4:26 PM with 19 comments

  • by api on 6/21/21, 4:52 PM

    It is way, way past time for a new tech-individualist project. The PC revolution was not merely a product of market forces or of legislation. It was the product of a movement that included things like the Homebrew Computer Club and the Whole Earth Catalog.

    One of the biggest rocks we need to move is to push against this tide of cynicism, futility, and crazy conspiracy mumbo-jumbo. All these things keep people from doing anything by either making them give up before they started or by channeling their effort toward dead ends. You can't struggle for a better future if all your effort is being channeled into fighting reptilian shape shifting space aliens hepped up on adrenochrome or some other piece of fantasy bullshit.

  • by doggodaddo78 on 6/21/21, 6:16 PM

    Yes. The bigger picture is a gradient towards ubiquitous rent-seeking. Imagine all of your essential possessions being leased and unownable. Water, oxygen, food, clothing, transportation, housing, and even organs and implants being leased from monopoly conglomerates who could literally end your life whenever they choose. They already have cameras and microphones installed in millions of homes.

    Also, on all of those possessions and services, what happens when the API goes down, they discontinue support, they get hacked, or they decide to remotely brick what you have?

  • by topkai22 on 6/21/21, 5:45 PM

    This article is talking about electronics and integrated digital-mechanical systems, but right now there is also a big financial premium on ownership in real estate as well. Not sure if these are linked, but I wonder if long term low inflation and interest rates makes subscription revenue more attractive than in a more volatile environment. Seems like probably.

  • by c22 on 6/21/21, 8:39 PM

    If you're paying rent then it's not the end of ownership. If anything it's a doubling-down on the concept.

  • by Havoc on 6/22/21, 12:41 AM

    And the Corps are getting bolder with it and the skill level needed to circumvent it is growing.

    And in some cases it’s getting impossible. Even a good self hosted voice assistant can’t really keep up with Siri and friends

  • by literallyaduck on 6/21/21, 6:42 PM

    Taxing SaaS and tying it to funding open source alternatives would be a solution to corporate colonization.