Disagreed. There's a lot of things we need, just that they're against corporate interests, and in some cases those corporate interests have successfully lobbied our governments to make those things illegal.
When I want a car for example, I want to have a single client application that will automatically get quotes & availability from Uber, Bolt, the local taxi service, etc and pick me the fastest/cheapest option. This is technically possible - the official clients talk to their server via an API that can be reverse-engineered and implemented by the third-party client. It's not possible because it would be a breach of ToS, breach of App Store rules (they forbid apps talking to third-party APIs without their explicit authorization) and potentially even a breach of copyright law.
When I want to order groceries, I'd like software that has a cache of all the local supermarkets' prices so that it can come up with the most cost-efficient strategy of reordering whatever I've ran out of (sometimes choosing to split it across different vendors if the cost ends up better). Yet, making a database of all products & their prices would be a breach of ToS and will get you sued (turns out pictures of products on UK grocery stores' websites are copyrighted and actually owned by a third-party).
All of this is something that computers can trivially do and there's no technical reason why we don't have it. Computers were meant to empower humans and eliminate unnecessary busywork. Instead, they've created more of it.
It’s the same thing with social networks. I’ve long said that the way to break FB is to just demand a compatible open API for everything - text messaging, social graph, and potentially even feed. This would allow interoperable social networks and aggregators where you could see multiple feeds collated. You should also be able to have control over your feed.
But of course we can’t because like you said FB will claim this violates their ToS or it’s impossible or anything.
It’s nonsense but like others said - technology has made it so we don’t have any control over what we “buy” anymore. The tech is there to control us, not for us to control it. It’s there to track our choices and mind fuck us using that technology to buy more, consume more, choose the politician that has collated more data to manipulate you. Nothing is made for “us” anymore.
I was most impressed by random security cameras and video doorbells. Its just wifi, a video module, a plastic box and some components to glue it all together. Before buying one nothing is disclosed about monthly fees for limited cloud storage. Desktop clients are missing.
Some how the sum of technology +1000 euro phone +Gbit internet adds up to a doorbell so slow the visitor is long gone before you get to respond verbally or in person. That is, if the notification is audible at all.
The old vintage video doorbell displays the video feed pretty much instantly. The old vintage intercom allows you to talk to the visitor immediately after picking up the horn.
If you lower the volume or mute my stereo or my tv, should that action also mute the doorbell???
When I want a car for example, I want to have a single client application that will automatically get quotes & availability from Uber, Bolt, the local taxi service, etc and pick me the fastest/cheapest option. This is technically possible - the official clients talk to their server via an API that can be reverse-engineered and implemented by the third-party client. It's not possible because it would be a breach of ToS, breach of App Store rules (they forbid apps talking to third-party APIs without their explicit authorization) and potentially even a breach of copyright law.
When I want to order groceries, I'd like software that has a cache of all the local supermarkets' prices so that it can come up with the most cost-efficient strategy of reordering whatever I've ran out of (sometimes choosing to split it across different vendors if the cost ends up better). Yet, making a database of all products & their prices would be a breach of ToS and will get you sued (turns out pictures of products on UK grocery stores' websites are copyrighted and actually owned by a third-party).
All of this is something that computers can trivially do and there's no technical reason why we don't have it. Computers were meant to empower humans and eliminate unnecessary busywork. Instead, they've created more of it.