No Long Days

As the connected world advances we are reaping the benefit of instant communication with our fellow man. Things go started with BBSes. Small message services that allowed you to "dial in" and communicate with friends in your local area. As time went on these BBSes started networking. "Fido" was a protocol that was used for BBSes to exchange messages with each other. So now your reach was extended. As time when on the internet gain traction and became main stream. BBSes turned into online forums with usenet being the first and grand daddy.

Pretty soon the world wide web exploded onto the scene. We had web sites. Soon it was easy for anyone to have their own web site. Almost every ISP gave you a few megs of personal space. You made your mark on the internet. Everyone wants to leave their mark. I can understand that. I am trying to leave my mark here also.

From web sites we moved on to web logs or "blogs". This is basically the web site meets RSS. Your web site or at least your works are delivered to anyone that subscribes. They just need an RSS reader and they can read your words. You are broadcasting your thoughts and innermost secrets to the world.

Web sites and blogs expanded into social network type sites like MySpace and Facebook. A place to not just tell people about yourself but to also connect with others that were "like" you. Or had the same interests as you. The world got smaller.

Most recently is the advent of Twitter. This is so called "micro blogging". You can type something into Twitter and hundreds of people can see that message within minutes. They can interact with you by replying. You learn more about people and you connect with others as you see people you follow reply to people you don't follow. Twitter is an amazing resource to network with like minded and some not so like minded individuals.

But, I have noticed a trend on blogs and twitter of people to be "declarers". Here are some examples of the type of thing I am talking about. These aren't direct quotes but paraphrasing of stuff I have seen:

"Who ever decided to put the save button in the bottom corner of Excel should be slapped."

"The guy who wrote Windows calculator should be taken out and shot."

"Entity Framework is unusable."

"The Kindle is ugly."

"No one in their right mind would be $250 for a Sony reader when you can go to the library."

"Using QuickBooks will make you hate yourself."

Certainly the above are opinions. However, they are said as absolutes. Granted, with 140 characters to present your thought it is difficult to present a well thought out and reasoned opinion. However, I wonder if people say these things the way they do to get attention. I think it in the Dvorak syndrome. You know that guy John C. Dvorak that writes computer columns. Calling him a curmudgeon is putting it nicely. But at least he admits that he does it on purpose. He writes the way he writes to stir up controversy to get readers. More readers means more add revenue. So, he has a motivation to do it.

But, what motivates a person to tweet that someone should be shot or slapped or fired or hurt?

I think that the anonymity of the internet is causing people to not consider how they are saying things. How what they are saying is affecting people. How do you think the guy that designed Windows calculator feels when he reads that he should be fired? I'm pretty sure it doesn't make him smile.

I'm probably guilty of doing this at time too. But, I am going to make more of an effort to not be a declarer. I am going to consider what I say. I'm pretty sure I can get my point across without being hurtful or trying to shock people to get attention.

Consider the words of John Lennon:

Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one

Let's be nice out there.