Jeff AtwoodMay 11, 2023
"In General Electric’s annual report from 1953, the company bragged about how much it paid in taxes and how much it was spending on payroll. It explicitly said that “maximizing employment security is a prime company goal.” The founder of Johnson & Johnson said that the company’s responsibility to its employees was higher than its responsibility to its shareholders. Corporations then had a radically different conception of their role in society compared with corporations today." https://archive.is/66hPb
Show threadmattMay 11, 2023

@codinghorror "The productivity software that ran on personal computers was a perfect example of augmentation rather than automation: word-processing programs replaced typewriters rather than typists, and spreadsheet programs replaced paper spreadsheets rather than accountants. But the increased personal productivity brought about by the personal computer wasn’t matched by an increased standard of living."

What will we foster with #AI augmentation? Now's the time to direct.

Show threadVE7FIMMay 11, 2023

@maphew @codinghorror

Word processors were used as an excuse to decimate technical writing departments.

Drafting software was used as an excuse to decimate drafting departments.

Etc.

Whole professions have been decimated and devalued, and quality and professionalism has gone way down as a result.

But hey, it increased corporate profits and bonuses for the execs. 😡

Show threadmatt

@ve7fim @codinghorror I'm sometimes a cartographer. Today with software I can make a map in several hours to days what used to take a team months to accomplish. So yeah, in me 1 person replaces 5.

But, I also do things inconceivable to even attempt then because of the effort scale. More people get more maps serving more purposes than when I started this gig 3 decades ago. And yeah, with this ease comes a lot of detritus. The professionals are still there though.

May 17, 2023 at 5:50amWeb
Show threadmattMay 17, 2023
@ve7fim @codinghorror none of which should be taken "it's okay to shaft people because you can" !
Show threadmattMay 18, 2023
@ve7fim @codinghorror "But hey, it increased corporate profits and bonuses for the execs. 😡” -- this cord in the thread shouldn't be dismissed. My between the lines point is we should focus on the behaviour that needs correcting/balancing, not the implement that happens to be in the hand that strikes the blow.
Show threadsxpertMay 18, 2023
@maphew @ve7fim @codinghorror that's been the basic MO of capitalism for a long long time...
Show threadmattMay 18, 2023
@ve7fim @codinghorror this thought-line just won't leave me alone. Those 5 people I've displaced were using letrasets, scribing pens, mylar transparencies, and several other tools. Each of which in turn allowed them to do more orders of magnitude work than the previous tool generations. Inkjet printers replaced electrostatic printers replaced offset presses* replaced presses replaced silk screens* replaced scribes and inkwells replaced stone tablets ...cave art.
Show threadmattMay 18, 2023
@ve7fim @codinghorror * offset press and silk screen printing are still very much present and in demand, though also much transformed and informed with modern tech.
Show threadVE7FIMMay 18, 2023

@maphew @codinghorror

The problem isn't new technology. New technology *in the hands of workers* is the best thing ever. Better, safer working conditions, higher quality output, new capabilities, ability to take on bigger projects, quicker turnaround time, etc.

The problem is when new technology is used to devalue skilled workers, to reduce quality, to lower wages, to worsen safety, quality of life, etc.

Here, I see far more of the latter than the former. They're quite open about it now.

Show threadsxpertMay 18, 2023
@maphew @ve7fim @codinghorror still those skills are still useful to know, as they would work in case of a major computing disaster