Mastodawn

Wow, this is a rip-snorting interview with @pluralistic - you, sir, have got great metaphors. Well done. This needs to be on every single NZ MP's listing list: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018985178/feature-interview-how-meta-and-x-will-eat-themselves

Feature interview: how Meta and X will eat themselves

This is how huge tech platforms like Google and Meta roll; first, they're good to their users; then they abuse them to make things better for business customers, then they exploit their business customers to squeeze out every last bit of value for themselves. Then, they die. That's how author, activist and journalist Cory Doctorow sees tech's slow-motion collapse. He's in New Zealand to meet readers and talk about his latest book about Silicon Valley's big bet on AI called Picks and Shovels.

RNZ

Wow. A website that just allows me to download the mp3? surprisedpikachu.jpg
❤️
CC: @pluralistic@mamot.fr

@nigel @pluralistic they used to be even better, offering the option of downloading podcasts in OGG format (prior to MP3's Fraunhoffer patent expiring). Sadly, they've dropped now, even though it's now mostly symbolic.

@nigel I recall when @SimonCHulse's father (who worked at RNZ for a long time) once told me they supported OGG format podcasts due to an interview Kim Hill did with RMS years ago - apparently she was quite compelled by his arguments and encouraged RNZ to suitably align the digital artefacts it was offering under the auspices of its public funding.

Ko Simon toku ingoa

@lightweight @nigel @pluralistic can confirm, in the early days of that site, I remember asking dad what .OGG was.

Assuming your Dad is Richard he very much built the Radio NZ digital presence with code the organisation ended up owning but essentially threw away in some terribly ill-advised pivot to proprietary systems.

@lightweight @nigel @pluralistic

@zl2tod yes, indeed. Like so many NZ organisations (yes, Stuff.co.nz, I'm looking at you. National Business Review, you too. And ITP? Shame on you. There are so many others). @SimonCHulse @nigel @pluralistic

Ko Simon toku ingoa

@zl2tod @lightweight @nigel @pluralistic yep, he was laid off after over 35 years of loyal service.

@SimonCHulse yes, that was a bitter betrayal. @zl2tod @nigel @pluralistic

Aye, it seemed like a shit move from this distance.

And they are hiring a lot of not very good people at over-inflated salaries too.

@zl2tod @SimonCHulse I don't have any insight into that, although I'm dismayed at the ineptitude and lack-of-commitment-to-values of most businesses, organisations, and gov't agencies these days.

Ko Simon toku ingoa

@lightweight @zl2tod He fought against bureaucrats in the late 90s/early 00’s who were saying things like “this internet thing will never catch on” and practically single-handedly (at first) dragged RNZ kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

And he won Qantas Media Awards “best media website in Australasia” several times and then was laid off anyway. Utter crying shame.

@SimonCHulse yes, it was very sad to see and very short-sighted. He and I talked about it a bit. @zl2tod

Ko Simon toku ingoa

@lightweight @zl2tod now he’s happily working at Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision NZ, and loving it, from what I’ve heard.

Colin Jackson 6d ago

@nigel @SimonCHulse @lightweight @pluralistic I recall Richard telling me that there was a computer whose sole job was to convert sound files to Ogg format. He called it the Oggulator.

Ko Simon toku ingoa

@ThisCJ @nigel @lightweight @pluralistic sounds like my dad. He also named all the servers in RNZ after Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy characters.

Niall in Raglan

@SimonCHulse god help you if you had to login to Slartibartfast in a hurry!