ChatGPT and other AI services are basically killing @Iconfactory and I'm not exaggerating or being hyperbolical.

First Twitter/Elon killed our main app revenue that kept the lights on around here, then generative AI exploded to land a final blow to design revenue.

Today's threads (a thread)

Inside: Semantic drift versus ethical drift; and more!

Archived at: https://pluralistic.net/2025/07/14/pole-star/

#Pluralistic

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More than a quarter-century ago, a group of hackers decided that, as a label, "free software" was a liability, and they set out to replace it with a different label, "open source," on the basis that "open source" was easier to understand and using it instead of "free software" would speed up adoption.

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If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/07/14/pole-star/#gnus-not-utilitarian

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IT jobs lingo decoded:

• “We’re like a family” = no boundaries & call at midnight

• “Fast-paced” = chaos everywhere

• “Self-starter” = zero support for anything

• “Team player” = unpaid overtime & get ready to work on all holidays including weekends

• “Competitive salary” = below industry average

• “Nimble” = drop everything & work on my problem

• “Flexible work hours” = starting time is fixed but don’t think of leaving early

What else?

Public service announcement.

(Created by https://bsky.app/profile/campfireharve.st )

No-AI and solid end-to-end encryption is the new tech hype.

If you don't invest heavily in solid end-to-end encryption, privacy-protective and No-AI features, you will be left behind. People might even laugh at you.

Tell everyone.

#NoAI #Encryption #RootForE2EE #Privacy #Tech