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So you want the Metaverse?
It might have already existed. And we ruined it with product design and walled gardens.
Here are a few thoughts on understanding and fixing this.
[THREAD]
![So you want the Metaverse?It might have already existed. And we ruined it with product design and walled gardens.Here are a few thoughts on understanding and fixing this.[THREAD]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eda6JkxXgAAZnS3.jpg "So you want the Metaverse?It might have already existed. And we ruined it with product design and walled gardens.Here are a few thoughts on understanding and fixing this.[THREAD]")
It might have already existed. And we ruined it with product design and walled gardens.
Here are a few thoughts on understanding and fixing this.
[THREAD]
I'm always a bit irritated by nostalgia because it often is solely a passive collective subjectivity. Remembering when being a kid, an adult's nostalgia tickled close to 0 curiosity.
So screw this C64. It's dead. We need new options for computing but create similar conditions.
So screw this C64. It's dead. We need new options for computing but create similar conditions.
However the C64 (and other machines at that time) didn't discriminate between entertainment, (self-)education and creativity. It was simply all play.
When observing the kids in my family today, the majority of their computing choices didn't retain that quality:
When observing the kids in my family today, the majority of their computing choices didn't retain that quality:
Smartphones and tablets with code-signing walls and consoles that need significant biz-dev to get them to run software. A chrome book. Maybe a low-powered PC that doesn't run the games everyone is talking about.
The connection between play and create isn't natural here.
The connection between play and create isn't natural here.
Zooming out to our modern economic view, one could argue that the companies who (perhaps accidentally) designed these silos are the ones that need the - let me call it - "C64 talent" the most today. https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=b1c59eaadfd945a68a59724a59dbf7b1
And this shows only the USA. The problem is global.
And this shows only the USA. The problem is global.
Even though on first encounter it seems positive, the fact that we now have an MBA-curriculum-compatible "10x programmer" term won't get us out of this pickle all on itself. It needs a bit more than simply 'letting the market figure it out'.
And it needs 1-2 generations to fix.
And it needs 1-2 generations to fix.
How does this all relate to the "Metaverse"?
Well, it says it right there in the name: If we want to be thriving towards meta layer to our society, a connected, programmable canvas is a good choice. It doesn't even need to be in 3D, but its great since we are 3D creatures.
Well, it says it right there in the name: If we want to be thriving towards meta layer to our society, a connected, programmable canvas is a good choice. It doesn't even need to be in 3D, but its great since we are 3D creatures.
Openness and programmability matters most, simply because kids (both young and old) can naturally find incredible new things with play. (related talk: )
So where are today's positive examples of "creative, programmable entertainment machines of natural play"?
Mostly in software platforms:
Mostly in software platforms:
1) Arguably @InsideRoblox is having the best positive impact. By design, history and numbers. The bridge from play to create is minimal. But they are still subject to hw platform consumerist bias: phones, tablets, etc.
2) @mediamolecule. They made the best and most innovative create-play bridge on such a closed hardware platform. My suspicion is that this is because the team is natural at playing with all things coding and creative and wanting to share that.
3) Epic. By hardcore nature, creativity bridging effort, openness advocation and probably because of @TimSweeneyEpic ( https://twitter.com/timsweeneyepic/status/780929654924378112?lang=en ;-))
4) The Web. Really. Less playful, but no tech has such closed loop between create, consume, openness and ubiquity.
5) The modding community.
6) The demoscene
...
6) The demoscene
...
I could go on longer with examples but I am running out of steam. Also this is a stream of consciousness and biased of course so don't be mad at it please ;-)
Let me get to my ultimate point: We need a new type of non-nostalgia C64.
Let me get to my ultimate point: We need a new type of non-nostalgia C64.
Sorry, the Raspberry PI isn't it even though it's a cool concept. Linux isn't it either because it has ideology written all over.
The new "C64" needs to be superior in compute power such that kids inherently prefer it to the closed platforms.
From hardware design, to OS and all the way up made with one thing in mind: That the user might find something better than the designer. Meta.
From hardware design, to OS and all the way up made with one thing in mind: That the user might find something better than the designer. Meta.
Postscript: I never really liked the term "metaverse". I guess this thread is me trying to make up with it.
