jueves, junio 28, 2007

Hi Tech Consumism

I've been reading an article at DevX called Semantics and the Especialized Languages, and I've seen there the first mention (for me) of the brand-new so-called new-buzz-word Web 3.0. Yes, read it as it is. We've not exploited the now old concept of Web 2.0 yet, and we are already confronted with (babymosesinabasket!) the new version of it.

One reflections come to my mind. First, software is not free from consumism... Once you just savor the taste of a new technology, as fast as you touch it with your tech tongue, it's no more a new technology. Go fast! Go taste another new one! But wait! Over there! A new new newer technology... Now we walk our way from here to there, without obtaining all the benefits and deep understanding from these, leaving the path behind us full of new-becoming-old concepts, like one-bite'd apples.

As Newton said (paraphrasically) , he walked on giants' shoulders. We can't loose the oportunity offered by the past. We have to build on those proven foundations, on valid and demonstrated principles, and stop renaming them every now and then. Just try to call the things you know as you learned them, and make a new name up only if it is better than its predecessor. Get to a new name only if it represents and really new concept. At least, declare that one given name is synonim of another, without stating it as new.

But wait, Have you noticed that? Smells like... Smells like marketing!

PS: The marketing guys have done all a new business out of the "new" word... If it's not new, it's not good... Maybe that's the cause of older people being despised (sigh) :(