Hello!
I'm well aware this post might become an issue, so first of all I want to say thank you to all of you who have enjoyed my posts until now and commented and supported them. I'm truly grateful for that!
It's been a while since I wrote and that's partly because I didn't felt like it. In my account I hold 18 badges, 8 from year commemorations and the rest from commit contribution (so I could add my mastodon account and so anyone could, it worked for a while and happy about that), "nevertheless she coded", writing strikes and more. I feel like a girl scout (jk, I love my badges)
I even helped with moderation for a while on my free time, just for the sake of this community because I really liked it and its people.
I started writing mostly to share my development in tech and security, I learned a lot from communities so I wanted to give something back. That, I keep doing in other places, too. I think we all need to share our knowledge to be better together. It might sound naive, and I'm well aware: it is not. Not everything needs to be a potential efficient product, and not everything, to be valuable and useful, needs to enroll a tech trend. I learned that mostly working with tech in the margins in my free time: limited resources for a local hackerspace, limited resources for schools, in a social radio station, tech for minorities, organizing free software events and more. Technology for communities works better in the long run (and for better purposes) when it's also community driven and multidisciplinary. Maybe slower? Maybe it takes more time? Sure, probably. Still, better.
I recently heard Cloudflare CEO speaking (LINK, be aware this is an X/twitter link) about how AI bots and content is messing up with content creators, those who wrote the actual information in the first place. He spoke from the visibility of his platform, but this is something many content creators (specially those who wrote or drew) were already saying. I've been visiting this place and recently wondered how many are truly people sharing and how many are automated SEO for visibility. Made me feel bitter about it.
I'm also motivated by the climate impact of generative AI, which is apparently the favorite topic lately. It's no secret, it's already been said, researched and all. Some of us are even seeing our countries being the target for massive Data Centers (not regular ones) despite the fact of being heavily impacted by the climate change (water availability issues, extreme hot, etc). I will leave the numbers to associations such as Tu Nube Seca mi Rio, but you get the idea right?
I got upset when I saw another community holding hands with trending-driven AI deals. It's not my call, and me leaving has no impact, it might even backfire.
I really want to spend my time in digital spaces that will make me feel I'm doing my best, the best I can. I really don't want to put a single feather more on to the weight of the climate and technology mess that my daughter is going to inherit.
I'm not nostalgic, I didn't have time to be (I'm only 29 hehe). I'm not naive, either, I've given my tech career time, and sacrifice in and out the working context. I've faced and fought misogyny in several digital and tech spaces so others didn't have to. Let me tell you, I've worked on my relationship with technology from several angles.
I just believe tech communities can do better and I want to work towards that, as I've always done. Some years ago it was by working alongside the local Free Software Office, and now, 8 years later, I'm just advocating for the tech I believe in.
As I've always done.
I try to remember individual actions will only get you so far. I feel this decision is more of a collaboration to those communities who want to work towards permacomputing.
Thanks for all this years of fun interactions and content sharing. I hope this letter is more of a warm goodbye rather than a bitter message. I'm proud of the DEVTO stickers I have in my laptop and I'm happy I've been around.
Have a great day, reader (unless you are a bot hehe)
Hugs
Top comments (2)
Yeah, I'm also tired of the AI ubiquity and the way people prioritise it over climate, freedom, etc.
It'd be great if you still posted even if it's just links to new projects or causes you find yourself following, though.
I think people are treating AI like an arms race - it might be one, I don't know - but that's certainly the way it's being dealt with. The cost of this? Unfathomable to me... However, it's more likely a thing than "the metaverse" ever was.