Whenever I buy a console I'm super aware I have maybe 5 years of using it before I'm forced to upgrade to the next console. It's even worse with phones. I wonder how many of these devices (or realistically, new features existing devices) are held back on purpose to justify a new phone every year.

What is the current rate of technological advancement if we discount capitalism creating a culture where businesses don't put out their best product always, and innovation is not innovation for the sake of itself, or to make people's lives easier, but a tool used to beat out the other guy and keep making money off of people every year?

  • Waylander [he/him,they/them]
    ·
    4 years ago

    Like 80% of corporate culture, and probably 50% of external services (as in half of contracts, not half of the money spent on contracts) will be called stuff like 'risk mitigation' or 'licensing' or 'meeting standards' and basically boils down to 'we pay you to make sure if something breaks, we can pass the blame'.

    IT security companies are a way for businesses to pay x amount every year and then stop worrying about data breaches, because if anyone complains or they get audited, they can just pass the buck to whoever they outsourced the work to. It's essentially just insurance, but with performative components.

      • Waylander [he/him,they/them]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Hey, I work for a government contractor which basically means the state gets overcharged for my labour, and middlemen take a cut and pay off their shareholders. And my job's Brexit-related so I get to see the absolute shitshow from up close, plus constantly changing requirements and deadlines due to negotiations being a flaming pile of shit (mostly from the UK side).