Conversation

187 responses and growing. Clearly a topic people have lots of thoughts on. Reading these has been a useful litmus test of what tech I find interesting vs not.
Quote Tweet
What new directions would you like to see in technology evolution in the next decade? (at actual tech level like “larger laptops” or “blimp airlines”... not econo-political level like “weaken FAANG” or “more open source”) Extra points for non-SV, non-software speculations.
Replying to
Technology is most interesting when it follows the logic of its own natural constraints and possibilities rather the logic of a human need. Or worse, the needs of an abstract category of humans. I’m thinking of these as eigentechnologies. Or eigentech for short.
1
5
Eigentech examples: 1. Semiconductor chips (driven by logic and physics of electronics) 2. Physical shapes of vehicles (shaped by underlying principle of motion) 3. Energy production/conversion machines (thermodynamics)
2
5
Non-eigentech: 1. Anything where “UX” is biggest thing to design. 2. Anything where the diffs between consumer, industrial/enterprise, and government grades are more design/aesthetic (eg furniture) than regimes of performance (eg cars vs trucks vs tanks is real eigendiffs)
1
4
Weird thing, since I’ve gotten more into exploring maker stuff in the last year, I’m motivated to follow eigentech-vectors where they lead even when beyond my skills, but procrastinate endlessly on modest home improvement and “real problem” stuff wife’s been bugging me to do 🤣
1
2
Design miniature led headlight fixture for my rover, yay! Replace lightbulb in car headlight, grumble grumble! Figure out how to drill clean holes in aluminum for rover frames, yay! Hang mirror, grumble grumble. The difference us non-eigen constraints and features.
1
When you solve non-eigen problems you learn about human needs and things like what some bureaucrat decided was a good standard, or the behind-the-facade design contortions introduced by aesthetic considerations. Good things to be good at, just not technologically interesting.
1
I guess I want “what technology wants” Which is generally more interesting than what humans want Hunan-centric technology promotes the comfort and convenience of humans, which is more easy to sell on utilitarian merits, but lacks technological charisma
2
2