It's been 14 years since I last posted a message in a blog. Back then, blogging was already becoming somewhat obsolete, with people moving to other forms of online communication such as Facebook and Twitter. Nowadays, Facebook has pretty much been superseded by Instagram, blogging feels like a distant memory, and the information that once appeared on written web pages is now typically delivered through YouTube videos.
I considered starting a podcast, which is another medium that seems to have gained traction in the past decade, but I don't feel ready for that yet. It seems to require too much post-production work, and I appreciate the immediacy of written words in a journal, allowing my thoughts to flow in a tradition that has evolved from pen and paper to the computer screen over the centuries.
I know that some podcasts are released with little to no production, and that might be an option for the future, but for now, writing feels like the right approach. First, it allows me to hold onto something that seems precious and outdated. Second, I plan to write mostly at night, when my home is silent, my family is asleep, and I want to preserve that peaceful moment.
I am a 43-year-old software engineer, and as I age, I find myself missing the simplicity of earlier times, when technological devices didn't offer so many distractions. My first computer was a ZX Spectrum, given to me around 1988. The beauty of that machine was that it was designed to make computers accessible to everyone at a time when the utility of such devices wasn’t clear to most people. Its creator understood that in order to achieve this, computers had to be affordable for working-class families. Despite being far less powerful than many other computers of its time, the ZX Spectrum became wildly popular and influenced how I approach technology to this day.
I dislike the modern trend of purchasing a new phone or computer every few years. I don’t believe planned obsolescence is necessary; it seems more like a marketing tactic to convince us we need the latest model of every device to stay in the loop.
Moreover, I am concerned about the environmental impact that this rapid pace of consumption brings. I prefer to use my electronic devices for a long time (on average, I keep my phones for over 5 years, and my laptops even longer), and I often miss my old devices when I switch to new ones. They were tuned to work in the way I preferred. I was accustomed to how they felt in my hand, the feedback of the keyboard on my old laptop... and every time I acquire a new device, I always wonder if the change was truly necessary.
The way I’m writing this might make it sound like I dislike technology. On the contrary; I am quite a tech geek. However, I grew weary of the fact that a computer could become obsolete the moment you walked out of the store with it. I genuinely enjoy the fact that, despite companies' aggressive attempts to convince us we need new models that are virtually identical to the previous year's models, we can use our devices for much longer.
I am starting this new blog to document the technology I use and share my thoughts about the world of software and hardware. Lastly, please pardon my English. I am a native Spanish speaker from the old continent. I hope I’ll be disciplined enough to write here frequently. To anyone who might be reading these words, welcome!
