I enjoy the internets; I enjoy them all. But I am getting fed up with big monoliths. I am fed up with news and articles being paywalled, inaccessible big platforms, and platforms not even providing basic information in the <HEAD>—looking at you, Instagram and Twitter X.
I still remember life before the Internet. Or at least before I had it. I had to go to a library to get online, and it was special. It was mostly people sharing whatever they wanted, with some small platforms, but mainly random weirdos creating small corners on the Internets.
This is what I love; this is what I miss. I am still in love with RSS; I still love quirky HTML pages. I even like a good old <marquee> element. I love when people spend hours on details that no one will notice. I love a webpage without a form to comment on it, without ads, without stupid social network drama.
Don’t get me wrong; I love reading Substack newsletters. I love how some platforms give creators a good audience. But it feels like Airbnb around the world. I am just glad that some content on it is different and allows the weirdos/outcasts and misfits to still publish.
I just like the Internets when it’s more like local shops and not Walmart. I like it when people craft amazing content and take pride in sharing it without just shouting it to the world on Facebook. I love when you discover a new feed from a webroll. I love when you just browse the web and don’t get promoted content shoved in your face all the time. I like when the Internet has an end.