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0 pointstptacek10y ago0 comments

I'm still a bit confused about how right-to-download helps non-nerds. I think I have a minor allergic reaction to things that are (a) so hard to implement that they raise barriers to newcomers and (b) only help the nerd class.

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4 comments · 1 top-level

idlewords10y ago· 3 in thread

Some ways I can think of that help non-nerds:

- lets you make backups you physically control

- prevents vendor lock-in

- lets you spot and correct mistakes in things like your user profile

- lets you verify that things you deleted were actually deleted

- promotes competition by making it easier to take your data and go elsewhere

- protects your privacy by forcing vendors to keep better track internally of what user data they're storing

tptacekOP10y ago

You don't think these are things that mostly just nerds care about?

patio1110y ago

The most clarifying moment for this was Google's comprehensive data download, which the FB Growth team found out about and actively, scalably encouraged people to use, at which point Google got institutionally offended and pulled it. It later got restored under a scary This Is Actually An Advanced Techy Thing; Pay No Attention To The Data Behind The Curtain warning.

kasey_junk10y ago

I think the argument is that while the basic features are nerd only, they enable a better overall ecosystem.

Much like rules around financial disclosures are largely only cared about by finance nerds, but the halo allows everyone to have a better finance ecosystem.

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