I would think a two-week break over the holiday season wouldn't be a death knell.

I agree. “Wisdom of the crowd” is the least useful aspect of democracy. “Broad support” and “bloodless regime change” are probably the most useful.

I disagree with this idea. The current model (generally free content that is supported by advertisers) is not the only model that can exist. Yes the Internet would be vastly different if there were no ad revenue. But the Internet existed without ads before, and certainly could do so again. Services like Meta/X couldn't exist in that market, but would that be so bad?

The OP is not complaining about free with ads. They are complaining about a free software site that is asking for a donation.

I strongly support this message

The only sales book I've ever read that presented a sales process I thought I could do and not throw up was "Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play". I strongly recommend it for someone doing exactly what you're doing.

This book is EXCELLENT. I was told by a colleague at one of the big consultancies that it was mandatory reading there.

Why? Just leave it be, and your life will be just as rich if not richer.

I think one good reason is connecting with the youth. My kids are too young for Tik Tok but old enough to come home with 6-7 (btw, best antidote to that is the 7-8-9 joke ;) ) and "chicken banana", and I'm told this comes from Tik Tok. I grew up in a house where every BSOD was caused by the fact that we installed video games, and I'd rather not be that kind of parent to my own kids. I'm also like GP though, I'd rather not go full scrollhead, so it's a bit of a dilemma.

As a former child, I'm not sure I would have wanted the adults mimicking my behavior. Back then I loved the occasions where the adults and us kids got together, such as festivities, and I got to hear their stories. They were all interesting and serious people though, with interesting lives and jobs (I was born in the 1970s and many of the adults had experienced WWII, or, the parents, the hard years following it - I am [East] German). No strange opinions about science or politics.

I think that's similar to when politicians try to "be like the people". I think "normal people", and children, prefer that their "betters" are actually examples of something better.

Agree. Your role as a parent is probably to serve as an example to them—even of old-fashioned, crufty ways. (Surprised/not-surprised to find my kids are curious about film cameras, vinyl, audio cassettes, MUDs, BBS'es…)

It's not a question of mimicking, it is interesting what is current within the teenage/student community. Adult population runs out of steam at some point.

You can search TikTok memes on YouTube. People upload them.

You using TikTok earnestly would result in a feed vastly different from your kids anyway.

Would you even see the same videos they do, given how customized feeds are?

…

But will also completely poison the well, reducing over-all trust and usage.

I don't see that happening. People have stuck with streaming and social networking as they've trended user-hostile. And with LLMs an even greater type of dependence is being cultivated.

It's almost like that idea where the first people to leave in generational star ships will arrive at their new home to find the people who left in the third or forth generation ships already there for some time, technology having advanced so much in that time.

By the time they get the cable to Singapore, it will just be cheaper to generate it in Singapore.

"Your call is important to us." But, not important enough to actually hire enough people to answer it.