Submitted 2 days ago by veebee@sh.itjust.works to technology@lemmy.world
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/doctorow/enshittification-the-drm-free-audiobook
An older book I frequently refer to:
On Bullshit | Princeton University Press share.google/DaiZS6wG7SiOCdRcg
“One of the most prominent features of our world is that there is so much bullshit. Yet we have no clear understanding of what bullshit is, how it’s distinct from lying, what functions it serves, and what it means.”
press.princeton.edu/books/…/on-bullshit
actual link
Dafuq is a share.google
Google has its own tdl now. Kinda fucked.
He has the first hour and a half (of 9) in his latest podcast, if you want a real preview: craphound.com/…/enshittification-episode-500/
I decided to order the epub because no matter how I try, I can’t enjoy Wesley’s voice (sorry Will).
FWIW Cory narrates this book. And he has a YouTube video embedded that has the first hour if you want to hear how it sounds.
I agree with you about Wesley (🤮), but that’s not really relevant to this book?
Cory recorded the audio himself to my understanding (listened to his appearance on the QAA podcast), and it sounds like his voice reading it on the linked podcast.
Wow, my brain really failed me here! I ALSO listened to Picks and Shovels recently, which was narrated by Will Wheaton, and somehow the voices got switched in my memory. You are correct, Cory recorded this himself.
Expected release date: 7 October 2025
Anyone read other books of his and if so, do you recommend them?
His ideas are fantastic. Execution and characterization are spotty. Been a while since I read anything of his, but IIRC, he has a tendency to dip into surrealism or absurdity that feels cringey instead of his artistic target.
In some ways, it’s similar to a lot of Golden Era SF. You read it for the ideas, not the story.
I do have a favorable opinion of him and his work. I’d really enjoy Doctorow being paired with a traditional fiction author and both being rode herd by a hardass SF editor.
I find the non-fiction stuff he writes good (e.g. The Internet Con, Chokepoint Capitalism). I believe this book is like that?
I found his fiction, based on the one book (The Lost Cause) I read, to be a bit juvenile in style (as in feels like a young adults kind of book) to the point I didn’t quite enjoy it, although the topics are interesting enough.
personally i read “Down and Out in the magic Kingdom” as well as the german translation “Backup”, which - while not masterpieces - were quite enjoyable.
I highly recommend the recent episode of the QAA podcast with doctriw, it’s an amazing listen!
Is it about how everyone is using the term wrong and it doesn’t mean anything anymore?
Why do you think everyone is using the term is wrong? Plenty of words get overused until they become meaningless but I have mainly seen enshittification used to refer to large companies significantly degrading their product in a bid to increase profits which is what I understand it to mean. If it’s used a lot, it’s because it’s happening a lot (often by companies who built their products in the zero interest rate, infinite money era and now have to face the new reality).
I see it used as “things got worse” a lot but I did a quick search and looks like you’re right, on lemmy it’s used correctly most of the times.
It’s happening to governments too, but they call it austerity.
It’s authored by the guy who coined the term originally; so however he’s using it, that’s the way it’s used.
Not necessarily… Death of the author and all that
It’s spelled “enshittification.”
He enshittified my favorite word!
He got it right (which makes sense; he coined the term); OP didn’t.
Ordered.
Audiobook? Bah, I remember when books were for reading.
Nothing is stopping you from doing that: us.macmillan.com/books/…/enshittification/
I’m glad to hear that. It’s unfortunate that the blurb only described it as an audio book, so I went by without looking into it further.
If you actually read the Kickstarter page, he’s selling a physical and ebook version of it as well.
Also, maybe practice reading a webpage before you act pretentious about book formats.
old man yells at cloud
Him being an “old man” would be predicated on his incorrect assumption that the act of having a book read to you is somehow new and is not as old as books themselves.
He’s just a moron lmao
What? Oral book readings predate regular book reading as a hobby by hundreds of years.
Yeah, but that was because in those days most people were actually illiterate, which in recent history we considered a bad thing and tried to avoid, but it seems to be making a comeback unfortunately.
This is Frickin sick.
I must get a copy, i love this authors writing. I also very much enjoy he respects the right of ownership and anti-drm
underline960@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
The first half of the book is great.
The second half has ads that take up more and more of the page until you reach a page that is just ads and a QR code.
When you scan the code, it takes you to a page asking you to rate the book and pay a subscription for the remaining pages.
(If you rate five stars, they send a 10% discount code to your email and add you to a newsletter list without an unsubscribe button.)
lefixxx@lemmy.world 1 day ago
LoL I thought you were serious for a second
mrmule@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
Isn’t that the point though? The book enshittifies
AntEater@discuss.tchncs.de 1 day ago
Just a touch too close to reality. That was a beyond-awesome reply.
ckmnstr@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Do you have any screenshots? And is it the retail version or is it some early version? Retail’s supposed to only come out in October.
baggachipz@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
Whoosh
StupidBrotherInLaw@lemmy.world 2 days ago
It’s a joke, mate.