Digital Crossing - A Personal Reflection on Technological Evolution

I witnessed the dawn of the web, an era when each new internet connection opened up infinite horizons (slow, because 56K internet connection, but infinite). Chat tools like MSN revolutionized our way of communicating, marking the first steps of a profound social transformation.

So in high school (gymnasium for non-Vaud residents), we saw each other all day, but the first thing we did when we got home was to hog the home phone line to connect to MSN and change our status with our current song on Winamp: yes, the famous status “KaiLLanT: Going Under - Evanescence”, you had it too.

The first smartphones and the beginning of Facebook not only changed our way of interacting with technology but also redefined our daily lives. These innovations accelerated the integration of new technologies into every aspect of our life, both professional and personal.

So, I created Facebook statuses using the third person: “Cayan Frey is at the aperitif” and I used obscure messaging apps before Whatsapp became mainstream.

Also, don't worry, I now have an Android phone. All is well.

This journey through technological evolution leads me to observe the dizzying speed at which new technologies infiltrate our daily lives. As a professional, it can sometimes be hard to stay up-to-date with each new wave of innovation, especially at an age where one sometimes aspires to a bit of stability.

However, this constant innovation can be paradoxical. The example of PHP is emblematic: since I learned to code, I've been hearing that PHP is about to disappear. Yet, 20 years later, it remains a strong element of web development. This highlights a fundamental aspect of technology: despite the relentless quest for novelty, some basics remain unchallenged. For instance, there will probably never be a game that comes close to Mega Man X on SNES, and yet, they have tried.

Sometimes, it's a bit difficult to age in an ever-changing digital environment without seeming like the grumpy old man at the back of the room. Keeping up with all the trends, being on all networks/fronts to not miss a thing, it's tiring. Fortunately, we have the next generation to bring us up to date, and I must admit I have genuine good times listening to them and discussing these topics.

Taking stock of these years of innovations makes me realize the importance of embracing change while appreciating the constancy of certain fundamentals and the journey traveled. When I think back to the MSN interface, the notion of privacy at the beginning of Facebook, or even the exposure of certain life passages on blogs, skyblog, tumblr, or myspace, I think we've come a long way. More or less in the right direction, but we have progressed, and that's what counts in the end.

Do you also feel this acceleration of technological time? Have you found your balance between constant novelty and the comfort of the basics? Share your experience, I would be delighted to exchange with you on this topic.

For this article, I used an AI-based spell checker and image generator.