[alanlamm]

1. Based on personal experience, I don't really buy the many comments here that say the web is boring bc most people are boring vs some fun geeky outlier elite. I remember IT class 20 years ago and everybody - including the most mainstream jocks if one were to stereotype - had great fun making colorful html, watching sheep walk around the windows desktop, chatting on icq, etc. Even orkut several years later was zany. 2. It is ironic that in the age of google, many responses here are lists of cool urls - almost like mini directories. reminds me of the physical Guide To The Internet (or some similar name) book we had (and which was great). 3. It is a little ironic that the OP is a rant about an uncool internet that proceeds to plug a product, which is typical of the uncool internet. I dont mean to criticize, though, bc refering to a problem and proposing a solution is legitimate. But u have to smile. 4. FWIW strongly share the feeling that the web is less fun. 5. No data, but I have a gut feel that as powerful as the big cos may be, it is not an inevitable process - just a matter of going out there and building alternatives (not that they'd necessarily be as profitable or big as the googles and facebooks) - [in my country] we've switched from icq to msn to orkut to fb to ig+whatsapp. Who is to say there won't be another 5 switches over the next 20 years?