It is endlessly frustrating that companies have universally decided that they won’t let people say “no” to stuff, ever. There are no longer options to reject stupid-ass new “features”, only postponement until next time you open the app/website/program. They’ll continue pestering you for the rest of your life. I realize that my frustration may be a little over-zealous, but we deal with these interfaces dozens of times per day and this is user hostile behavior. There isn’t really an option to just use another service or program, since the entire technology landscape has been commandeered by a few major corporations, and they all enact the same shitty things as a group.
I hear your frustration, but there are other options. They won’t necessarily be the same, or perhaps equivalent in every way, but they do exist. You don’t have to use the same corporations over and over again.
Do you know of a music streaming service that isn’t Amazon, Apple, YouTube, or Spotify? Because I’ll check it out if you do. In my car I have a thumb drive with my entire lifelong music collection on it, but at work I can’t plug anything into my work computer and need something that is accessible through the internet. I can’t imagine not having music to listen to while coding, I’d eventually lose my mind.
Have you checked out Plex? Host your own steaming server … for years I used a 10yr old Mac Mini.
A streaming server that I can access from my work computer? Like on the web or something? I can’t install Plex on my work computer. I set Plex up about 6 years ago, but then I realized I could just stream my movies and songs onto my home theater system straight from a HDD, so I didn’t get very deep in the Plex configs before I stopped using it.
I use Koel. https://koel.dev/
Install it at a host of your choice and access it in a web browser or with mobile apps.
Actually, we do often have to use the same corporations over and over again. The choice to abstain or switch can often require more time, training, or money.
Even with suites like Adobe, the support for their programs from third parties is HUGE. That’s finally changing slowly, but it’s still typically easiest to stick with things like after effects and premier because it’s got massive community resource support. Templates can be a huge shortcut, and without the right options mane projects are made a lot more difficult and/or decreased in quality.
I’ve don’t think I’ve ever used an Adobe product. While they may be huge in specific fields, there are other options. Yes, extra time, training, and money will need to be used to move to alternatives, but what’s the other option? Continue giving Adobe money and support their monopoly? Be the change you want to see.
So what “other option” do I have to stop my kid’s ClassDojo app from badgering me to “upgrade” to “plus?”
Keep in mind that it’s the public school system that chose to use ClassDojo, not me.
And that’s only one out of about half a dozen shitty third-party services with shitty ToSs that the school system has tried to push on me in the last week!
There’s always options.
- Refuse to use the applications and consult with the school board with your concerns. Involve other parents and start a movement.
- Use a different local school system. Is there a local private school that’s better?
- Home schooling is another option.
I’m not saying any of those are easy options. In fact, you may have no good options today. But you don’t need to stay that way forever. Explore what options you could have next year, or the year after. What can you work toward?
At the end of the day, the more everybody gives in and allows the abuse to happen, the move it will be normalized and accepted. If you don’t like what is happening, then make changes in what you accept in your life.