[ih] Keep the geeks in charge of the internet

[Joseph Touch]

> On Jul 13, 2020, at 10:05 AM, Alexander Goldman via Internet-history <internet-history at elists.isoc.org> wrote:
> 
> The ability to hold real time meetings is driving the push to move
> office-less.  And the ability to collaborate or work from home is very
> important.  Of course, Twitter is not a normal company, but it will not
> require anyone to work in an office in the future
> https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/12/twitter-says-staff-can-continue-working-from-home-permanently/
> .
> 
> As for everyone else:
> 
> https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2020/article/ability-to-work-from-home.htm
> 
> employment fell by 21 percent in occupations in which telework is not
> feasible, compared with 8 percent in occupations in which telework is
> feasible

A lot of that is arguably because we’re not used to it. 

My grandmother made lace and sewed wedding dresses from her house; messengers delivered material and picked up completed items. Delivery costs and allowing unsupervised work at home was considered the “cost of doing business” at the time. 

Times have changed because capabilities have changed, but they CAN change back, as long as the change happens en-masse. As long as one business can go “back to usual”, economics will drive others away from these changes. We’re (too) slowly learning that these changes are critical and must be universally mandated. When that happens, I expect a shift in those expectations, as that’s much more tenable than keeping those businesses closed completely for the next year (at least).

Joe