Make the Internet Fun Again

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the decline of the internet's magic due to optimization and the rise of "slop" - mediocre content created solely to drive metrics. It argues that this is a natural process that comes for every new industry, as described by economists like Carlota Perez and Joseph Schumpeter. The article then introduces oncyber, a portfolio company of Not Boring Capital, as an example of a "toy" that could disrupt the current state of the internet by providing powerful yet easy-to-use tools for anyone to build immersive, interactive 3D experiences and websites.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Decline of the Internet's Magic

1. What is the problem with the current state of the internet?

• The internet has become overrun with "slop" - mediocre content created solely to drive metrics like likes, views, and clicks. This is due to the ease of optimization and the fact that algorithms reward this type of content.
• Good content and businesses are being drowned out by good optimizers, which is bad for everyone.

2. What causes this decline of the internet's magic?

• It is a natural process that comes for every new industry, as described by economists like Carlota Perez and Joseph Schumpeter.
• In the Deployment Period of a new technological innovation, things get professionalized and industrialized, as people learn the rules of the game and begin to optimize for metrics.
• This leads to the internet becoming increasingly rigid and less productive, setting the conditions for disruption.

3. How does Clayton Christensen's theory of Disruptive Innovation apply to the internet?

• Incumbents focus on improving their products and services for their most demanding customers, exceeding the needs of some segments and ignoring the needs of others.
• New entrants then target these overlooked segments with products that, at first, don't look very threatening to the incumbents, but then improve over time.

[02] oncyber as a Potential Disruptor

1. What is oncyber, and how does it fit into the narrative of the article?

• oncyber is a portfolio company of Not Boring Capital that the author believes could be an example of a "toy" that could disrupt the current state of the internet.
• oncyber started as a platform for creating beautiful, immersive 3D NFT galleries, but has now reworked its technology to create a game engine-based toolkit for anyone to build games, websites, and virtual worlds.

2. What are the key features of oncyber v2 that make it a potential disruptor?

• The ability for anyone to access the code directly and easily add user-generated, no-code building blocks to create their own experiences.
• The integration of crypto rails to allow for flexible monetization options.
• The use of AI-assisted scripting to make it easier for non-technical users to build complex experiences.
• The technological changes it is riding, such as the improvements in data transfer speeds and the rise of web technologies like WebGL and WebXR.

3. How does the author envision oncyber v2 shaping the future of the internet?

• oncyber v2 will allow for the creation of websites and experiences that are more interactive, fun, and unique, rather than being optimized for metrics.
• The author believes this could lead to a resurgence of the internet's "magic", with creators one-upping each other to build increasingly creative and engaging experiences.
• As the technology improves and becomes more accessible, the author expects a wide range of new and innovative use cases to emerge, potentially even accelerating the adoption of VR/AR.