The Humble Link

2024-08-29

I was joking on Mastodon about how the zeitgeist has changed over the years, but its pattern is revealing itself: an acronym which merely drops letters. The Next Big Thing™ is clearly going to be “A”.

2010: Everyone needs an "API"
2020: Everyone needs "AI"
2030: Everyone needs "A"

So I just need to figure out what “A” is and I’ll be rich!

Annie came back with this response that won’t get out of my head:

<a> the magic we already have

On snap. Mic drop right there.

It’s pretty wild that so many of the power struggles going on in tech stem from what is ultimately a fight over linking to something.

The app store & steering provisions: you cannot <a> to an outside website
AI: it won’t <a> to anything and cite its sources.
Social media: you only get one <a> (“link in bio”)

That Tim-Berners Lee really threw a wrench in things when he made the humble <a> tag.

Links are incredibly powerful. The web’s reputation is often that it’s playing catch up. However, when it comes to links, that original invention is still transforming the world.

Meme of Boromir from the Lord of the Rings where he’s holding the ring with wonderment. The ring is overlaid with an anchor tag and the caption “tis a strange fate we whould suffer so much feat and doubt over so small a thing”