take a picture, it'll last longer...

So this is "what happens to those who would aspire to turn back the clock in the face of progress." Really? I mean, you know this is what the proprietor sought to do? Or is it just a conclusion that suits your beliefs? There might be a hundred reasons why this place went out of business, or chose not to "adapt"--maybe the guy was just ready to retire and is already in Boca Raton with his feet up; I hope he is. But who else do you sneer at when they close up shop? Used book stores? The vinyl guy? VCR repairmen? Sure I own a digital camera, but as was already said cameras weren't the point. The point seems to be that you just can't stop more-highly-evolved-than-thou digeratiism. Er, I mean progress. Great as blogs are--and "hot" as they are at the moment--the blog bubble is sure to burst eventually too.

But who else do you sneer at when they close up shop? Used book stores? The vinyl guy? VCR repairmen?

Just the people who are arrogant and offensive about the desires of their customers. So, to answer your questions. Book stores: No. Vinyl guy: Seems like they're doing a brisk business still. VCR repairmen: Is there such a thing? Who gets a VCR fixed?

I'm not an unabashed promoter of technology, I'm a strong believer in listening to one's audience. There's a big difference. Will there be a backlash and a lessening of hype about weblogs? Absolutely. But the total number of people participating in the medium will increase even during that backlash, and my professional aims are a lot broader than that anyway.

More importantly: If demand for weblogs evaporated tomorrow, replaced by paper diaries, would I go around decrying that paper diaries cause blindness? I'd bet you'd see me trying to figure out what it is that makes people like paper diaries better.

You're essentially accusing me of overinflated ego. I'm essentially saying that person guilty of hubris is the person who derided his customers' decisions to move away from film-based cameras. How do I know he resented the future? He put up signs on a major road in Manhattan announcing the fact.

But yeah, it's still not about digital cameras.

Yeah, but couldn't you have taken a better picture of the sign?

I was going to say the same thing about Anil's photography skillz. But it sounds better coming from his boss ;)

Maybe he went blind from all those goddamn digital cameras, and didn't want others to suffer the same injury he did. Soon, he found out that it was too hard to run a business when you can't see anything.

Geez, Anil, do you have to be so cynical? :)

Joe
http://www.joegrossberg.com

A number of small businesses in NYC are closing shop. The poor economy and a sharp increase in property taxes that were recently approved.

Can I use one until I need glasses?

I just realized what *really* did this camera shop under: that sign! What's with the Pac-Man "C"'s in "CliCks"?!? Dude! That's like so 1983! I mean, I bet the guy still does his inventory on a TRS-80. Good riddance.

A guy who develops photos went out of business, with the inferrance that digital cameras made this so. Isn't that a little bit sad? Isn't that something to lament? He may have had a family to feed, children to support, rent to pay, food to buy. But now his livelihood has gone.

To sneer about it, to cynically say "that's progress", is utter schadenfreude.