The internet is fundamentally a decentralized network. Since this network is being used to move huge amounts of valuable data, there is an incentive to become a hub for this data.
The ossification of the web into a handful of major hubs is in no way surprising. Any such system will tend towards capture over time, via social contracts that provide a disincentive to exit (e.g. social networks). The fundamental gravity of centralization needs to be actively and persistently resisted by applying opposing forces.
The web of 2019 is beginning to show signs of social flux: average everyday people are beginning to become conscious of the value of their personal data, and the role that these technologies play in their society, politics, and daily lives. The past decade has seen new approaches to security, distributed systems, and decentralization.
Software continues its march of abstraction
Increasing abstraction
Containers
Specialist DevOps
Kubernetes difficult billing
FaaS / Serverless
Still early in its curve
Wasm Isolates
Difficult to compete with the rolling weight of the Big Four
Data security
GDPR
Lock-in fatigue
Scandals: Snowden, Cambridge Analytica
Apple has begun selling its services as "more secure"
If you don't like what you got Why don't you change it? If your world is all screwed up Rearrange it! ~ Trooper, Raise a Little Hell
Content addressing gives us a single unified namespace
Portablility
Constraints of this system mean that it should be secure-by-default
People are fundamentally lazy
Want to change as little as possible
Momentum
Familiarity-as-UX
Systemically, we tend towards centralization and capture
Periodic paradeigm shifts that allow for increased freedom, competition, and efficiency
Socially, end-users are becoming aware of the dangers of concentrated technological power
Decentralized IDs will happen
W3C
Microsoft
BC Government
Wasm is going to be available everywhere
Content addressing will effectively make data location a non-issue
Pragmatism
Self-sovereignty
Universality
Modularity
UX and DX (broadly HCI) / conveniecne
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The past 60 years have been a progression from bespoke hardware, through mainframes, timeshare, hardware owneership, cloud computing, containers, FaaS, and finally hostless systems