Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
"the unofficial editorial policy was that if there were a chance to
be clever, we took it."

Great policy. There is so right now that isn't clever, that this mag
stands out all the more.

At a publication I work with, DeSmog, we've been covering MAGA and
tech from the perspectives of angles like climate action, data
center development and disinformation. We tend to be pretty earnest
in tone. I think some of these articles can indirectly inform how
I'm approaching these topics. (Mostly, I edit.)

Still, I'm starting my reading on a personal note, with "What hath
the iPhone wrought?" 

For the past few years, I've been making myself think back A LOT to
how we did daily life before 2014. 

It's actually a relief to remember that I tended to get where I
needed to go, and stayed in good touch with loved ones, and kept up
with news, and took photos of interesting things or people, and did
math in my head and more and more...

It felt confining enough that I had a phone with me at almost all
times from 2000 onwards. I switched to an iPhone around...I don't
know. It was an iPhone 4, but a hand-me-down from a friend who was
upgrading to a 5 or 6. I was consciously not an early adopter.

Now I have this little supercomputer in my pocket almost all the
time, to the point of anxiety if I happen to forget it --- followed
by remembering that this is how I went about my days for more than
half my life...and they went FINE.

I have thought about going back to a dumb phone, but at this point
not having a smartphone would be problematic for work.

All that said, I'm starting to learn how to make films with the
iPhone. It's thrilling that I can carry around so little equipment
and get such good results. 
  

    
i think the photo essay by eric p., with ppl with their iphones
blanked out, is very telling.

my 'silicon valley truth and rec' conference program walked the line
between humor + 'j'accuse..

how can one do that with climate stories? not sure. there is swift's
'a modest proposal'...
  

    

Funny, "truth and reconciliation" has been on my mind a lot. Not
about climate specifically, but that's a pretty compelling angle.
  

    
we have thrown around the idea of making the fake 'truth and rec'
confernce --- a real event.
  

    
just a fun update: in the last 24 hrs the mag had started being sold
at barnes and noble and we have already sold 100 copies and some
stores are sold out.

we also got a free one-day ad on the brave browser --- and we are
officially out of stock for online sales. 2nd printing in the
offing!

so those of you who have copies --- you now own a collectible 1st
edition. as can be imagined, we are all jumping all over each other!
  

    
Great news, Paulina 
  

    
i think more than we even realized two yrs ago when we started issue
#3 that the moment for such a magazine was here...
  

    
Yay!
  

    
Saw that ad for the mag on the Brave browser..way cool and good on
ya!
  

    
after all this it is frustrating to not get copies out to people who
are interested. so we went with an initial print run of 5k. not sure
how long it will take to do a second printing or if the people -now-
wanting one will still want one in a few months.
  

    
2nd printing in process! yay! hope is to have new copies maybe end
of nov....

and we are gonna be at manny's sf 12 nov

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/every-day-computers-are-making-people-easier-to-u
se-tickets-1778799871299?aff=oddtdtcreator
  

    
In Formation/every day computers are making people easier to use is
having a party in Berkeley  16 December, 5:30 to 7:30, to celebrate
the second printing of issue #3.

I've been involved with with all three issues, but particularly the
current issue, which was mentioned in that New York Times feature.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/27/technology/writer-silicon-valley-criticism.
html


Come on by if you want to hang out at Vintage Wineshop, 2949
College; say hi to me, the editor-in-chief, and other magazine
staff;  and pick up a copy of the magazine.

Here's the official invite; RSVP so we can let the Wineshop people
have a rough headcount.

https://informationmagazine.com/event/in-formation-magazine-second-printing-ce
lebration/
  

    
So pleased! (For a few seconds, I thought the reference was to your
book. Oh, well.)
  

    
work rumbles on wrt to reprinting the book. nothing to publically
report yet...