Indeed. Not a fan of 'cloud'-based software or apps, because I know where it leads. Ultimate control over my usage by that corporation, and denial of future access through subscription models. Has happened before, and will happen again as everyone lets them get away with it.

This is not exclusive to web apps though (especially open source ones)? I don't see how what you said doesn't apply to the Adobe suite which is native.

It is not a question about the app being cloud based or local, it's more a question about the openness of the file format. With a standardized file format you can always change to another software.

Best of times DHTML was fun, doing Flash things without Flash :D

Of course you can.

If you made a game, an app, or any software, and have a good portfolio that demonstrates your ability, a college degree becomes less meaningful.

Anyone and their dog can get into college nowadays anyways as well, so the quality of that piece of paper is not what it used to be.

Just do it.

FB wants to track all your networks, whether they are onsite or not. Once the databases via your email or other (Cell #) get shared amongst corporations, through agreements, buyouts, or 'hacked leaks' they get access to other info quite easily

Dude, sometime around 2010-2014, FB was asking users for the email accounts of their friends 'to contact them on their behalf'. I may have the dates wrong, but I remember being pretty pissed at the time, as my so-called 'friends' were feeding them not only my email but other info as well through polls and stuff. . I never used FB at all - yet I was getting emails as described by author, but years ago when they pulled that BS. I'm on Facebook and linked to it without ever opting in, because of what my own friends/family/coworkers give them.

I can tell you from years of online debate that I have had with individuals, it pretty much boils down constantly to presumption, strawmen and 'so what you are saying is' all day. Nowadays you can't discuss anything without someone presuming a position you take on it, and immediately responding or attack you personally without ever addressing the correct argument. Most people simply do not know how to have a conversation, and here we are in 2021 going down a slippery slope to it's expected, and not surprising end conclusion - as people waste time constantly accusing you of a position. After about the 3rd time I won't even bother with them, as I am not going to participate in a discussion where it's me DEFENDING myself or denying their constant strawmanning 99% of the time.

I'm constantly downgrading video on many sites myself, as I am perfectly content to stream in 720p max for movies, 480p for your average YT video, and even down to 144p for just streaming audio and podcasts. I only need 720p and 1080p for tutorials or online courses, and even then mostly because the streamers are using HD or UHD displays and I can't see what they're typing or essential UI elements I need to see. I don't WANT HD or higher videos or user streams - it's wasting my own data on my end as well. Inflated websites too with high-res images need a strainer these days to get to the information, or many sites have replaced simple text with HD video - which can get aggravating after awhile when I need to look up a procedure quick, and have to watch a 5 minute video instead of 4 seconds of reading the solution in text form.

If anything I personally would have benefited from leaving the classroom behind and put in an advanced learning class, and away from all the distracting BS like drama, popularity, drinking, partying, fooling around.. but alas it was not available to me, and by the time it was, I had no idea it even existed. No one is 'equal' in anything regarding talent, IQ, ability, aptitude and drive (and even popularity), it's impossible equalize all of this without causing major damage across the board.

No, the more studious removed themselves to work at their chosen craft, and therefore can't be in two places at once.

Sure, it may raise the skill levels of one group and at the cost of another group who is held back because of the pace.

But shouldn’t public education be dedicated to make society as a whole more intelligent and not a few individuals who are “gifted?” Doesn’t society benefit much more that way?

Yes, but not at the expense of holding other people back.

Trust me, being asked to play 'second fiddle' so that someone else can have the same 'outcome' but without doing the work, is far more discouraging and damaging to those who put in the work.

Merit, and hard work needs to be recognized, not ignored.

You just echoed your last point and school already has a method for recognizing hard work, grades.

So does the work load and pace stay at the average classes setting? Or does it scale up to the honors classes and leave more kids behind? Getting an A in an honors class is more valuable than an A in a regular class, just like how placing first in the olympics is more prestigious than first at the county meet.