Time for new adventures
13:th July was my last day at Flattr. Almost two years after I started working there once a week it has become time to move on. This autumn I will take a break from web development and will instead be investigating the life of a student by taking some philosophy courses at Lund University.
When I left Good Old almost a year and a half ago to fully focus on Flattr I was already feeling that I was becoming tired of developing for the web. The web itself had turned into a less interesting place than when I started and Web 2.0 and democratization of the web was all the rage. Now the web is instead dominated by a few big sites like Facebook and the shallow venture capital-backed startups with no other purpose than building buzz word-sprinkled eye candy. The need to revolutionize the world is gone – the web has become ever more blend.
When I started on Flattr my task was to figure out how Flattr could fit into an open web – what standards we could use etc. Now when I’m leaving those ideas are about to turn into reality and before this year has come to an end the final pieces of what is feasible today will hopefully be live. The road there has been long with lots of detours – but hopefully it will be there in the end – the mechanisms needed for micropayments to truly become an embedded part of the open web.
The decision for me to leave Flattr was mutual and we part from each other with no hard feelings. The developers left with Flattr, Leif and Simon, will keep the platform in good shape and hopefully the community will step up to increase the innovation pace. Flattr as a platform is mostly complete now and the API has become a solid base for mashups to mix micropayments into new interesting creations.
Before I begin my studies of philosophy, a topic I’ve wanted to immerse myself in since high school, I will have a relaxing seven week vacation. What happens after the studies and what adventures awaits in 2013 I don’t know. Perhaps I’ll return to web development, perhaps I’ll continue my studies or perhaps I’ll do something completely different. Time will tell and the rest of this year will be dedicated to finding it out.
I would like to thank both the two companies I’ve worked for the last years for a very interesting time. I’ve learned a lot and got to know a lot of fantastic colleagues. I wish them both and all the people I’ve met there the best of luck in the future!