When I die

It’s an oft-repeated joke that, on their death bed, people never say they wished they’d spent more time in the office.

But I think this is going to change. Instead, I think people will be wishing they hadn’t spent so much of their lives on the computer.

Think about it. Of the best experiences in your life, how many of them were spent online?

As responsible web professionals, we heap praise on web apps which are easier and more enjoyable to use. And this is laudable, to be sure. But maybe we’re also focusing on the wrong ends. Maybe we should be praising the apps that help people finish their job, and get back to living their lives? Maybe we should be building them?

The obvious, kneejerk answer is that these sticky and social websites enrich our offline lives. There’s truth in there of course. I’m really pointing the finger at myself; I love so much about the web that I have to remind myself that the best times of all are spent away from the keyboard.

These thoughts occurred to me after reading this post written by the excellent Scott Berkun.