Post #4361829
2026-08-03 18:36 UTC
@foolishowl@social.coop @gwynnion@mastodon.social The problem with comparing a factory to a datacenter is that the factory employs hundreds or thousands of local workers, where the datacenter employs maybe a dozen or two, and potentially adds a few jobs worldwide for the remote admins running the machines. The impact specifically on local labor is nothing alike between the two.
Replies (1)
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@bob_zim@infosec.exchange 2026-08-03 18:50
@taedryn@anarres.family @foolishowl@social.coop @gwynnion@mastodon.social Exactly. I’ve personally seen a lot of datacenters, and I’ve never seen one which employs even 50 people full-time per square kilometer. Historically, economic engines like factories took in a lot of money, but also paid out to a lot of people. They diffuse money. Never perfectly, but you could honestly say a new factory would bring employment and thence income to the local populace. Offices, too. Datacenters pay out dramatically more to dramatically fewer destinations (most of which are big companies). They concentrate money. The “business real estate good!” mentality largely hasn’t noticed this difference.