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Krasnoltoday at 4:22 PM3 repliesview on HN

I'd say enshitification is a good enough word.

Verschlimmbesserung is not widely used these days in Germany.


Replies

ahf8Aithaex7Naitoday at 5:02 PM

I do think it's part of many people's vocabulary. It's a bit informal. And it's not a word you use every day. But it's definitely a word that gets used when the occasion calls for it, just like the related verb "verschlimmbessern."

"Enshittification" isn't the same thing. "Verschlimmbesserung" is when you try to fix a loose connection in a power cord and then no electricity flows at all, or when you try to fix a bad haircut with a trimmer and the haircut ends up looking even worse, etc.

looperhackstoday at 6:06 PM

It's certainly used - not in the top 100, but if the situation calls for it, it's not unexpected.

There's a big difference between enshitification and "Verschlimmbesserung". The latter has the intent of actually improving things, while the first is making things knowingly worse for profit.

juvveltoday at 6:03 PM

Of course it is still widely used.

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