just exploratory ideas. see path dependence and network effects.

• abolishing daylight saving time: the switching causes psychosomatic distress and accidents, with no strong benefit. it does not "create" more time. most people would not voluntarily get up an hour earlier in summer, yet refusing the change is impractical since all timetables and schedules adjust as a whole.

• using negative years instead of specifying bce. if someone writes 1996, we assume it means the common era. if someone writes year -1996, we assume it is before an era, and by analogy to positive years, it should be understood as part of the same timeline.

  • astronomical year numbering with year 0 is simpler: differences are direct, years map bijectively to integers, negative years extend without discontinuity.
  • negative_year = 1 - bce_year because bce counts from 1, astronomical counts from 0.
• using a single decimal number from an epoch instead of years/months/days; split/divide as needed.

• share languages more widely instead of maintaining hundreds of small-area languages. language barriers reduce access to knowledge, weaken understanding, and limit mobility. learning a language to near-native fluency can take a decade; without it, communication is far from what natives achieve.

  • cultural separation example: the internet forms language bubbles. searching arabic text returns mostly arabic-only sites. popular platforms are replicated within each language group, reducing cross-cultural exchange and innovation.

  • fear of cultural loss is overstated; shared languages can coexist with local dialects.

  • risks: harmful memes might spread faster, but responses would also be more effective.

  • benefits: end of language barrier, fewer school subjects, better politics, no subtitles, improved collaboration, faster research, more efficient information diffusion.

specific proposals:

• develop logical, unambiguous languages; word synthesis is important (e.g., attempto controlled english, lojban).
• reduce character sets, remove uppercase ("vanity casing"); any ambiguity can be avoided easily by other means.
• create scripts with visually more distinct characters for faster recognition; some latin letters may be unnecessary.

• current notation is optimized for blackboards, with many opaque symbolic "paintings" that are hard to learn and not computer-friendly.
• use ascii-based notation, non-serif fonts, english variable names.

• teach critical thinking, logic, and ethics early and repeatedly; understand what an argument is.
• include political system and major laws in curricula; people cannot appreciate governance without knowing its complexity.
• avoid rote memorisation without understanding.
• limit strict or pointless school rules ("no stupid rules").
• revisit topics after a few years to apply earlier knowledge.
• teach life skills; distinguish mathematics from mental arithmetic.
• avoid overreliance on group work; unbalanced contribution is common.
• teach phonetics, the ipa, and offer sign language courses.
• provide good lessons instead of heavy homework; people need free time.

• simplify email protocols; encrypted communication remains too hard.
• update keyboards; many keys unused, layouts inefficient (promote colemak over qwerty).

programming:

• write modular code; provide libraries, licences, documentation, and source.
• avoid software patents; shorten copyright terms to allow innovation.
• provide multiple interfaces (libraries, http, cli).

file formats:

• bz2 -> xz/zstd, for compression.
• wav -> au, for simplicity.
• mp3/aac -> vorbis, for free, efficient audio.
• ape/aiff -> wav/flac for lossless storage.

alternatives:

• fastcgi -> scgi, for simplicity and performance
• big-endian -> little-endian, for byte order.
• upstart -> systemd

• include rationales in laws; improves understanding and evaluation.
• simplify laws; remove unnecessary complexity (e.g., tax code).
• regulate externalities where markets fail.
• make laws machine-readable for analysis.
• maintain and improve governmental structures; political science should actively refine systems.

• do not make degrees a hard hiring requirement; they filter for school adaptation, not capability.
• encourage worker cooperatives or limit salary ratios so all benefit from profits.
• avoid work requiring >50% of waking hours.

• reduce eu cross-border package prices; current ~€14 to neighbouring countries is prohibitive.
• consider a federalised eu with limited cross-border powers for efficiency and unity, but beware large-scale misgovernance.

• prefer renewable energy; coal plants are deadly.
• save water; freshwater is scarce.
• adopt powder-based meal replacements: quick, nutritious, storable for months, long shelf-life, resource-efficient, less animal farming.
• support veganism: reduces suffering, water use, land use, emissions.

• build cheap, small, well-managed apartments; many countries restrict small dwellings unnecessarily.
• offer quietness guarantees in rental contracts.
• support neighbourhood communities via online tools to address shared issues without forcing deep social bonds.

• remove weekend concept; increase minimum vacation days accordingly.
• allow reduced-hour work weeks; consider universal basic income with safeguards.
• address overpopulation risks to democracy, dignity, and quality of life.
• reduce noise pollution from bells and calls; religious freedom should not override public peace.
• give downloadable files descriptive names; use reflowable, customisable formats for academic publications.
• promote intellectualism in mainstream media.

• ethical banks exist. generic banks may invest in harmful industries.