Tech enthusiast discovers joy in simplicity of HTMX, embracing hypermedia trend, sparking FOMO.

Let’s talk about FOMO—that modern anxiety-inducing acronym that’s plagued our lives since social media took over. Plot twist: I’m not talking about missing out on the latest TikTok dance. I’m talking about that weird, unshakeable feeling you get when you’re using a piece of technology and it’s so compelling, you fear missing out on its potential, even though you’re already knee-deep in it.

Sounds retarded, I know. But let me cook...

It hit me while I was tuning into a podcast by Carson—I’ll be honest, his last name escapes me—but he’s the brain behind HTMX, previously known as Intercooler JS, under Big Sky Software. But just imagine: one guy, championing an old-school concept called hypermedia. It’s like resurrecting a classic comic book hero for the modern era. While everyone is drowning in the swamp of React and other heavy front-end JavaScript frameworks, Carson’s out there, galloping on his high horse, bringing hypermedia back from the ‘90s coma, and making it cool again.

This got my gears turning. What exactly makes tech not just good, but unforgettable?

Here’s the Eureka moment: FOMO.

Yes, the Fear Of Missing Out, but with a twist. Not the kind that makes you regret a miss on the latest meme stock bandwagon, but the kind where you’re already using the tech, and you’re still afraid you’re not exploiting it to its fullest potential. It’s that itch, knowing there’s so much beneath the surface and you just can’t dig fast enough.

HTMX is like that old pair of jeans you find in the back of your closet, but when you put them on, everyone at the party starts asking where you got them. Its simplicity is its superpower, making web development fun again—a sentiment I thought was long buried under layers of cumbersome frameworks.

An upgrade to my tech radar

So, if you’re still with me (and I hope you are, because this is where it gets juicy).here’s my new tech radar: FOMO. When I come across something that gives me that "I need to know more, NOW" vibe—even while I’m knee-deep in its code—that’s when I know I’ve hit a nerve. It’s that relentless curiosity that keeps you digging faster, deeper, more.

Why does this matter? Because the world of tech can sometimes feel like trudging through molasses—overwhelming, tedious, and occasionally soul-crushing. But when something instills that kind of excitement, it’s transformative. You start to remember why you got into this game in the first place: to create, explore, and above all, to have fun.

And that, my friends, is the lesson I wanted to share. Keep an eye out for the FOMO-inducing technologies. They’re the ones that don’t just add value to your skillset, but rekindle your passion for what you do. If you feel that tingle, that insatiable curiosity, dive in. Who knows, you might just find the next HTMX and make web development (or whatever field you’re in) fun all over again.