So...are they? Or aren't they?

The blogosphere is abuzz with rumors that Delicious is going to be shut down. And then there are other articles - like this one from Yahoo! themselves - that says that they won't. So what to do? Do you believe them? Do you export your stuff, only to find that you just did a lot of work that you didn't have to? Do you rely on Delicious, only to find that one day all of your precious bookmarks are gone?

So...not that you asked for it, but here is my advice. Start exporting. Move over to a different bookmarking site - like Google Bookmarks - and maintain your account at Delicious. See which one you like better. If you still like Delicious, then keep using until they shut down (IF they shut down).

To me, the end of Delicious will be an end of an era. Do we not care any longer what other people are bookmarking? If so, what will this mean for technology and the use of the internet? Will the "next big thing" isolate us more - or ultimately continue to connect us further? I can't imagine my life without the ability to search through tags and have my friends recommend pages for me. But then again, I could never have imagined myself twenty years ago with the ability to talk on a phone while driving or writing for free in a forum for the whole world. So, I guess there's that.