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What I'd like to see is a model where you a federated network of moderated groups. Something like Discord except more micro-blog than chat and where you can see

What I'd like to see is a model where you a federated network of moderated groups. Something like Discord except more micro-blog than chat and where you can see popular posts of sister/brother servers, very popular posts on cousin servers and so-forth. Basically, a filter-tree keeping things reasonable and creating groups of folks with some relation to each other.

cameronbrown 7y ago
Decentralised group chat communication seems like it would work very well as the future model of social networking. Content online could spread organically instead of the surveillance panopticon telling us exactly what we want to hear.
- ChristianBundy 7y ago
  You might dig: https://github.com/ssbc/patchwork https://github.com/ssbc/patchwork
- joe_the_user 7y ago
  Just to explain my preference for something allowing post/micro-blogging/blogging, I use discord for organizing real life activity but it really doesn't seem set-up for discussion of "issues" (political, programming, etc), here Facebook, Reddit or HN does best imo. That said, topics are a bit like tags and a bit like sub-channels and if you could combine these qualities, you might have a nice merger of the approaches.
  - grawprog 7y ago
    A decentralized platform similar to reddit with more autonomy and control over subreddits is sort of what I envisioned the parent poster's comment to be referring to. Something that more easily allows a custom format, likely with easier media uploading capabilities and a higher level of segregation between disparate subreddits.
    - cameronbrown 7y ago
      Subreddit style communication is something I was considering yep, but I was definitely referring to Discord style server based group chats. If Facebook moved their entire platform in that direction (and hopefully abandoning news feed) I'd be really happy.
      - grawprog 7y ago
        Yeah the discord group chat model is definitely better for talking actively with people, but for any kind of lasting content I find it pretty difficult to figure out.
  - dansman805 7y ago
    On the other hand, discord server's do exist for that kind of communication; there are discord servers I am in that contain thousands of members and are about robotics, and often will have meaningful technical discussion about programming, design, etc.
    - joe_the_user 7y ago
      How does that work? I've only been on discords with maybe ten people and it seems earlier comments basically get lost in the flood of later comment. You may communicate to another person or other people and those people might learn stuff but a given comment effectively isn't public, post isn't equivalent to publishing. Even adding channels for official documents, things simply get lost in the stream.
      - cameronbrown 7y ago
        How is this different than Slack? Or even worse, Facebook News Feed, where the average lifespan of content seems to be converging on zero.
rolleiflex 7y ago
I made something like this, called Aether. (https://getaether.net https://getaether.net) It’s not federated, but distributed / fully serverless. It has already made its way up here on HN a few times already, this was the latest one: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19161171 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19161171 The protocol underlying Aether is called Mim, and it’s close to what the article is asking for: https://getaether.net/docs/developers/ https://getaether.net/docs/developers/
- joe_the_user 7y ago
  I will take a more detailed look. Still, I think "federated" is important in that different pieces of the system should be able to break off. If a mod can't leave a group, what use is it? Also, "mod election" doesn't make sense. Mod should be (able to be) petty dictators - a member doesn't like a mod, they can easily go to another group and a majority means little-to-nothing online where a random number of socks or confederates can be easily recruited.

cameronbrown 7y ago

Decentralised group chat communication seems like it would work very well as the future model of social networking. Content online could spread organically instead of the surveillance panopticon telling us exactly what we want to hear.

ChristianBundy 7y ago
You might dig: https://github.com/ssbc/patchwork https://github.com/ssbc/patchwork
joe_the_user 7y ago
Just to explain my preference for something allowing post/micro-blogging/blogging, I use discord for organizing real life activity but it really doesn't seem set-up for discussion of "issues" (political, programming, etc), here Facebook, Reddit or HN does best imo. That said, topics are a bit like tags and a bit like sub-channels and if you could combine these qualities, you might have a nice merger of the approaches.
- grawprog 7y ago
  A decentralized platform similar to reddit with more autonomy and control over subreddits is sort of what I envisioned the parent poster's comment to be referring to. Something that more easily allows a custom format, likely with easier media uploading capabilities and a higher level of segregation between disparate subreddits.
  - cameronbrown 7y ago
    Subreddit style communication is something I was considering yep, but I was definitely referring to Discord style server based group chats. If Facebook moved their entire platform in that direction (and hopefully abandoning news feed) I'd be really happy.
    - grawprog 7y ago
      Yeah the discord group chat model is definitely better for talking actively with people, but for any kind of lasting content I find it pretty difficult to figure out.
- dansman805 7y ago
  On the other hand, discord server's do exist for that kind of communication; there are discord servers I am in that contain thousands of members and are about robotics, and often will have meaningful technical discussion about programming, design, etc.
  - joe_the_user 7y ago
    How does that work? I've only been on discords with maybe ten people and it seems earlier comments basically get lost in the flood of later comment. You may communicate to another person or other people and those people might learn stuff but a given comment effectively isn't public, post isn't equivalent to publishing. Even adding channels for official documents, things simply get lost in the stream.
    - cameronbrown 7y ago
      How is this different than Slack? Or even worse, Facebook News Feed, where the average lifespan of content seems to be converging on zero.

rolleiflex 7y ago

I made something like this, called Aether. (https://getaether.net https://getaether.net) It’s not federated, but distributed / fully serverless. It has already made its way up here on HN a few times already, this was the latest one: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19161171 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19161171 The protocol underlying Aether is called Mim, and it’s close to what the article is asking for: https://getaether.net/docs/developers/ https://getaether.net/docs/developers/

joe_the_user 7y ago
I will take a more detailed look. Still, I think "federated" is important in that different pieces of the system should be able to break off. If a mod can't leave a group, what use is it? Also, "mod election" doesn't make sense. Mod should be (able to be) petty dictators - a member doesn't like a mod, they can easily go to another group and a majority means little-to-nothing online where a random number of socks or confederates can be easily recruited.