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OStatus, used by StatusNet, the software behind identi.ca. It even has Twitter compatible API, so why Twitter devs aren't flocking to it is a mystery. There a

by Zash 14y ago

OStatus, used by StatusNet, the software behind identi.ca. It even has Twitter compatible API, so why Twitter devs aren't flocking to it is a mystery. There are also a few projects using XMPP, like BuddyCloud, Jappix, Movim, OneSocialWeb etc.

MatthewPhillips 14y ago
Because it's not a protocol, it's just a spec. If you want to develop developer interest, give them something to work on. The web was so successful because it provided developers with very specific things that they could work on. Browsers focused on HTML, web servers focused on HTTP. I find that all of the open social initiatives are either too broad or too specific. OStatus is entirely too broad, from their FAQ: > First, rather than being a stand-alone spec it builds upon several existing (and evolving) open web standards including: PubSubHubbub, Webfinger, ActivityStreams and Salmon. So if I'm a developer I can't just learn OStatus, I have to learn 4 other specs as well. Diaspora has the opposite problem, it's too specific. Their recommendation for contributions is to fork their rails app. Developers don't want to fork working apps and fix bugs; they want to write their own from scratch.
- kalms 14y ago
  "So if I'm a developer I can't just learn OStatus, I have to learn 4 other specs as well. Diaspora has the opposite problem, it's too specific. Their recommendation for contributions is to fork their rails app. Developers don't want to fork working apps and fix bugs; they want to write their own from scratch." Spot on.
- MMN-o 14y ago
  OStatus is just about as short as it can be on its own. "The 4 other specs" _together_ aren't much longer than what is necessary _anyway_ for implementing the necessary aspects of a federated social network. And as all of the protocols necessary already exist and are quite well-established, there are already parsing tools available for anyone to use freely. So development is really easy to get into when it comes to OStatus. Using something that already exists is in this case much better than reinventing the wheel and rediscovering all implementation issues that have already been taken care of with protocols like XMPP or OStatus.
streptomycin 14y ago
Twitter devs aren't flocking to it because its userbase is quite small. It's hard to make a profit off a small userbase.
- Zash 14y ago
  And why is the user base small? Hint: Circular dependency ;)
  - streptomycin 14y ago
    If that's what you think, then it's no wonder you consider the situation to be a mystery.
    - Zash 14y ago
      The user base is small because the user base is small.

by Zash 14y ago

MatthewPhillips 14y ago

Because it's not a protocol, it's just a spec. If you want to develop developer interest, give them something to work on. The web was so successful because it provided developers with very specific things that they could work on. Browsers focused on HTML, web servers focused on HTTP. I find that all of the open social initiatives are either too broad or too specific. OStatus is entirely too broad, from their FAQ: > First, rather than being a stand-alone spec it builds upon several existing (and evolving) open web standards including: PubSubHubbub, Webfinger, ActivityStreams and Salmon. So if I'm a developer I can't just learn OStatus, I have to learn 4 other specs as well. Diaspora has the opposite problem, it's too specific. Their recommendation for contributions is to fork their rails app. Developers don't want to fork working apps and fix bugs; they want to write their own from scratch.

kalms 14y ago
"So if I'm a developer I can't just learn OStatus, I have to learn 4 other specs as well. Diaspora has the opposite problem, it's too specific. Their recommendation for contributions is to fork their rails app. Developers don't want to fork working apps and fix bugs; they want to write their own from scratch." Spot on.
MMN-o 14y ago
OStatus is just about as short as it can be on its own. "The 4 other specs" _together_ aren't much longer than what is necessary _anyway_ for implementing the necessary aspects of a federated social network. And as all of the protocols necessary already exist and are quite well-established, there are already parsing tools available for anyone to use freely. So development is really easy to get into when it comes to OStatus. Using something that already exists is in this case much better than reinventing the wheel and rediscovering all implementation issues that have already been taken care of with protocols like XMPP or OStatus.

streptomycin 14y ago

Twitter devs aren't flocking to it because its userbase is quite small. It's hard to make a profit off a small userbase.

Zash 14y ago
And why is the user base small? Hint: Circular dependency ;)
- streptomycin 14y ago
  If that's what you think, then it's no wonder you consider the situation to be a mystery.
  - Zash 14y ago
    The user base is small because the user base is small.