There's lots of hype about the Fediverse, and I'm getting kind of leery.
Hype can be good, but it can also be bad.
There was hype for the Steam Deck. It was good.
There was hype for NFTs. It was bad.
Yes, I believe the Fediverse is the future of social media, as well as the web. But this is not a sprint, it's a marathon.
Lots of things need to be built. Projects require more funding. Design decisions need to be considered with empathy, not with "move fast and break things."
I'm thinking about hype because I'm seeing a lot of business-y types talking about the Fediverse.
A few months ago, I mentioned that investor types have the Fediverse on their radar. They're not actively dropping millions into Fediverse startups, but it's definitely on their radar.
Most of us have high and lofty ideals. But there's sharks who are eyeing the Fediverse and thinking, "Ah, another opportunity for disruption."
Keep that strongly in mind when the buzzwords start flowing.
Some folks might be thinking, "You're just being anti-business! How are Fediverse developers supposed to be paid?"
As it happens, I run a business. I build software. I very much talk about the need for developers to make a sustainable living.
And I've indeed talked about how to best monetize the Fediverse.
Here's where I say the quiet part out loud: the Fediverse is already being monetized.
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Chris Trottier
Johnny Mojo