AsekoDec 20, 2022
Halle Winkler

This is the first time in ~17 yrs that the majority of the people in my network are talking to each other in public via an open protocol on community-run servers rather than a startup's service.

It's really nice to have gotten here, in a way that's entwined not only with nostalgic feelings, but also their optimistic underpinnings that were the reason I was interested in all this in the first place.

I heard there was another look-at-me antic on the old site, and it was my pleasure not to care.

Dec 19, 2022 at 8:06pmWeb
Show threadLucas NivonDec 19, 2022
@Halle @tchambers agreed. A bit like first signing on to a local nyc bbs via modem in the early 90s
Show threadAntonio PiccolboniDec 19, 2022
@Halle 2022-17 = 2005 What protocol are you talking about?
Show threadSaheb Talib 🖖Dec 20, 2022
@piccolbo @Halle IRC I think was alive back then.
Show threadTim Burnham 🇺🇸🇺🇦Dec 20, 2022
@talibsaheb @piccolbo @Halle Quite alive, and don't forget forums and mailing lists
Show threadrichcampbellDec 19, 2022
@Halle There's something about Mastodon that reminds me of the old story about stone soup. Everyone puts in a little something, and we are all better for it.
Show threadRobin BairnDec 19, 2022
@Halle The grassroots nature of the Fediverse is a refreshing change from the crushing corporate hellscape around us.
Show threadRobinDec 19, 2022
@Halle 💯
Show threadFox Trenton 🎱Dec 19, 2022
@Halle Personal, professional life goal: To get one customer to accept an .odt file instead of .docx
Show threadMike MattatallDec 19, 2022
@Halle Right?! 🙂
Show threadBrad S🍁Dec 20, 2022
@Halle same, this seems a lot more like the old bbs/usenet days from my university years in the 90s.
Show threadDocBolusDec 20, 2022
@Halle It reminds me of the hope I once had for power and knowledge being fed back to people. Indirectly I think that past genuinely free notion of sharing led to me sitting in front of a Linux mint laptop that I inherited.
I am not techie, I will always use the GUI if I can, but I like the idea that the intellectual efforts I rely on were freely given and not curated to give someone else an advantage.
This is I think a meritocracy.
Show threadThom O'ConnorDec 20, 2022
@Halle @micahflee this is an amazing opportunity to see the world move on from the flawed model of a centralized social platform, which has natural incentives for capturing user data, selling ads, clickbait, and generating controversy. Only a decentralized network with many community options for users can ensure choice and openness
Show threadSaheb Talib 🖖Dec 20, 2022
@Halle IRC was a great protocol for chatting.
Show threadJahDec 20, 2022
@Halle I agree. This is a breathe of fresh air and is bringing me back to an era of the internet I didn't even realize I was missing.
Show threadJanine van Hell 🇦🇺🇨🇦Dec 20, 2022
@Halle @SusanKraemer YUP! This is the way of the future. Why would we give some billionaire our data for nothing. I would like something that does accelerate boosts a bit - maybe not in the way of the old bird site but I would like to see more things that other people like.
Show threadEirliani A RahmanDec 20, 2022
@Halle Halle, eloquently put. 🤓
Show threadLetsbehonestDec 20, 2022
@Halle 100%
Show threadCindyDec 20, 2022
@Halle Refreshing to see *real* people here with authentic comments & discussion. 🙂
Show threadTheNurseIsInDec 20, 2022
@Halle you summed it up perfectly.
Show threadGeorge MerlDec 20, 2022
@Halle what were the equivalents before?
Show threadCondalmo.Dec 20, 2022
@Halle Like in the old BBS days
Show threadGik  | 💙➡️🇺🇦Dec 20, 2022
@Halle No way to overstate this vital connection.
Show threadChemicalTribeDec 20, 2022
@Halle
And for $5 a year you can keep your server going, unless you are popular I suppose. Better than $96 and you still get screwed over at birdsite.