It's stunning how VCs and Big Social simply didn't see the Fediverse coming.

They put so much money into VR and crypto -- all pumping this tech up as the "next big thing".

Little did they know that web standards, open protocols, and decentralization would make a breakthrough -- yet again.

Many people are saying, "Nobody could have predicted the growth of the Fediverse."

Actually, many people predicted the growth of the Fediverse -- including me.

It's just that the people who predicted growth weren't VCs and Press.

Another reason for the "Metaverse winter" and "Fediverse spring":

Cost.

Starting up a Fediverse service is vastly less expensive than starting up a Metaverse service.

Remember, when the Metaverse gained popularity, companies were flush with cash amidst ongoing lockdowns.

But conditions change.

Now companies are preparing for an oncoming recession. And fewer people are staying home.

Let's also consider the physical realities of Metaverse vs. Fediverse.

Metaverse requires hardware that does not yet have mass adoption. You need a VR headset or AR glasses -- something most people don't readily have available.

Those who do have that hardware are constrained by limitations such as battery power.

In contrast, the Fediverse works on desktops, laptops, smartphones -- even a Raspberry Pi.

Hardware is no bottleneck for the Fediverse.

@atomicpoet The Metaverse, no matter how much they wish it was the one from Snow Crash, isn’t a -verse.

It’s a one company product, where that company is in charge of *everything*. It’s Facebook vs The Web.

And who knows, activity pub might get a sibling in the future, of a VR variety.

@atomicpoet Took a look at it, and pondered for a bit. I don’t think this solves any of the issues I see. It feels like a Web Standard Steam client for apps.

What I am hoping for is a fediverse identity (that works with any app), and a VR fediverse protocol that lets me traverse the Metaverse and interact with both other identities and apps.

Think Snow Crash Metaverse on Fediverse with 2023 VR tech. It’s still the coolest fictional version of the internet.