Joshua McKenty

It feels like we're ready for a post-blockchain movement, so I've started prototyping this: https://unchaind.org

If you're also ready for the coin-free world, would love your feedback/edits!

(Repo is open source on GitHub as well, so PRs are welcome).

Unchaind.org

Unchaind Alliance: Public Commitment to a Blockchain-free Web Stack

May 7, 2023 at 7:07amWeb
Show threadSam ButlerMay 7, 2023

@jmckenty What is this going to be focused on, specifically? I've been working on something that could be relevant — and I'd love to cooperate/collaborate with others on it and get support:

https://vouchersapp.netlify.app/

Buy vouchers, at a discount

Show threadJoshua McKentyMay 7, 2023
@sambutlerUS at first glance they don't seem to be related to me; we're literally just encouraging people to put a badge on their web apps when they DON'T use blockchain, sort of like what early SSL did.
Show threadSam ButlerMay 7, 2023

@jmckenty Aha makes sense. Might risk creating a bit of a Striessand Effect? It seems implicit/expected that most webapps and websites I'm interacting with are not blockchain based? (and if it was blockchain based, it would probably be heavily promoted as such -- not covert?)

Another thing that comes to mind: opposition is not necessarily a compass. For example, in the unchaind logo, perhaps it could nod to or illustrate some of the different technologies envisioned in the stack — e.g. HTML-oriented development and HATEOS, P2P protocols like socket supply (which is blockchain-adjacent I think, not sure what to think of it), federation and activitypub?

Show threadJoshua McKentyMay 7, 2023

@sambutlerUS Well, the utility of a "certified blockchain free" logo is for the consumer, not other web devs. And, like a GMO-free label, it's intended to assuage concerns that (a) Using this product will contribute to the destruction of the environment, and (b) the data I enter into this app will be irrevocably public sooner or later.

Agree that one would HOPE that most apps wouldn't be blockchain-based... just like you might expect most folks to use SSL where it's needed.

Unchaind isn't targeting an alternate tech stack at all (although I'm working on that elsewhere) - simply a user-facing commitment to avoid popular stupidity.

Show threadJoshua McKentyMay 7, 2023
@sambutlerUS I'm not sure we even need to spend any time explaining WHY we're eschewing blockchain (https://indieweb.social/@web3isgreat does a great job of that already). Maybe just a directory of participating sites is enough?
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Show threadSam ButlerMay 7, 2023

@jmckenty Shared more thoughts/questions here — not trying to pest, hope it's helpful, glad to continue the conversation.

https://github.com/joshuamckenty/unchaind/issues/1

P.S. Would love to read about your work on the alternate tech stack!

Can you flesh out the strategy on this initiative? · Issue #1 · joshuamckenty/unchaind

The most salient messaging from the landing page for me seems to be "... tax avoidance ...We have witnessed the destruction of sanity that arises when social agendas are tightly-coupled to virtual ...

GitHub