https://fermi.chat/invite/36WvoE?instance=https%3A%2F%2Fspacebar.chat
@OpenRGB
> Spacebar is an open source, self-hostable Discord alternative. Their intention is to replicate Discord's API and user experience
Huh. Like Stoat.chat (formerly Revolt.chat).
Would be good if these projects federated in some way. But hard to say whether it would make more sense to use Matrix or XMPP/MUC to federate with other chat rooms, or ActivityPub to federate with the forumverse.
@OpenRGB
> it would be a challenge to implement it on a project aiming to 1:1 replicate Discord's API
Why's that?
> I don't think Stoat/Revolt aims to reproduce Discord in a perfectly compatible way
AFAICT they aim to completely clone its functionality. I get the feeling this isn't what you're getting at though. Maybe the answer to the question above might help me grok what you're saying here.
@emergencygg
> Spacebar's goal is quite literally implementing Discord API
Good to know. Was that an answer the comment you're replying to, or just a general comment on the topic of the thread?
@emergencygg
> Spacebar is mainly developed to be a self-hostable Discord backend
Ok, so how would one use it? I doubt the standard Miscord apps allow a choice of server.
If you mean an app backend, I doubt Miscord will continue to let off-brand apps connect to their platform if a lot of people start doing that. We've been through this with Xitter, dReddit, YouTub, even Signal. We know exactly where this road leads.
@OpenRGB
> There are clients designed for Spacebar like Fermi
If a community stops using both the Miscord servers and their apps, why is it helpful to implement the Miscord API? What am I missing?
> you can also modify the official Discord client to point to different servers or modify other unofficial Discord client
Good to know. But again, why would Miscord continue to allow this if people start doing it on a large scale, when other platforms haven't under similar conditions?
@strypey @emergencygg There are plenty of precedents that APIs are not protected. Reimplementing an API is legal, Discord can't do anything about that, as it's not using any of their software directly, at least it isn't required to.
However, it means Discord bots will work on Spacebar and it provides a familiar user experience to what people already know from Discord, as the API does tend to guide user interface direction and Fermi looks a lot like Discord.
@emergencygg
> Discord cannot physically stop the reverse (people from connecting the official Discord client to a Spacebar backend server)
Is the Miscord client Free Code? If not, (EDIT) they can continually ship new versions of the app that break whatever is being used to connect to non-Miscord servers.
@OpenRGB
> Discord bots will work on Spacebar
OK, I see how that could be useful as a transitional thing.
> API does tend to guide user interface direction
As I understand it, an API (in this context) defines how clients can use server functions. An interface can't offer server-dependent features not offered by the API, true. But otherwise I can't see how it determines anything about the interface of the apps using that API.