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How to run a small social network site for your friends

runyourown.social

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Re: How to run a small social network site for your friends

#11

Post by bcherny »

kody wrote: post #6

I wish there were a way to broadcast "I am a in " and generate a decentralized forum (i.e. phpbb 15 years ago). Growing up, all online friends lived hundreds of miles away; as an adult, all my friends have wildly different interests. Nowadays Discord is The Answer but it's not nearly as intimate as a good message board. Maybe that's a function of growing up, but I can't help but feel disillusioned that $someone hasn'…

Have you tried Facebook Groups?

eg. a quick search found a Ham radio group in SD: https://www.facebook.com/groups/856599821517281.

More Ham radio groups in San Diego (you can do a similar search for retro computing): https://www.facebook.com/search/groups?q=ham%20radio&filters...

Meetup also has some retro computing groups, though I don't see one in San Diego (why not start one?): https://www.meetup.com/topics/retro-computers/

(Caveat: I work on FB Groups)

Re: How to run a small social network site for your friends

#12

Post by kingcharles »

nith3n wrote: post #8

I used to run a "for friends only" social network on ning.com a decade ago. Was fun till Ning changed direction.

God, I hadn't even thought about Ning for a decade. I had to check it still existed. I remember when it was 24 Hour Laundry.

Re: How to run a small social network site for your friends

#13

Post by hemloc_io »

I have what I think is a unique perspective on this.

Private small self run social media already exists. It's personal Minecraft servers.

When I was younger I ran a Minecraft server out of my toaster of a PC. Friends hopped on, made their own little houses, built stuff and talked. Friends would pass in and out and in order to get in you had to be invited! I'd say max there were 10-20 people on there somewhat consistently.

It was great, and better than social media or even game for hanging out with your friends IMO because it emulated synchronous human interaction instead of just setting up feeds where everything has to be "perfect".

It was easy enough for a 14 year old to setup, and administer. Mods made it hackable and fun.

I guess the metaverse was already a thing back then huh?

Re: How to run a small social network site for your friends

#14

Post by Nerada »

I miss how every hobby had a forum running on phpBB, SimpleMachines, Invision, etc.

HN is great, but it's very point in time. If I find an interesting topic posted over a day ago, it's never getting new replies. It's a snapshot of the thoughts on that topic for that single day, nothing more.

Re: How to run a small social network site for your friends

#15

Post by numair »

bcherny wrote: post #11
kody wrote: post #6

I wish there were a way to broadcast "I am a in " and generate a decentralized forum (i.e. phpbb 15 years ago). Growing up, all online friends lived hundreds of miles away; as an adult, all my friends have wildly different interests. Nowadays Discord is The Answer but it's not nearly as intimate as a good message board. Maybe that's a function of growing up, but I can't help but feel disillusioned that $someone hasn'…

Have you tried Facebook Groups? eg. a quick search found a Ham radio group in SD: https://www.facebook.com/groups/856599821517281 . More Ham radio groups in San Diego (you can do a similar search for retro computing): https://www.facebook.com/search/groups?q=ham%20radio&filters... Meetup also has some retro computing groups, though I don't see one in San Diego (why not start one?): https://www.meetup.com/topics/retro…

> (Caveat: I work on FB Groups)

You and your team members do really great work -- it's one of the only reasons many people still use Facebook. If you bail and create something that is more decentralized and web3, but with the same quality and consumer accessibility, it'd be a hit. And, you'll replace one super-voting-share emperor with a large community of crazy but well-meaning stakeholders, who are a lot more fun to work for.

Re: How to run a small social network site for your friends

#16

Post by kody »

bcherny wrote: post #11
kody wrote: post #6

I wish there were a way to broadcast "I am a in " and generate a decentralized forum (i.e. phpbb 15 years ago). Growing up, all online friends lived hundreds of miles away; as an adult, all my friends have wildly different interests. Nowadays Discord is The Answer but it's not nearly as intimate as a good message board. Maybe that's a function of growing up, but I can't help but feel disillusioned that $someone hasn'…

Have you tried Facebook Groups? eg. a quick search found a Ham radio group in SD: https://www.facebook.com/groups/856599821517281 . More Ham radio groups in San Diego (you can do a similar search for retro computing): https://www.facebook.com/search/groups?q=ham%20radio&filters... Meetup also has some retro computing groups, though I don't see one in San Diego (why not start one?): https://www.meetup.com/topics/retro…

I have not because I've deactivated my Facebook account and generally detest centralized services and miss the old days of user-run forums, but I'll give the SD HAM group a fair shake. I've had poor experiences with Meetup so I'll pass on that platform. Thanks for the rec :-)

Re: How to run a small social network site for your friends

#17

Post by countvonbalzac »

hemloc_io wrote: post #13

I have what I think is a unique perspective on this. Private small self run social media already exists. It's personal Minecraft servers. When I was younger I ran a Minecraft server out of my toaster of a PC. Friends hopped on, made their own little houses, built stuff and talked. Friends would pass in and out and in order to get in you had to be invited! I'd say max there were 10-20 people on there somewhat consiste…

i did the same thing, minecraft servers were an amazing social experience for kids

Re: How to run a small social network site for your friends

#18

Post by hemloc_io »

countvonbalzac wrote: post #17
hemloc_io wrote: post #13

I have what I think is a unique perspective on this. Private small self run social media already exists. It's personal Minecraft servers. When I was younger I ran a Minecraft server out of my toaster of a PC. Friends hopped on, made their own little houses, built stuff and talked. Friends would pass in and out and in order to get in you had to be invited! I'd say max there were 10-20 people on there somewhat consiste…

i did the same thing, minecraft servers were an amazing social experience for kids

100% and it got me into tech too :)

Learn a lot with spare time on your hands and wanting to build something for your friends!

Re: How to run a small social network site for your friends

#19

Post by mikeodds »

bcherny wrote: post #11
kody wrote: post #6

I wish there were a way to broadcast "I am a in " and generate a decentralized forum (i.e. phpbb 15 years ago). Growing up, all online friends lived hundreds of miles away; as an adult, all my friends have wildly different interests. Nowadays Discord is The Answer but it's not nearly as intimate as a good message board. Maybe that's a function of growing up, but I can't help but feel disillusioned that $someone hasn'…

Have you tried Facebook Groups? eg. a quick search found a Ham radio group in SD: https://www.facebook.com/groups/856599821517281 . More Ham radio groups in San Diego (you can do a similar search for retro computing): https://www.facebook.com/search/groups?q=ham%20radio&filters... Meetup also has some retro computing groups, though I don't see one in San Diego (why not start one?): https://www.meetup.com/topics/retro…

As much as it’s popular to hate on Facebook, I’ve found the niche groups that form are great.

Re: How to run a small social network site for your friends

#20

Post by bcherny »

numair wrote: post #15
bcherny wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tried Facebook Groups? eg. a quick search found a Ham radio group in SD: https://www.facebook.com/groups/856599821517281 . More Ham radio groups in San Diego (you can do a similar search for retro computing): https://www.facebook.com/search/groups?q=ham%20radio&filters... Meetup also has some retro computing groups, though I don't see one in San Diego (why not start one?): https://www.meetup.com/topics/retro…

> (Caveat: I work on FB Groups) You and your team members do really great work -- it's one of the only reasons many people still use Facebook. If you bail and create something that is more decentralized and web3, but with the same quality and consumer accessibility, it'd be a hit. And, you'll replace one super-voting-share emperor with a large community of crazy but well-meaning stakeholders, who are a lot more fun t…

Hey, that's really kind. Thank you!

Web3 is super interesting, and I'm excited to see it grow.

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