Earlier quoted context omitted.
Has that ever worked?
Matrix protocol is a good attempt https://matrix.org/
Urbit is pretty easy to use now too.
I will never participate in weird internet caste systems
41–50 of 67 posts
Re: I will never participate in weird internet caste systems
#42I get the point, and appreciate their input to the discussion.. but I'd rather pay money to matrix / element.io and make their service better. These kinds of problems don't seem to come up so often with FOSS. I don't use discord, but I can def see this kind of thing impacting children who do use discord.
Re: I will never participate in weird internet caste systems
#43Man there's plenty of amazing examples of caste systems on the internet, but Discord Nitro ain't it. Discord is a free app without ads. Nitro is a reasonable monetization strategy for a chat app that works incredibly well and fosters probably millions of communities.
TFA's point isn't that Discord shouldn't be monetized - it's that the monetization model is based on creating visible class differences. A different monetization model is easily conceivable that gives paid users better functionality instead of (what the author calls) "aesthetic perks" that only serve to evoke class envy, as if like jewelry. I don't have a strong position on the author's point. Just making sure the ri…
This is really interesting if you consider a different vertical, like competitive gaming.
The whole concept around that is that, monetizing "functionality" would be unfair (breaks balance), so the healthy strategy is actually monetize "aesthetics" (skins, effects etc.)
I also don't have a clear framework to judge this, but at least in my subjective opinion, I would much rather a platform be monetized via the creation of powerless "figurehead elites" through aesthetics, than to tax the commoner when actually doing something productive. If economic realities imply there must exist different castes of users, won't it be better if the difference is purely a social rather than practical construct?
Re: I will never participate in weird internet caste systems
#44Imagine comparing paying for a free service for a few irrelevant perks to a millennia-old systemic social system of oppression (that’s de facto still around, by the way). How tone deaf can you actually be? Next up: paying for Twitter Blue is slavery.
I did not infer a direct comparison, personally. To me it was more of a dictionary use of ''caste'' as opposed to an encyclopedic one. No censorship required in this case, please.
Re: I will never participate in weird internet caste systems
#45The person doesn’t even like Discord:
https://j3s.sh/thought/using-discord-is-morally-lazy.html
So it seems weird to publish a rant about Discord Nitro.
Re: I will never participate in weird internet caste systems
#46Discord is arguably the smoothest experience there is, like bar none. How do you suppose it should be paid for? Discord Nitro is the least obtrusive way.
> How do you suppose it should be paid for?
As I get older and crankier, this is pretty much becoming my response more and more often, and not just to issues of who pays. More often than not the response is handwaving.
Re: I will never participate in weird internet caste systems
#47This seems like a dramatic way to say you don’t want to pay to support Discord. I think individuals who actually live in a modern day caste system would be extremely offended by this comparison.
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Re: I will never participate in weird internet caste systems
#48I am sure people in actual caste systems would be pretty excited if they could join a higher caste for $3 a month.
You are taking the person's use of the term ''caste'' too literally.
Re: I will never participate in weird internet caste systems
#49[deleted]
Re: I will never participate in weird internet caste systems
#50They are harmless cosmetic features. Some people are into it, and don't mind paying a few dollars a month to keep the site up and running for everyone. If you don't care for it then don't pay, just like the majority of the user base. Just don't make up some righteous bullshit about why you are actually superior for paying nothing and still enjoying the benefits the service offers (while also showing everyone that you don't know what a caste system actually is).