11–20 of 122 posts
Would a "small web" require giving up search, recommendation engines, upvotes, etc. Doesn't something like hn necessarily require centralization?
I’m not sure if I’m 100% sold on this. The service sounds like ( in their own terms ) “Big WEB” but the in a server that is... “owned”? By the user renting that server. Honestly it just sounds like every other server farm out there. Rent a server, put your data on it, hope the service doesn’t go down and trust that the company isn’t selling your data behind your back. Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea they propose.…
I think it’s simpler. This smells like a load of marketing to justify the existence of another silo which is controlled by some form of vanity ideology. Nope. We still have plenty of choices which don’t need an ideology shipped with it. I’m good with a text editor, an open source OS and a VPS, colo or some hooky box under my desk hanging off my ADSL line. That’s the small web that isn’t consumed by some portalisation…
In the era of 5G, massive storage and incredibly powerful CPUs, we really should be exploring the home server space, as it has scope for huge improvements in terms of enabling non-technical people to own their data and operate 'servers'. This would actually realise the dream of a distributed network of full-fledged peers and also put tremendous power in the hands of ordinary people.
But let's focus on the first chunk shall we? Yes, wholeheartedly agree. Host it yourself if you can, host it with a small ISP if you can't. It's necessary to keep the open Internet alive and prevent us falling back in to the walled gardens of compuserve, AOL, etc. We're almost there already with our reliance on Google Search driving caged "standards" like AMP.
In the era of 5G, massive storage and incredibly powerful CPUs, we really should be exploring the home server space, as it has scope for huge improvements in terms of enabling non-technical people to own their data and operate 'servers'. This would actually realise the dream of a distributed network of full-fledged peers and also put tremendous power in the hands of ordinary people.
You're assuming that ISPs are okay with you hosting a public service using their infrastructure, which they're historically very much opposed to (in order to get you to pay for a more expensive "business" account).
This sounds exactly the same in that it's some vanity project under the guise of being indie or privacy focused but all he's really looking for is some more cash.
I'd probably continue to steer well clear.
So, antenna hooked up so that anyone in its perimeter can network. Then whoever can catch the signal may forward/repeat it, extending this small Web.
Afaik long range signals are highly regulated. There is no small Web possible yet.
> The Big Web has “users” – a term Silicon Valley has borrowed from drug dealers to describe the people they addict to their services and exploit.
Come on now, "user" as in "computer user" was a term in use since long before the web.
Had me right up until the advertising. But let's focus on the first chunk shall we? Yes, wholeheartedly agree. Host it yourself if you can, host it with a small ISP if you can't. It's necessary to keep the open Internet alive and prevent us falling back in to the walled gardens of compuserve, AOL, etc. We're almost there already with our reliance on Google Search driving caged "standards" like AMP.
And that's probably a mistake to not make it crystal clear - at the same time that we make crystal clear that yes, anybody can acquire those skills. Most people learn to drive a car. This is incredibly difficult! They learn to read and write, some can even do it in several languages! Why should they not be able to learn to write html and upload it?
If we make people think freedom and democracy should come cheap and convenient, we'll just fall into the same trap with some entities building cheap and easy things and getting control over everyone.
Would a "small web" require giving up search, recommendation engines, upvotes, etc. Doesn't something like hn necessarily require centralization?
I think HN is still small web. It's custom-written by one or a few people, doesn't make money, isn't trying to take over the world.