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GNU Social, a FLOSS alternative to Twitter

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Re: GNU Social, a FLOSS alternative to Twitter

#151

Post by mattl »

progman wrote: post #140
gosukiwi wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Haha I don't even know which one to join. Feels like I'll make the wrong choice. GNU projects always remind me why programmers alone isn't enough, apps also need good design and UX.

> GNU projects always remind me why programmers alone isn't enough, apps also need good design and UX. Some people need others to think for them. Some people like to make their own decisions. GNU is for the latter ones. GNU has always been freedom of choice. Design is overrated. Functionality and reliability are more important. Even Apple has to admit that. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11061111

You probably shouldn't choose any of them, but should set up your own server, but some people don't want to do that, and we don't want to play favorites and say "this is the best server to join" so instead we list a few servers run by our community.

Re: GNU Social, a FLOSS alternative to Twitter

#152

Post by mattl »

rpcutts wrote: post #106
phaer wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GNU social is, as far as I understand it, just a rebranding of the old StatusNet project after it joined the GNU project. identi.ca had been the most post popular StatusNet instance until they switched to pump.io, a new project started by at least one of the StatusNet developers. tent.io is unrelated to the others as far as i know.

Correct on all counts. Identica was a StatusNet instance it is now a Pump instance. GNUSocial is a re-branding of StatusNet.

Not exactly.

GNU social was its own project when StatusNet was still a thing.

GNU social, StatusNet and "Free and Social" merged to become GNU social

Re: GNU Social, a FLOSS alternative to Twitter

#153

Post by extropic-engine »

rootlocus wrote: post #88

Chrome complains about https://micro.vinilox.eu "Attackers might be trying to steal your information from micro.vinilox.eu (for example, passwords, messages, or credit cards). NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID"

Many GNU Social servers are hosted by individual users. In this case, it looks like the admin got a certificate from Let's Encrypt for "vinilox.eu", and then tried to use it on "micro.vinilox.eu". It doesn't necessarily mean that the site is not trustworthy.

Re: GNU Social, a FLOSS alternative to Twitter

#154

Post by krapp »

jtreminio wrote: post #20

I was excited to learn that GNU Social is in PHP, but quickly turned off because of the quality of the PHP code.

I rummaged around and found a lot of the old, deprecated mysql_functions (with error suppression turned off, even,) raw queries and no prepared statements anywhere. They may be there, but this codebase is frustrating to roam around in. I did find a few comments warning of possible SQL injection problems if parameters aren't sanitized - which should not be a thing in modern PHP.

I support the project wholeheartedly but I can't help but despair at the amount of NIH syndrome and archaic patterns I'm seeing. Unsurprising given how old some of the code seems but be, but still... code like this doesn't inspire confidence in the long-term stability of the project.

Re: GNU Social, a FLOSS alternative to Twitter

#155

Post by quadrangle »

js8 wrote: post #47
mikekchar wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Before the horde descends, I thought I might respond to the suggestion that RMS is anti-capitalist. This comes up frequently and is a bit of a red herring. I won't try to speak for him (he can obviously do that well enough himself), however I think it is worth considering the free software movement in today's reality. Back when they only thing that described free software was the GNU manifesto, we still had the idea…

I am not talking primarily about Stallman's free software work; have you ever read his political notes? It seems that he is very critical to capitalism (as a description of the existing economic system, contrary to free market, which describes - somewhat different - ideal). In fact he also seems to be critical about free market, in particular in environmental and social issues.

RMS is a classic Green Party guy, explicitly. That is not the same as being anti-capitalist.

And only idiots think that free markets don't have externalities, so RMS noting that there are environmental or social issues free markets fail to address is itself completely unremarkable. Anyone who denies those facts should be completely disregarded. Even the most staunch free market advocates who have any understanding of reality accept that externalities exist.

Re: GNU Social, a FLOSS alternative to Twitter

#156

Post by mattl »

sspiff wrote: post #67

A bit odd to see them all labeled "runs out of Europe". I understand why they do this, but it's not like European hosting is a bullet proof solution for invasive snooping or data requisition.

If you're interested in running one from another place, do it and let us know...

Re: GNU Social, a FLOSS alternative to Twitter

#157

Post by quadrangle »

shmerl wrote: post #39
js8 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am not familiar with either, but I am curious why does "anti-capitalist message" matter so much? I thought the purpose is to build a messaging network that everybody can use. And even GNU founder can be considered anti-capitalist. I am asking because to me, to decide to join some (not political) community based on your own political opinion, is a good way to live in your own bubble. The real strength of the Interne…

> And even GNU founder can be considered anti-capitalist. You are mixing up anarchism with anti-capitalism.

Anarchism is anti-capitalist… but RMS is neither an anarchist nor strictly anti-capitalist

Re: GNU Social, a FLOSS alternative to Twitter

#158

Post by mattl »

tehmillhouse wrote: post #110

Before the site has given me any reason to join, it makes me choose between 7 virtually indistinguishable options of providers with subtle technical advantages and disadvantages. Ah, GNU projects. Never change.

Those are servers run by our community. I'd be interested to know if you have any alternative ideas: we don't want to pick one any one instance, but we want to give new users a thing to try.

Do we just flip through a big list and show one per page load?

Re: GNU Social, a FLOSS alternative to Twitter

#159

Post by quadrangle »

shmerl wrote: post #61
tete wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What makes him anarchist?

His core ideas of free software are based on the concept of being free from control over it. The idea is anarchistic since by controlling the software and computing technology one controls society in some way, and the more technology is intertwined with social aspects (which gradually happens the more technology progresses), the higher is that level of control.

RMS is on record saying "I am not an anarchist. In fact, I have a pro-state gland"

Re: GNU Social, a FLOSS alternative to Twitter

#160

Post by quadrangle »

kbart wrote: post #77
rocky1138 wrote: post #7

The https://quitter.se anti-capitalist message didn't resonate with me, so I joined the https://gnusocial.no federation. Much friendlier :)

Trending tags: #anarchy, #antifa, #nonazis etc. No thanks, I'll pass.

you'd prefer #yesnazis ? ;)
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