#ActivityPub is an accidental reboot of the #openweb

#ActivityPub is an accidental reboot of the #openweb. It came into existence because the #dotcons (#mainstreaming platforms) attended a #wc3 meeting but did not find anything useful for themselves. As a result, they left the “weirdos” to build an approach based on the principles. The “weirdos” managed to keep things together long enough to develop the #activertypub standard and release it to the world. However, in recent years, there has been a shift towards the normal “libertarian cats” path,  and this #openweb reboot is being consumed. While this outcome may not be what many desired, there are efforts to build real alternatives and shift away from #mainstreaming. The focus is on composting the mainstream approach rather than reforming it.

This is interesting because it provides insights into the dynamics and challenges of the #openweb movement. It highlights the tension between #mainstreaming platforms and grassroots efforts, showcasing the passion and dedication of communities working towards an open and decentralized web. The accidental nature of the #ActivityPub reboot adds an element of serendipity to the story, emphasizing the power of #DIY culture and the resource constraints faced by #openweb technologies. The recent shift towards a “libertarian cats” path and the potential consumption of the #openweb reboot raise important questions about the future of alternative platforms and the need for continued resistance against #mainstreaming.

 

The mess we have made

If you push society apart (Neo-liberal dogma embedded in all the institutions of the last 40 years) you get strong reactions from the left and right. This was why we needed soft social democracy in the 20th century. They, the article wrighting class, weep at the world they planted and plowed, this blinded generation. Our liberals some lovely and fluffy a few still hard and spiky do not have the answers to today’s wows, there “thinking” is still the core problem, its the right or the left for the next 20 years take a side, buckle in for the ride. At the end you might get a social democratic compromise or not.

NGI Zero open source funding talks about the @sovtechfund

NGI Zero open source funding
The @sovtechfund is offering grants to people who contribute to a sustainable open source ecosystem. Grants go up to €300,000 per application and cover three main topics:

1. Improve FOSS Developer Tooling
2. Securing FOSS Software Production
3. FOSS Infrastructure Documentation

With this program, the Sovereign Tech Fund seeks to stimulate an open digital infrastructure: fundamental technologies that enable the creation of other software.

https://sovereigntechfund.de/en/challenges/ #opensource
Three Challenges to Contribute Back to Open Source

UPDATE Looks like people are also arguing this point https://shared-digital.eu/statement/

We are pouring public funding down the drain agen, these criteria are feeding the #geekproblem not actually trying to take the “problem” out of our geek paths. The people who PUSH this agenda are the problem – please POINT at them and talk about this mess, thanks.

Can we get a link to the people making the agenda, thanks, will try polite conversation

I worked with the guy who used to be behind the #NGIzero account, we did good stuff with the #EU outreach.

The replacement, I have no idea who they are and getting #blocking

This is a fail.

In all these toots am talking past “people” to talk about things/social/groups and not directly to individuals, they are second in all these conversations. This is the place where social value lives. The problem is, we don’t have hardly any of this… which is the subject am talking about.

#blocking is not seeing this, addressing this, the is a lot of blocking going on 😉

Am happy to talk to “individuals” as a first step.

Pouring money down the drain, because the majority of the problems in the #Fediverse and the #openweb are social not technical – if they only fund technical parts of this culture they are feeding the “problem” and this problem is going to pour the resources down the drain.

I understand this is a hard conversation to have, we have to try.

First step is , WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE PUSHING MESS while doing “good”, step into the light please #openprocess

Ignoring this basic #openprocess is #blocking, this is why conversations are done in public

yes, I understand the fear this creates and the desire to #block, but this then makes the fail more visible if people wont to use this for the needed change and challenge if they don’t yes it’s more noise what are you signal or noise 🙂

Signal vs Nose.

I find #mainstreaming people to be actually mad and increasingly bad. When do we get more people pushing change challenge in these #openweb spaces, please?

Am increasingly seeing this #blocking as a culture of fear, or more real as a culture of fear pushed as power politics.

Am thinking meany people will be confused and likely mix signal with noise on this subject.

Who are the bad people, the powerless pushing the on the #openweb or the powerful Burocrats worshipping the #deathcult while protecting these thin careers in the #mainstreaming

If you find yourself agenst the first and defending the second, then you are the problem.

This makes your behaver noise, and what you do very likely to be more #techshit to compost.

I wonder if people understand what activism is on the #openweb any more?

You talk to people to explane why they are doing WRONG, and at the same time you push them as HARD as you can to change their wrong behaver.

This works best with the #fluffy #spiky debate as a core part of this process.

People who keep saying “why can’t we all get along”, and “wouldent it go better if we were nice to each other” and the PROBLEM blocking the activism from having the needed affect…

Mainstreaming “common sense” insanity

Am starting to get the feeling we have really fucked up on the #Fediverse… It was coming, has it arrived?

I went to a geek meetup yesterday, and I came away with a feeling that our insanity is too deep to move away from. This is a problem for people who would like to see some active change and challenge. People really are insane in the era of #XR and #climatechaos

People are suiciding the idea of the #openweb agen, they can’t help themselves. 40 years of worshipping of the #deathcult affects people’s attempt to be humane, “common sense” wins in the current mess each time. This is BAD, very bad, come on guys

Ideas from the mental help profershernal please for dealing with #mainstreaming “common sense” insanity.

A project outline for the OGB

Project description

The Open Governance Body (#OGB) project is a set of software tools that encode a governance model structured on traditional grassroots activism.
Further, the OGB – for which the code base is named – is a decentralized and democratic system for “governance” of any collective/community consisting of (generally speaking) – Producers and -Consumers.

The #Fediverse is used as the example herein.

To explore and develop better ways of having trust-based conversations and governance within the #openweb. To utilize comprehensive experience gained through greater than 5 years active, “on-the-ground” organization of instances within the #Fediverse as a technological toolkit for horizontal scaling of social
power.

The #OGB is a #Fediverse native process of working that emphasizes voluntary cooperation and collaboration with a standard #KISS approach.
The #OGB prioritizes focus on sortition and “messy consensus” in order to achieve decision-making and equitable power distribution.

The project is not about creating a single organization that dictates what protocols and standards to use within the #Fediverse. #OGB is about developing better processes for healthy, trust-based conversations and forging governance
accessible and equitable to all

Project results

Developing/creating a framework to demonstrate improved ways for “trust” based dialogue/conversation and “trust” based governance within the #openweb.
Building a true cooperative, a collaborative alliance that is native to the #Fediverse and #openweb.

Emphasizing the importance of recognizing where power originates in the context of the #Fediverse and #openweb.

Developing/creating improved technological tools as a solution to problems arising through social organization enabling problem-solving in a native #openweb manner.

Removing current hard coded defaults by providing an alternative standardized set of #KISS framework tools to empower active body members a space to utilise said tools deeply and to begin proficient instruction of their use.

Developing/creating a permission-less structure that is open to and for all. One which enables the active group through organic process, a framework of tools to decide who is a part of their group/groups.

Emphasizing that there is no exclusion and that there will always be diversity, making it an organic piece for the #Fediverse.

Building governance where the “way”, “rules”, “norms” and “actions” are structured, sustained, regulated, and held with accountability

Benefits to the Community

There are challenges and conflicts that arise within grassroots organisation or #DIY governance. In developing/creating a #KISS standard such as the #OGB framework to address said problems, we will enable a more true democratic and equitable process that benefits any and all involved.

Through empowering a more diverse scope of voices, decision-making is made more collectively. These tools utilize a greater range of voice, preventing polarization from smaller groups using perhaps limited perspectives and or values.

Additionally, through a strong ethical foundation, decision-making is ensured a more progressive development. With a focus on the primary needs of the community as a whole, rather than individuals or polarized groups.

As a social coding project, the #OGB is neither a traditional top down distribution of power or project derived of a normal #mainstreaming agenda. Rather, it is a bottom-up grassroots empowerment for sharing of knowledge and power. An example of what is found in many of the 20th century social movements,
movements responsible for the birth of what is said to be today’s best current progressive mainstream.

Through the #OGB project the “we” will facilitate the forming, communication and governance.

Timeline and important milestones

Upon securing foundation funding, negotiations for immediate ICT services will begin with respected clients for future partnership to cement project longevity and sustainability.
As described above within the KPI outline, the progression of timelines is a basic and #KISS standard
project operation where in all tasks/tiers are realistically achievable to ensure project success.
The following is an initial outline – it can be extended when possible:
9 months to Alpha testing with #Fediverse
12 months to Beta testing with #Fediverse
12 months to Beta testing with offline communities
24 months to public launch

Key Performance Indicators

Tier 1 – Source code development from base developers and progressive training through the scaling of
outreach servers through the use of MOOC LMS training platforms.
Beginner – Test Community… Local Distribution – Flea Market,Sunday Market – APP Progressive Code
9 months to Alpha testing within Fediverse
12 months to Beta testing within Fediverse
Tier 2 – Test Community… #Fediverse – Web Code
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Intermediate – Test Community… Local Distribution – Boating Community,Hiking Community – APP
Progressive Code
Tier 3 – Progressive Web App
12 months to Beta testing with offline communities
24 months to public launch
Tier 4 – The below distributions are escalations through our developed outreach scheme.
Advanced – Test Community… Local Distribution – Schools/classrooms

Project publicity

Utilizing the recent promotion of approximately 10 million people encompassing 1 million active Twitter migration users to #Mastodon to further bring awareness.

The continuance of our work within #SocialHub will continue to build on the origins of #OGB Promoting publicity through the building “governance” through #ActivityPub

Why you

We would like to reboot the #openweb and the way we communicate, interact and govern as a whole.
We know what works socially… grassroots movements
We know what works technologically… #Fediverse
We are the people developing the symbiosis for all to utilise for our futures

Activities that will benefit

FOSS and open-source frameworks are facing a continual social challenge of balancing their grassroots paradigm within corporate parameters. #OGB aims to develop/create a set of tools to encourage and aide balance.

The efforts of the #Fediverse community have been successful in shifting the EU closer through our outreach to promoting a more humane internet. #Mastodon and technologies like #ActivityPub have become important players in the EU’s initiatives for a more inclusive and equitable online environment.
The huge growth of Mastodon, one of the most popular social networking platforms in the #Fediverse, due to the #Twitter migration attracted a large and diverse, vibrant community of users from across the EU and
the world. This growth helped to validate the importance of decentralized internet and its potential to shape a more humane world by relieving the community of hosting burdens so we can focus on collective
governance and the formation of a collective governing body for decentralized efforts

A group of committed libertarian cats and the EU

The Fediverse community, a group of committed libertarian cats, took direct action to promote decentralized and #openweb models to the European Union (EU). They engaged with policymakers, participated in EU events and conferences, and explained the benefits of decentralized platforms like Mastodon, which is part of the Fediverse and uses the ActivityPub protocol. This grassroots outreach and advocacy helped generate interest in these technologies within the EU, leading to a soft rollout of official instances and the growth of Mastodon through the Twitter migration.

The efforts of the Fediverse community have been successful in shifting the EU closer to promoting a more humane internet. Platforms like Mastodon and technologies like ActivityPub have become important players in the EU’s initiatives to create a more inclusive and equitable online environment. The story of the mouse and the elephant making friends highlights the impact of grassroots movements and the power of collaboration to bring about positive change. It emphasizes the importance of using the open web as a tool for the betterment of society.

What was Undercurrents?

#Undercurrents was a video activist group that was active in the United Kingdom from 1994 to 2004. The group was founded by filmmakers who were interested in using video as a tool for social and political change. Undercurrents produced a wide range of video content, including documentaries, news reports, and short films, on issues such as environmentalism, social justice, and anti-globalization. The group was known for its innovative use of video technology and its commitment to grassroots activism. Undercurrents was a non-profit organization that relied on donations and support from its audience to fund its work. The group disbanded in 2004, but its legacy continues to inspire and influence video activists around the world.

What is #SocialHub

#SocialHub is an online platform that serves as a forum for discussions and collaboration related to the development and implementation of #ActivityPub decentralized social networking protocols and technologies. The platform is focused on the Fediverse, a network of decentralized social media platforms that use the ActivityPub protocol to communicate with each other.

#SocialHub provides a space for developers, activists, and other stakeholders to share ideas, discuss technical issues, and collaborate on the development of decentralized social networking technologies. The platform is open to anyone who is interested in contributing to the development of decentralized social networking technologies and protocols. It is a community-driven project that is based on the principles of openness, collaboration, and decentralization.

The #IndymediaBack project is an initiative aimed at reviving the #Indymedia project

The #IndymediaBack project is an initiative aimed at reviving the #Indymedia project, a decentralized grassroots media network that emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The project was founded on the principles of open publishing, direct democracy, and anti-authoritarianism. This very powerful project was ripped apart from internal and external tensions and forces. The #IndymediaBack project aims to reboot the project before the split happened, around 2008, with a focus on the #fashernista path of the splinter groups. This path emphasizes #openmedia and decentralized structures, rather than control and centralization. The project aims to learn from the mistakes of the past and avoid the same tribalism and power politics that led to the decline of the original project. The project is based on the principles of openness, collaboration, and decentralization, and aims to provide an alternative to mainstream media by creating and distributing independent media content.

What is visionontv

#Visionontv is a grassroots media project that aims to provide an alternative to mainstream media by creating and distributing independent video content. The project has been running for over ten years and is based on the principles of openness, collaboration, and decentralization. It uses #FOSS open-source software and decentralized platforms to create and distribute activist video content. One of the key features of the project is its participation in the Open Media Network (#OMN), a decentralized network of media sites that share content and promote independent media that is not controlled by any single entity. The project emphasizes the importance of grassroots community-driven media, where people and groups can create and share their own content.

The #OGB project is an initiative aimed at developing better ways of having “trust” based conversations

The #OGB project is an initiative aimed at developing better ways of having “trust” based conversations and “trust” based “governance” in the open web. The project is built on a voluntary cooperative and collaborative alliance that is native to the fediverse, which is a decentralized network of interconnected social media platforms. The #OGB project is not about creating an organization that tells everyone what protocols and standards to use in the fediverse, but rather about developing better ways of having good “trust” based conversations and “trust” based “governance” in the #openweb. The project is based on hundreds of years of on-the-ground organizing that has shaped every “freedom” we enjoy and is done in a #KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) approach. The #OGB project emphasizes the importance of recognizing where power comes from in the context of the fediverse and building with this difference rather than trying to drag the #fediverse back to the #mainstreaming path.