Stories with Tag Decentralized Social Media

• Show HN: I Built a Reddit-style Bluesky client – still rough, but open to ideas

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  Posted: 2025-02-15 13:19:17

  Verbose tl;dr

  A developer has created Threadsky, a Reddit-style client for the decentralized social media platform Bluesky. It organizes Bluesky content into threaded conversations similar to Reddit, offering features like nested replies, upvote/downvote buttons, and customizable feeds. The project is still in its early stages of development and the creator is actively seeking feedback and ideas for improvement. The aim is to provide a more familiar and organized browsing experience for Bluesky users, leveraging a popular forum structure.

  A developer has announced the creation and release of "Threadsky," a web-based client for the decentralized social media platform, Bluesky. While acknowledging its current rudimentary state, the developer is actively soliciting feedback and suggestions for improvement from the community. Threadsky aims to provide a familiar user experience, modeled after the popular online forum Reddit, but tailored for the Bluesky ecosystem. This means that users can expect functionalities reminiscent of Reddit's threaded conversations and voting systems, adapted to work with Bluesky's decentralized architecture and protocol. The developer's primary goal appears to be creating a more intuitive and accessible way to interact with Bluesky, leveraging a familiar interface paradigm to lower the barrier to entry for new users. The current version of Threadsky is considered a work in progress, and its creator is openly inviting community participation in shaping its future development and feature set. The implicit objective is to refine Threadsky into a more polished and comprehensive Bluesky client by incorporating community input and iterating upon the existing framework. The application is currently accessible online, allowing users to experiment with its current functionalities and contribute to its evolution.

  • bluesky
  • Bluesky Client
  • Reddit
  • social media
  • Social Networking
  • Decentralized Social Media
  • AT Protocol
  • IndieWeb
  • web application
  • Open Source
  • Show HN
  • Hacker News
  • Threadsky

  Summary of Comments ( 3 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43058285

  Verbose tl;dr

  HN commenters generally expressed interest in Threadsky, the Bluesky client showcased. Several appreciated the familiar Reddit-like interface and suggested improvements like keyboard navigation, infinite scrolling, and better integration with Bluesky's features like muting and blocking. Some questioned the longevity of Bluesky itself and the need for another client, while others encouraged the developer to add features like custom feeds and threaded replies. A few commenters shared alternative Bluesky clients they preferred, highlighting the emerging ecosystem around the platform. Overall, the reception was positive, with commenters offering constructive feedback and expressing curiosity about the project's future development.

  The Hacker News post "Show HN: I Built a Reddit-style Bluesky client – still rough, but open to ideas" linking to threadsky.app has generated a number of comments discussing the project.

  Several commenters express enthusiasm for the Reddit-style interface applied to Bluesky, finding it a more familiar and user-friendly way to interact with the platform. They see potential in offering an alternative to the current Bluesky interface, which some find less intuitive. One user specifically praises the infinite scroll feature.

  Some discussion revolves around the technical aspects of the project. One commenter inquires about the architecture and technologies used, particularly regarding the handling of Bluesky's decentralized nature using the AT Protocol. The creator responds, explaining their use of the bsky library and detailing the process of fetching and displaying threads. This exchange offers insight into the development process and the challenges of building on a decentralized platform.

  There are suggestions for improvement and additional features. Commenters propose ideas like incorporating a "mark as read" function, implementing keyboard shortcuts, and allowing users to follow hashtags. The importance of mobile compatibility is also raised.

  A few commenters mention existing alternative Bluesky clients, comparing and contrasting their features with Threadsky. This provides context and demonstrates the evolving landscape of third-party Bluesky apps.

  A point of concern raised is the performance, with some users experiencing slow loading times. The creator acknowledges this and indicates it's a priority for future optimization.

  Finally, there's a brief discussion about the name "Threadsky," with a suggestion to consider alternative names.

  Overall, the comments section shows a generally positive reception to Threadsky, with users appreciating the alternative interface and offering constructive feedback for its development. The discussion highlights the demand for diverse client options within the Bluesky ecosystem and the ongoing experimentation with different approaches to navigating the decentralized social media landscape.

• First Look: Loops, by Pixelfed – Decentralised TikTok Competitor (2024)

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  Posted: 2025-01-25 07:07:11

  Verbose tl;dr

  Pixelfed, a decentralized social media platform known for its photo-sharing capabilities, is launching "Loops," a short-form video platform designed to compete with TikTok. This new feature integrates directly into the existing Pixelfed app and emphasizes a decentralized, privacy-focused approach as a key differentiator. Loops supports videos up to 60 seconds long and offers basic editing tools. While still in early alpha, Loops aims to provide a federated alternative to centralized video platforms, allowing users more control over their data and content distribution. The initial release focuses on core functionality, with plans to expand features and improve the user interface based on community feedback.

  The article "First Look: Loops, by Pixelfed – Decentralised TikTok Competitor (2024)" on wedistribute.org provides an in-depth preview of Loops, a nascent short-form video platform developed by Pixelfed, positioning itself as a decentralized alternative to TikTok. The author emphasizes the platform's commitment to user privacy and data ownership, contrasting it with the centralized and often opaque data practices of mainstream social media giants. Loops leverages the ActivityPub protocol, the same decentralized standard underpinning Mastodon, enabling interoperability with other platforms within the Fediverse. This means users on other Fediverse instances can interact with Loops content and vice versa, fostering a more interconnected and less siloed social media landscape.

  The piece details the current state of Loops, acknowledging its early stage of development. While core functionalities like video uploading, basic editing tools (cropping, trimming), and interaction features (likes, comments, reposts/boosts) are present, the platform is still considered a work in progress. The article highlights upcoming features planned for future iterations, including more advanced editing capabilities, support for music integration, and improved discoverability options. The author speculates that these enhancements will be crucial for Loops to compete effectively with established platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

  The article also delves into the user interface and user experience of Loops, describing it as clean, intuitive, and reminiscent of existing short-form video platforms. This familiarity is intended to lower the barrier to entry for new users accustomed to the established conventions of the genre. Furthermore, the article underscores the importance of the decentralized nature of Loops in mitigating the risks of censorship and algorithmic manipulation, which are often cited as concerns with centralized platforms. By distributing control and ownership across the network, Loops aims to empower users and foster a more democratic and transparent online environment. The author concludes by expressing cautious optimism about Loops’ potential to carve out a space within the competitive short-form video landscape, particularly among users prioritizing data privacy and decentralized control. The article emphasizes that the success of Loops will hinge on its ability to attract a substantial user base and continue to refine its features and functionality.

  • Pixelfed
  • Loops
  • Decentralized Social Media
  • TikTok Competitor
  • Short-form Video
  • ActivityPub
  • fediverse
  • Social Media Alternatives
  • Open Source Social Media
  • Federated Social Media

  Summary of Comments ( 98 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42820053

  Verbose tl;dr

  Hacker News users discussed the potential of Loops as a decentralized TikTok alternative, but expressed significant skepticism. Many questioned the viability of federation for short-form video, citing bandwidth and storage concerns, especially given Pixelfed's existing performance issues. Several commenters also pointed out the challenge of content moderation in a federated environment and the difficulty of competing with TikTok's powerful algorithm. Some users expressed interest in the project, particularly its focus on user ownership and control of data, but the prevailing sentiment was cautious optimism at best, with many doubting Loops could gain significant traction. A few commenters questioned the choice of the ActivityPub protocol, suggesting alternatives might be more suitable for video. The need for compelling content creation tools and a smooth user experience was also highlighted.

  The Hacker News post titled "First Look: Loops, by Pixelfed – Decentralised TikTok Competitor (2024)" linking to an article on wedistribute.org has generated several comments. Many of the comments express skepticism and concern about the viability of Loops as a "TikTok competitor," particularly regarding its decentralized nature.

  One commenter questions the need for a decentralized TikTok, arguing that the appeal of TikTok lies in its powerful algorithm and vast user base, neither of which are easily replicated in a decentralized system. They suggest that the focus on decentralization might be misplaced and that perhaps other aspects of TikTok, like its negative societal impacts, should be addressed instead. This sentiment is echoed by another user who points out the inherent difficulty in competing with a platform like TikTok, given its massive network effects and established infrastructure.

  Several commenters express concern over content moderation in a decentralized system. They raise the question of who would be responsible for removing harmful content and how consistent enforcement could be achieved across a federated network. One commenter specifically mentions the potential for Loops to become a haven for undesirable content if effective moderation policies aren't implemented.

  Another line of discussion centers around the technical challenges of building a decentralized video-sharing platform. Commenters point out the bandwidth and storage requirements involved in hosting and distributing video content, questioning whether the existing decentralized infrastructure is capable of handling such a load. One commenter mentions the possibility of leveraging IPFS or similar technologies, but acknowledges the limitations and complexities associated with those solutions.

  There's also discussion about the target audience for Loops. Some commenters believe that the decentralized nature of the platform might appeal to a specific niche of privacy-conscious users, but doubt it will attract a mainstream audience.

  Finally, a few comments touch upon the user interface and user experience of Loops, based on the screenshots provided in the article. Some find the interface to be cluttered, while others express cautious optimism about the project, hoping that it will improve over time.

  Overall, the comments reflect a mix of skepticism, cautious optimism, and pragmatic concerns about the challenges of building and scaling a decentralized video-sharing platform that can genuinely compete with a giant like TikTok. The dominant theme appears to be doubt that a decentralized approach can effectively address the core functionalities and network effects that have made TikTok successful.