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  3. Explaining the fediverse is a hard problem.

Explaining the fediverse is a hard problem.

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  • caesar@indieweb.socialC caesar@indieweb.social

    @eeeee The lack of complete federation is another very good (and very hard to solve) point that makes federation less-than-intuitive. From my Mastodon instance the situation is worse, none of @bumblefudge 's posts nor any others from SocialHub appear in the thread. (See https://indieweb.social/@julian@community.nodebb.org/112972609579702339)

    caesar@indieweb.socialC This user is from outside of this forum
    caesar@indieweb.socialC This user is from outside of this forum
    caesar@indieweb.social
    wrote on last edited by
    #26

    I suspect most of the federation problems mentioned in the last few posts are the "fault" of Discourse – BrowserPub fails to find anything at https://browser.pub/https://socialhub.activitypub.rocks/t/explaining-the-fediverse-is-a-hard-problem/4462/4 – but in the end the user doesn't care whose fault it is when something doesn't work, they just think federation is confusing and broken.

    julian@community.nodebb.orgJ 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • caesar@indieweb.socialC caesar@indieweb.social

      I suspect most of the federation problems mentioned in the last few posts are the "fault" of Discourse – BrowserPub fails to find anything at https://browser.pub/https://socialhub.activitypub.rocks/t/explaining-the-fediverse-is-a-hard-problem/4462/4 – but in the end the user doesn't care whose fault it is when something doesn't work, they just think federation is confusing and broken.

      julian@community.nodebb.orgJ This user is from outside of this forum
      julian@community.nodebb.orgJ This user is from outside of this forum
      julian@community.nodebb.org
      wrote on last edited by
      #27

      caesar@indieweb.social the sync issue from Discourse is a little different... That's achieved via a category syncing mechanism that is unique to Discourse and NodeBB, right now that's broken and I have to wait until angus@socialhub.activitypub.rocks comes back to address it.

      Same with the links in Discourse being unsearchable. They'll have to fix that.

      julian@community.nodebb.orgJ 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • julian@community.nodebb.orgJ julian@community.nodebb.org

        caesar@indieweb.social the sync issue from Discourse is a little different... That's achieved via a category syncing mechanism that is unique to Discourse and NodeBB, right now that's broken and I have to wait until angus@socialhub.activitypub.rocks comes back to address it.

        Same with the links in Discourse being unsearchable. They'll have to fix that.

        julian@community.nodebb.orgJ This user is from outside of this forum
        julian@community.nodebb.orgJ This user is from outside of this forum
        julian@community.nodebb.org
        wrote on last edited by
        #28

        caesar@indieweb.social you can load remote content from the fediverse via NodeBB, just enter the permalink into the search bar.

        For users, enter the handle in the users page search bar.

        julian@community.nodebb.orgJ 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • julian@community.nodebb.orgJ julian@community.nodebb.org

          caesar@indieweb.social you can load remote content from the fediverse via NodeBB, just enter the permalink into the search bar.

          For users, enter the handle in the users page search bar.

          julian@community.nodebb.orgJ This user is from outside of this forum
          julian@community.nodebb.orgJ This user is from outside of this forum
          julian@community.nodebb.org
          wrote on last edited by
          #29

          caesar caesar@indieweb.social I've manually pulled in bumblefudge@socialhub.activitypub.rocks and sortekanin@socialhub.activitypub.rocks's posts now.

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE eeeee@community.nodebb.org

            caesar the Discourse link you posted raises another issue.
            Its a similar thread to this one, but it has additional posters, and any edits made in my posts arent reflected.
            So these conversations arent fully federated when there are some posts in that thread missing from this one.
            Out of interest Omega, did you start your post on Discourse or on this site?

            omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
            omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
            omega@community.nodebb.org
            wrote on last edited by
            #30

            eeeee I am native posting only

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • julian@community.nodebb.orgJ julian@community.nodebb.org

              I had the opportunity to work with the team at OpenBeta on the re-launching of their community forums. They're one of our earliest v4 testers, since they've agreed to have ActivityPub enabled!

              (Okay, more realistically I dragged them into it kicking and screaming, but they did provide the opportunity for the forum relaunch, so I'm taking the opportunities as they come!)

              During the prep, I discussed some of the well-trodden concept of the fediverse to my co-admin, Ben (bean@community.openbeta.io and also bean@uvix.cc)... stuff I'm sure you've come across:

              • Fragmented nature of conversations
              • The idea of an instance
              • Content discovery with respect to the follow-relationship model

              ... and wouldn't you know it, it's really hard to discuss these ideas, and Ben is actually fairly well-versed! He ran his own Iceshrimp instance, so all of this wasn't exactly new to him.

              Part of it was that I had been steeped in the ActivityPub dev scene for almost a year, so it's hard to step back and explain to mere mortals laymen non-developers what exactly all this ActivityPub nonsense is.

              All I know it gets me thinking that I need to work with andypiper@macaw.social on documentation!

              That new NodeBB instance, by the way, is https://community.openbeta.io 🙂

              omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
              omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
              omega@community.nodebb.org
              wrote on last edited by
              #31

              Going where no fediverse topic has gone before... not!

              https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-string-theory-2699363

              >String theory is a mathematical theory that tries to explain certain phenomena which is not currently explainable under the standard model of quantum physics.

              30 words or less people!

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • julian@community.nodebb.orgJ julian@community.nodebb.org

                I had the opportunity to work with the team at OpenBeta on the re-launching of their community forums. They're one of our earliest v4 testers, since they've agreed to have ActivityPub enabled!

                (Okay, more realistically I dragged them into it kicking and screaming, but they did provide the opportunity for the forum relaunch, so I'm taking the opportunities as they come!)

                During the prep, I discussed some of the well-trodden concept of the fediverse to my co-admin, Ben (bean@community.openbeta.io and also bean@uvix.cc)... stuff I'm sure you've come across:

                • Fragmented nature of conversations
                • The idea of an instance
                • Content discovery with respect to the follow-relationship model

                ... and wouldn't you know it, it's really hard to discuss these ideas, and Ben is actually fairly well-versed! He ran his own Iceshrimp instance, so all of this wasn't exactly new to him.

                Part of it was that I had been steeped in the ActivityPub dev scene for almost a year, so it's hard to step back and explain to mere mortals laymen non-developers what exactly all this ActivityPub nonsense is.

                All I know it gets me thinking that I need to work with andypiper@macaw.social on documentation!

                That new NodeBB instance, by the way, is https://community.openbeta.io 🙂

                eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                eeeee@community.nodebb.org
                wrote on last edited by
                #32

                Omega, From your descriptive posts I thought you were a writer, but now a Physicist!
                Many talents 😀

                omega@community.nodebb.orgO 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE eeeee@community.nodebb.org

                  Omega, From your descriptive posts I thought you were a writer, but now a Physicist!
                  Many talents 😀

                  omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                  omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                  omega@community.nodebb.org
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #33

                  eeeee I always get a Schrödinger's cat vibe off these fediverse topics am I the only one?

                  eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • julian@community.nodebb.orgJ julian@community.nodebb.org

                    I had the opportunity to work with the team at OpenBeta on the re-launching of their community forums. They're one of our earliest v4 testers, since they've agreed to have ActivityPub enabled!

                    (Okay, more realistically I dragged them into it kicking and screaming, but they did provide the opportunity for the forum relaunch, so I'm taking the opportunities as they come!)

                    During the prep, I discussed some of the well-trodden concept of the fediverse to my co-admin, Ben (bean@community.openbeta.io and also bean@uvix.cc)... stuff I'm sure you've come across:

                    • Fragmented nature of conversations
                    • The idea of an instance
                    • Content discovery with respect to the follow-relationship model

                    ... and wouldn't you know it, it's really hard to discuss these ideas, and Ben is actually fairly well-versed! He ran his own Iceshrimp instance, so all of this wasn't exactly new to him.

                    Part of it was that I had been steeped in the ActivityPub dev scene for almost a year, so it's hard to step back and explain to mere mortals laymen non-developers what exactly all this ActivityPub nonsense is.

                    All I know it gets me thinking that I need to work with andypiper@macaw.social on documentation!

                    That new NodeBB instance, by the way, is https://community.openbeta.io 🙂

                    omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                    omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                    omega@community.nodebb.org
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #34

                    Personally I think the word Federated is being used as if it was the word disseminated, which to me is more descriptively apt for common understanding.

                    “your post is disseminated across multiple platforms at once… across the fediverse… and you are like a sun, each post a ray of light that eventually reaches planets... soon disparate planetary religions spring up worshipping your name spanning light years across many galaxies”

                    Maybe not the last bit 😅

                    Federated as it is used rather than it’s definition, seems more like a conflation shorthand of federation and dissemination into a single word placeholder, this might be my very personally arcane issue. 😁

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • julian@community.nodebb.orgJ julian@community.nodebb.org

                      I had the opportunity to work with the team at OpenBeta on the re-launching of their community forums. They're one of our earliest v4 testers, since they've agreed to have ActivityPub enabled!

                      (Okay, more realistically I dragged them into it kicking and screaming, but they did provide the opportunity for the forum relaunch, so I'm taking the opportunities as they come!)

                      During the prep, I discussed some of the well-trodden concept of the fediverse to my co-admin, Ben (bean@community.openbeta.io and also bean@uvix.cc)... stuff I'm sure you've come across:

                      • Fragmented nature of conversations
                      • The idea of an instance
                      • Content discovery with respect to the follow-relationship model

                      ... and wouldn't you know it, it's really hard to discuss these ideas, and Ben is actually fairly well-versed! He ran his own Iceshrimp instance, so all of this wasn't exactly new to him.

                      Part of it was that I had been steeped in the ActivityPub dev scene for almost a year, so it's hard to step back and explain to mere mortals laymen non-developers what exactly all this ActivityPub nonsense is.

                      All I know it gets me thinking that I need to work with andypiper@macaw.social on documentation!

                      That new NodeBB instance, by the way, is https://community.openbeta.io 🙂

                      omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                      omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                      omega@community.nodebb.org
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #35

                      Here is an edited version of the wiki entry for the fediverse:

                      >The fediverse is a collection of social networks that can communicate with each other using a common protocol. Users of different websites can send and receive status updates, multimedia files and other data across the network.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • julian@community.nodebb.orgJ julian@community.nodebb.org

                        I had the opportunity to work with the team at OpenBeta on the re-launching of their community forums. They're one of our earliest v4 testers, since they've agreed to have ActivityPub enabled!

                        (Okay, more realistically I dragged them into it kicking and screaming, but they did provide the opportunity for the forum relaunch, so I'm taking the opportunities as they come!)

                        During the prep, I discussed some of the well-trodden concept of the fediverse to my co-admin, Ben (bean@community.openbeta.io and also bean@uvix.cc)... stuff I'm sure you've come across:

                        • Fragmented nature of conversations
                        • The idea of an instance
                        • Content discovery with respect to the follow-relationship model

                        ... and wouldn't you know it, it's really hard to discuss these ideas, and Ben is actually fairly well-versed! He ran his own Iceshrimp instance, so all of this wasn't exactly new to him.

                        Part of it was that I had been steeped in the ActivityPub dev scene for almost a year, so it's hard to step back and explain to mere mortals laymen non-developers what exactly all this ActivityPub nonsense is.

                        All I know it gets me thinking that I need to work with andypiper@macaw.social on documentation!

                        That new NodeBB instance, by the way, is https://community.openbeta.io 🙂

                        omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                        omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                        omega@community.nodebb.org
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #36

                        How about... the fediverse is like what happens when you build a bunch of interstates between big websites

                        You could get into railroad and telegraph analogies to, draw your frame. It's the quantum location superposition of your post that's kinda the pickle to explain to the average noodle, or is it?

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • omega@community.nodebb.orgO omega@community.nodebb.org

                          eeeee I always get a Schrödinger's cat vibe off these fediverse topics am I the only one?

                          eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                          eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                          eeeee@community.nodebb.org
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #37

                          omega said in Explaining the fediverse is a hard problem.:
                          > eeeee I always get a Schrödinger's cat vibe off these fediverse topics am I the only one?

                          Absolutely, you never know if fediverse posts did or didnt propagate, until they are observed! Haha

                          omega@community.nodebb.orgO 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE eeeee@community.nodebb.org

                            omega said in Explaining the fediverse is a hard problem.:
                            > eeeee I always get a Schrödinger's cat vibe off these fediverse topics am I the only one?

                            Absolutely, you never know if fediverse posts did or didnt propagate, until they are observed! Haha

                            omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                            omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                            omega@community.nodebb.org
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #38

                            eeeee Ha ha maybe you answered my last post as I was writing it!

                            Plus there is another maybe even better word i.e. federated > disseminated / propagated

                            I believe propagate/propagation is even more accurate way to describe the adventures of efforts in the fediverse!

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • julian@community.nodebb.orgJ julian@community.nodebb.org

                              I had the opportunity to work with the team at OpenBeta on the re-launching of their community forums. They're one of our earliest v4 testers, since they've agreed to have ActivityPub enabled!

                              (Okay, more realistically I dragged them into it kicking and screaming, but they did provide the opportunity for the forum relaunch, so I'm taking the opportunities as they come!)

                              During the prep, I discussed some of the well-trodden concept of the fediverse to my co-admin, Ben (bean@community.openbeta.io and also bean@uvix.cc)... stuff I'm sure you've come across:

                              • Fragmented nature of conversations
                              • The idea of an instance
                              • Content discovery with respect to the follow-relationship model

                              ... and wouldn't you know it, it's really hard to discuss these ideas, and Ben is actually fairly well-versed! He ran his own Iceshrimp instance, so all of this wasn't exactly new to him.

                              Part of it was that I had been steeped in the ActivityPub dev scene for almost a year, so it's hard to step back and explain to mere mortals laymen non-developers what exactly all this ActivityPub nonsense is.

                              All I know it gets me thinking that I need to work with andypiper@macaw.social on documentation!

                              That new NodeBB instance, by the way, is https://community.openbeta.io 🙂

                              eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                              eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                              eeeee@community.nodebb.org
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #39

                              One thing that hasnt really been tested yet, is volumes, and the data that needs to be shared if say contribitors are on different networks.
                              On your physics theme then the data share is potentially exponential as more people join the conversation.
                              Imagine a thread with 100 different origin posts and the updates required to keep everyone in sync

                              omega@community.nodebb.orgO 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE eeeee@community.nodebb.org

                                One thing that hasnt really been tested yet, is volumes, and the data that needs to be shared if say contribitors are on different networks.
                                On your physics theme then the data share is potentially exponential as more people join the conversation.
                                Imagine a thread with 100 different origin posts and the updates required to keep everyone in sync

                                omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                                omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                                omega@community.nodebb.org
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #40

                                eeeee When you wrote Explaining the fediverse is a hard problem.:
                                > a thread with 100 different origin posts

                                Do you mean each post originating first post action and commitment occurred on a different platform while the entire thread of 100 post is potentially equally visible on each of those different platforms all at the same time?

                                eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • omega@community.nodebb.orgO omega@community.nodebb.org

                                  eeeee When you wrote Explaining the fediverse is a hard problem.:
                                  > a thread with 100 different origin posts

                                  Do you mean each post originating first post action and commitment occurred on a different platform while the entire thread of 100 post is potentially equally visible on each of those different platforms all at the same time?

                                  eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                                  eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                                  eeeee@community.nodebb.org
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #41

                                  omega yes, so post 101 could need to go to the previous (up to) 100 servers so those threads are in sync

                                  omega@community.nodebb.orgO 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE eeeee@community.nodebb.org

                                    omega yes, so post 101 could need to go to the previous (up to) 100 servers so those threads are in sync

                                    omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                                    omega@community.nodebb.orgO This user is from outside of this forum
                                    omega@community.nodebb.org
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #42

                                    eeeee In the context of this topic how many quantum instances might exist out in the fediverse?

                                    eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • omega@community.nodebb.orgO omega@community.nodebb.org

                                      eeeee In the context of this topic how many quantum instances might exist out in the fediverse?

                                      eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                                      eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                                      eeeee@community.nodebb.org
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #43

                                      omega said in Explaining the fediverse is a hard problem.:
                                      > eeeee In the context of this topic how many quantum instances might exist out in the fediverse?

                                      Two, they talk about up and down spin
                                      Analagous to up and down voting on Nodebb lol

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • julian@community.nodebb.orgJ julian@community.nodebb.org

                                        I had the opportunity to work with the team at OpenBeta on the re-launching of their community forums. They're one of our earliest v4 testers, since they've agreed to have ActivityPub enabled!

                                        (Okay, more realistically I dragged them into it kicking and screaming, but they did provide the opportunity for the forum relaunch, so I'm taking the opportunities as they come!)

                                        During the prep, I discussed some of the well-trodden concept of the fediverse to my co-admin, Ben (bean@community.openbeta.io and also bean@uvix.cc)... stuff I'm sure you've come across:

                                        • Fragmented nature of conversations
                                        • The idea of an instance
                                        • Content discovery with respect to the follow-relationship model

                                        ... and wouldn't you know it, it's really hard to discuss these ideas, and Ben is actually fairly well-versed! He ran his own Iceshrimp instance, so all of this wasn't exactly new to him.

                                        Part of it was that I had been steeped in the ActivityPub dev scene for almost a year, so it's hard to step back and explain to mere mortals laymen non-developers what exactly all this ActivityPub nonsense is.

                                        All I know it gets me thinking that I need to work with andypiper@macaw.social on documentation!

                                        That new NodeBB instance, by the way, is https://community.openbeta.io 🙂

                                        eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                                        eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE This user is from outside of this forum
                                        eeeee@community.nodebb.org
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #44

                                        Incidentally omega, I direct messaged on you here a while ago, did you see it?
                                        It appears our federated convo working better than local one 🙂

                                        julian@community.nodebb.orgJ 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • eeeee@community.nodebb.orgE eeeee@community.nodebb.org

                                          Incidentally omega, I direct messaged on you here a while ago, did you see it?
                                          It appears our federated convo working better than local one 🙂

                                          julian@community.nodebb.orgJ This user is from outside of this forum
                                          julian@community.nodebb.orgJ This user is from outside of this forum
                                          julian@community.nodebb.org
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #45

                                          eeeee omega if you are attempting to communicate to a remote account (outside of this NodeBB instance), it must be done publicly. Non-public messages received by NodeBB are rejected because NodeBB does not support the concept of limited post visibility at this time.

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