I started using the term "social web" on my blog a few months ago. I liked it because it was broad, and it inherited all the qualities of the web, most important that no one owned it, so that it could be a space for independent developers that worked for the benefit of users. #
Of course I should have known someone would try to own it, and so it has come to be. It's not a trademark owned by anyone. And the people doing it, as a way of raising millions of dollars, are only representing one part of the social web, the sites that use ActivityPub, leaving the others that exist now and may exist in the future, out in the cold. #
So now we need to reserve a space for a social web for users, and for developers who won't get much respect from the corporations. I know because I've been through this a few times. #
The only thing I could think to do was to reserve a space for the users and developers to create together, so new stuff can come from the social web, rather than it turn into yet another way for the BigCo's and VCs to suck the life out of good ideas. #
You don't have to give it any money or come to any meetings. Just know that someone else believes in users and developers. And let's work together to make it great, as soon as we can, without waiting for the big companies. Thanks!#
Last update: Thursday September 26, 2024; 10:01 AM EDT.
You know those obnoxious sites that pop up dialogs when they think you're about to leave, asking you to subscribe to their email newsletter? Well that won't do for Scripting News readers who are a discerning lot, very loyal, but that wouldn't last long if I did rude stuff like that. So here I am at the bottom of the page quietly encouraging you to sign up for the nightly email. It's got everything from the previous day on Scripting, plus the contents of the linkblog and who knows what else we'll get in there. People really love it. I wish I had done it sooner. And every email has an unsub link so if you want to get out, you can, easily -- no questions asked, and no follow-ups. Go ahead and do it, you won't be sorry! :-)