Decentralized Web: Difference between revisions

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The internet is the physical, interconnected computer network
The internet is the physical, interconnected computer network
that runs TCP/IP to link devices globally.  The web is all the
that runs TCP/IP to link devices globally.  The web is all the
things communicted over the internet.  Unfortunately, the web has
things communicated over the internet.  Unfortunately, the web has
become increasingly centralized in the era of "Web2", where no
become increasingly centralized in the era of "Web2", where no
one owns their own data, and people, even on the same network,
one owns their own data, and people, even on the same network,
Line 20: Line 20:
technologists to showcase their work, and some by regular
technologists to showcase their work, and some by regular
attendees to discuss what they are working on and any incremental
attendees to discuss what they are working on and any incremental
prgress.  Additionally, we will aim to connect people with
progress.  Additionally, we will aim to connect people with
existing decentralized web projects as well as define and start
existing decentralized web projects as well as define and start
new projects.
new projects.
Line 52: Line 52:
=== Monetization of Free Culture ===
=== Monetization of Free Culture ===
Capitalism has won out in large part because it has mastered the
Capitalism has won out in large part because it has mastered the
maintainance of supply chains.  It ensures that workers are paid
maintenance of supply chains.  It ensures that workers are paid
enough to show up the next day (though not necessarily enough to
enough to show up the next day (though not necessarily enough to
live comfortably).  However, capitalism relies on scarcity, so
live comfortably).  However, capitalism relies on scarcity, so
the non-scarse ones and zeros that make up our digital culture
the non-scarce ones and zeros that make up our digital culture
has been made artificially scarse by Copyright and Patent Law.
has been made artificially scarce by Copyright and Patent Law.
To break free from these bonds of artificial scarsity locking up
To break free from these bonds of artificial scarcity locking up
our softwre, hardware, and media which make up our culture, we
our software, hardware, and media which make up our culture, we
must discover a way support the supply chains that make the
must discover a way support the supply chains that make the
culture we use.  The main problems to be solved are:
culture we use.  The main problems to be solved are:
* Decentralization - The solution must lack centralzide middlemen, and allow an individual to support individual contributers, not just organizations (though supporting organizations is fine).
* Decentralization - The solution must lack centralized middlemen, and allow an individual to support individual contributors, not just organizations (though supporting organizations is fine).
* Value assignment - There are millions of people that contribute to the technology and media we use and consume.  To be a valid solution, it must facilitate some automatic assignment of value to contributions that make up the culture we use.  It should be entirely customizeable, but should have sane-enough defaults to permit lazy usage.
* Value assignment - There are millions of people that contribute to the technology and media we use and consume.  To be a valid solution, it must facilitate some automatic assignment of value to contributions that make up the culture we use.  It should be entirely customizable, but should have sane-enough defaults to permit lazy usage.
* Microtransaction - Though we may eventually replace normal currencies like Bitcoin or USD, prospective beneficiaries must be able turn support into food and rent.  Since normal currencies incurr transaction fees, there must be some mechanism by which funders can organize to reduce the number of transactions.
* Microtransaction - Though we may eventually replace normal currencies like Bitcoin or USD, prospective beneficiaries must be able turn support into food and rent.  Since normal currencies incur transaction fees, there must be some mechanism by which funders can organize to reduce the number of transactions.
The goal is to support specifically free culture (especially,
The goal is to support specifically free culture (especially,
initially, free software), it would be nice if there is some
initially, free software), it would be nice if there is some
method for onboarding, so people can dedicate support to nonfree
method for onboarding, so people can dedicate support to non-free
culture on the condition that that culture is freed, for
culture on the condition that that culture is freed, for
instance by a release under a free license.
instance by a release under a free license.
Line 85: Line 85:
general email server, it is possible to do so for a specific
general email server, it is possible to do so for a specific
email server setup.  Some goals of the setup:
email server setup.  Some goals of the setup:
* Support sending/recieving from (at least) one email address.
* Support sending/receiving from (at least) one email address.
* DNS automatically updates via API calls (ideally supporting dynamic ip addresses).
* DNS automatically updates via API calls (ideally supporting dynamic IP addresses).
* Runs on multiple computers for redundancy without manual intervention if one goes down.
* Runs on multiple computers for redundancy without manual intervention if one goes down.
* Allow two people to operate (secondarily) as backup email servers for eachother.
* Allow two people to operate (secondarily) as backup email servers for each other.


= Licencing Note =
= Licensing Note =
NonCommercial licenses are not free.  Unlike the rest of this wiki, this page shall remain CC-BY 4.0.
NonCommercial licenses are not free.  Unlike the rest of this wiki, this page shall remain CC-BY 4.0.

Revision as of 17:40, 26 July 2025

We meet the 4th Saturday of every month, 4-7pm, at Noisebridge.

Introduction

Liberating the world through free, local-first, and decentralized technology.

The internet is the physical, interconnected computer network that runs TCP/IP to link devices globally. The web is all the things communicated over the internet. Unfortunately, the web has become increasingly centralized in the era of "Web2", where no one owns their own data, and people, even on the same network, cannot communicate with one another without connecting to some centralized middleman. The goal of the decentralized web (sometimes called Web3, but usually just in reference to blockchain) movement is to build not just censorship resistant technology, but also communities that use those technologies. An awesome tool used by no one is lame.

These meetings will consist of presentations and collaboration. Presentations will be of varying lengths, some by invited technologists to showcase their work, and some by regular attendees to discuss what they are working on and any incremental progress. Additionally, we will aim to connect people with existing decentralized web projects as well as define and start new projects.

Current projects

Come to our first meeting to propose one! (project ideas below after Meeting Notes)

Meeting Notes

  • 2025-05-24
    • Workshop: Bridging our Gardens
  • 2025-04-26
    • Michaelz: Why decentralization and How?
  • 2025-01-18
    • Justine Tunney: LlamaFile
    • Greg Slepak: Group Income and/or Chelonia

Project Ideas

Come to our meetings to propose more ideas!

Monetization of Free Culture

Capitalism has won out in large part because it has mastered the maintenance of supply chains. It ensures that workers are paid enough to show up the next day (though not necessarily enough to live comfortably). However, capitalism relies on scarcity, so the non-scarce ones and zeros that make up our digital culture has been made artificially scarce by Copyright and Patent Law. To break free from these bonds of artificial scarcity locking up our software, hardware, and media which make up our culture, we must discover a way support the supply chains that make the culture we use. The main problems to be solved are:

  • Decentralization - The solution must lack centralized middlemen, and allow an individual to support individual contributors, not just organizations (though supporting organizations is fine).
  • Value assignment - There are millions of people that contribute to the technology and media we use and consume. To be a valid solution, it must facilitate some automatic assignment of value to contributions that make up the culture we use. It should be entirely customizable, but should have sane-enough defaults to permit lazy usage.
  • Microtransaction - Though we may eventually replace normal currencies like Bitcoin or USD, prospective beneficiaries must be able turn support into food and rent. Since normal currencies incur transaction fees, there must be some mechanism by which funders can organize to reduce the number of transactions.

The goal is to support specifically free culture (especially, initially, free software), it would be nice if there is some method for onboarding, so people can dedicate support to non-free culture on the condition that that culture is freed, for instance by a release under a free license.

Decentralizing Noisebridge

In the interest of dogfooding, we should try to help Noisebridge, or at least this meetup, operate on decentralized technologies.

Make Email Hosting Easy!

SMTP is possibly the most successful decentralized web protocol. The world still largely runs on email. However, the email ecosystem evolved organically with many systems added on top: IMAP, POP3, DMARC, DKIM, SPF, etc. All of these additional systems have increased security, scalability, and usability by the end user, at the expense of ease of initial setup. Though it would not be reasonable to try and "automate" a setup for a general email server, it is possible to do so for a specific email server setup. Some goals of the setup:

  • Support sending/receiving from (at least) one email address.
  • DNS automatically updates via API calls (ideally supporting dynamic IP addresses).
  • Runs on multiple computers for redundancy without manual intervention if one goes down.
  • Allow two people to operate (secondarily) as backup email servers for each other.

Licensing Note

NonCommercial licenses are not free. Unlike the rest of this wiki, this page shall remain CC-BY 4.0.