Zach DeC👌🆗 @zachdecook@librem.one

I just published my first project on sourcehut - https://sr.ht/~philipwhite/webpad/.

My goal is for it to be "notepad.exe for the internet". Not that I necessarily want it to get hugely popular. I just want something extremely simple that provides some of the benefits that Google Docs provides without all the downsides and bloat that comes with Google Docs.

The server is written in Haskell, which may cut down the audience of who would contribute, but please don't be shy. I would enjoy if more than just me were interested in the project.

@nebunez I have to do taxes tomorrow

@sir Then tomorrow will be a better one.

Today is a bad day

"When I picture it in my head I think of the early web as more of a library. Over time it has transitioned into a shopping mall." - chris_f (via HN)

Here's how it works on sourcehut:

You pay us the subscription fee of your choice and you get access to our services. We spend it on maintaining and upgrading the hardware, and paying for staff to handle development, operations, support, and on-call.

Because we don't take money from investors, we're only accountable to users, and if we aren't working in your interests, we lose our revenue. We are incentivized to work for you, not to generate a return.

Because we're running 100% free software, we're held accountable because anyone can take our shit and run it on their own servers, or even bootstrap a competing company using our own software. We've made it easy to run out out of business if we lose your trust.

*Federation* is the true value behind ActivityPub, and you can get that without it

https://drewdevault.com/editing

Help wanted

If you do any sort of programming and haven't already watched Jonathan Blow's wonderful talk, watch it now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW-SOdj4Kkk

The PeerTube content bootstrap fund:

https://sourcehut.org/blog/2020-05-15-peertube-bootstrap-fund/

Please boost!

https://www.crowdsupply.com/mnt/reform

@sir

> Beware the Keybase formula:
1. Integrates with an existing, open ecosystem
2. May have open-source clients, but server is closed source and does not federate
3. Pretty UI and good marketing
4. VC funded

Agreed. And I'd pay *particular* attention to #4.

With a normal company, you have to ask "can the current business model make money?" If not, it will change.

With a VC-backed company, you have to ask "can the current business model make 10× returns?" If not, it will change.

@sir
"We need to rewrite everything with the benefit of hindsight."
-You, probably

@zachdecook not just with hindsight but with discipline