I've been fucking around with aether

[Sloth]

It is vulnerable to that. Also being block chain based and P2P will make it very slow, especially as content is added on a scale voat uses. I also dislike standalone client and the promote mod system (hmm where have I seen THAT abused before?).

A feature of Aether is that it is ephemeral. That means discussions become invisible after 6 months, like the spoken word disappears into the air. Another reason for this feature is that it keeps the network on the blockchain working speedily.

[Sloth]

Hmmm... This is sad. We really need a decentralized EASY TO USE alternative. I don't see why this is so hard to set up.

Aether is easy to use. Just download it and install. It is mostly intuitive, though a few things ought to be better located, like being able to see the nsfw groups. Once it is going it mostly looks after itself.

[PeaceSeeker]

Wouldn't there be more Voat users on notabug than aether?

[mikenigger]

But I'm feeling it, and from what I understand - can't be taken down

It probably has the same problem as every P2P network. It needs bootstrap servers to get an initial list of peers. You can take down the whole network by deactivating those bootstrap servers.

Could also ship with a TOR client for bootstrapping

[groundcontrol]

The problem with Aether is you cannot post links to redpill people because it requires an install.

I think the ability to post direct content links has to be one of the goals of the platform, otherwise you will have a really hard time to get new people to visit or use the shock effect for redpilling.

For Voat you just supplied a link to a quality discussion on WWII or cultural subversion, and now you have a new user. Can't do that with Aether.

Telegram has the same problem. They have tried to solve it with a "preview" web-based interface where you can take a peek at the channel contents in the browser before installing the app. It helps a bit, but the barrier is still higher than a straight browser-based solution.

I suppose Aether could also implement something similar. I think it's a requirement, because otherwise we will just be talking to ourselves, and have much less chance to influence outsiders.

[redtoe_skipper]

guys - I just spent some time looking into alternatives - we're done for.

Only in your mind.

Think lateral.

[Sloth]

But I'm feeling it, and from what I understand - can't be taken down

It probably has the same problem as every P2P network. It needs bootstrap servers to get an initial list of peers. You can take down the whole network by deactivating those bootstrap servers.

Aether does not require a bootstrap server. The maintainer does run a "server of last resort", in the very unlikely event of there being no other Aether nodes running from which to connect to the network. This "last resort server" isn't necessary though, it is just a convenience.

[Sloth]

It's decentralised, which is very good

Not mobile friendly - bad
Tricky to use at first - meh
Bit slow as is P2p - meh

But I'm feeling it, and from what I understand - can't be taken down

* Mobile - The developer has had a mobile version as a top priority for a long while now. He wants it for himself, as much as everybody else.
* Usability - Trickiness might be because Aether is locked down for your security. Go into settings, enable NSFW communities (everything by default is NSFW). Also, subscribe to the communities, or you won't see any content. Here are some communities to get you going.
* Time - Aether was designed to protect your attention (unlike some apps which wrench you out of your flow every moment). The community on Aether is more ponderous and thoughtful and less chatty than many places. If you post something, leave your client running, as it will help feed the network your content. Also, you may not have properly configured Aether to get through your firewall. Look in settings for info on this. If you haven't sorted it properly, it will take longer.

/b/Sandbox (practice): aether://board/eb5a77bd296488235a94f426974cb9fdb70ba4c2ee52a5b9b2b8256cdd3b9658
/b/Voat (start here and be welcomed: aether://board/f2c944108971c509c3718a43e8bc77d95d3591746241b6a490e537f00122d98d
/b/Vaccines (lots of info about the jab): aether://board/25b8bc1be03eff326d0a4b0c52fb29c8bf375bec1aeba5801bb423977e237268
/b/Politics (as you might expect): aether://board/a570802f2c5f35dff6b47c2a5db8bb2eea65d1994ad18f038ac6c6599d8a6533
/b/LookAtMyNewSub (People introduce new communities): aether://board/667806410ea32ab43aa8a5980247151bb0de5ee4dc585607b7e94ee5621034af