Re: [Social-discuss] What should GNU social be?

[Simon Fondire-Teitler]

On Thu, 4 Mar 2010 13:38:31 -0600, Ryan Prior <address@hidden> wrote:
> Hey Matt,
> 
> I agree with you totally on your second point, but I think that we do
> need to create a straight-up replacement for existing social networks.
> 
> The #1 thing that I want to bring out of GNU Social is a response to
> the question "What else should I use?". If I see somebody frustrated
> with Facebook and have a conversation about how it's harmful to trust
> all your social data to a closed network, that conversation can only
> go so far: whereas I can suggest to a disgruntled Windows or Mac user
> that GNU offers a great alternative, I have no such offering for the
> unhappy Facebook/Twitter/Myspace/LinkedIn user.
> 
[...]
> 
> We can take the same tack with GNU Social: first we create a
> first-rate social networking site (called daisycha.in, for example),
> then help others to build their own. Because creation of a "protocol
> for decentralized, encrypted communication between social networks" is
> still a core goal, the new extensions will cooperate along with
> daisycha.in and the value of the whole network will grow.
> 


You might want to take a look at http://crabgrass.riseup.net/ . It is up
and running at https://we.riseup.net/ . It is an AGPL social networking
created primarily for activists. While this might not be quite what you
had in mind, I believe it is worth taking a look. 

(Full disclosure: I am doing an internship at riseup.net, the creators.)

--simonft