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1. Embed this notice
   Annalee Newitz 🍜 (annaleen@wandering.shop)'s status on Sunday, 14-May-2023 17:22:41 JST Annalee Newitz 🍜

   Here is my article about #Mastodon, the #Fediverse, and federalism for The Atlantic. I did NOT write the headline, which suggests the article is about Ben Franklin (never mentioned in the article) and Bluesky (mentioned a couple of times). LOL but I'm still really excited for you to read this!!! https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/05/social-media-centralism-fediverse/674041/

   • Embed this notice
     Strypey (strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz)'s status on Monday, 15-May-2023 08:26:34 JST Strypey

     in reply to

     • Roy Brander

     @RoyBrander
     > I just don't see a risk of Wikipedia becoming "enshittified" for money or politics, but - they can make payroll for 700 and keep running indefinitely

     There's a trade-off here. The WP loses resilience in some ways by being centralized, but it's easier for them to attract and manage donations. The fediverse is more resilient as a platform - it will never all go down at once - but each component part has to struggle for funding independently.

     @annaleen

   • Embed this notice
     Roy Brander (roybrander@urbanists.social)'s status on Monday, 15-May-2023 08:26:35 JST Roy Brander

     in reply to

     @annaleen

     Right, it is, it's a charity, so it has that thing that 'ensnared the early web: Money'. They have $155M a year coming in, though they are also, (I think) angry-billionaire proof. I just don't see a risk of Wikipedia becoming "enshittified" for money or politics, but - they can make payroll for 700 and keep running indefinitely.

   • Embed this notice
     Annalee Newitz 🍜 (annaleen@wandering.shop)'s status on Monday, 15-May-2023 08:26:36 JST Annalee Newitz 🍜

     in reply to

     • Roy Brander

     @RoyBrander wikipedia is a large nonprofit and does fundraisers every year. that is a financial model.

   • Embed this notice
     Roy Brander (roybrander@urbanists.social)'s status on Monday, 15-May-2023 08:26:37 JST Roy Brander

     in reply to

     @annaleen

     Any mention of "money" as in "not sure this free thing will last, in the presence of Money"... all such comments should note the Wikipedia, and its amazing success.

   • Embed this notice
     Strypey (strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz)'s status on Monday, 15-May-2023 11:31:47 JST Strypey

     in reply to

     • Roy Brander

     @RoyBrander
     > Much of the Fediverse may need only that - a little guilt-tripping with posts from your server admins

     I've yet to see a server shut down for lack of donations to cover upstream costs. Usually it's a lack of sysadmin or mod volunteers. More money may help with this but doesn't always. Then there's all the software dev and standards work, which is covered by a combo of voluntarism and funding grants. Again, more money may help with this but doesn't always.

     @annaleen

   • Embed this notice
     Roy Brander (roybrander@urbanists.social)'s status on Monday, 15-May-2023 11:31:49 JST Roy Brander

     in reply to

     • Strypey

     @strypey @annaleen

     Thank-you both. So, Wikimedia and a fistful of Linux-related projects all manage with charity, basically. There will be a cost-level where donated labour and mere charity are sufficient funding.

     Much of the Fediverse may need only that - a little guilt-tripping with posts from your server admins that resemble Wale's pleas on the wikipedia main page.

     Then there's the PBS model - corporate sponsorship for a modest acknowledgement, i.e. minimally-annoying ad.

   • Embed this notice
     Strypey (strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz)'s status on Monday, 15-May-2023 11:34:03 JST Strypey

     in reply to

     • Roy Brander

     @RoyBrander
     A Fedi Foundation has been floated, either as a standalone charity or under the umbrella of an existing Free Code charity like FSF or SFC. The politics of this would involve extreme cat-herding.

     (2/2)

     @annaleen