An important distinction is slowly being uncovered about the definition of the term "fediverse." Who is it that gets to decide what this place is? How are we being represented? These are not easy questions to answer and if we don't do a better job describing ourselves, then the job will get done for us by people who don't understand the underlying values we hold. #fediverse#meta#threads
@evan@Gargron seems @chrismessina was the first to discover it many months ago in the resources of the Android app quite awhile ago. I would assume we could just ask some of the Threads devs for more information, maybe @jessel or @wongmjane would be willing to share any information about where this icon comes from?
It was first uploaded, AFAIK, in Wiki Commons by Eukobos (I think it's Eudaimon too), dedicated to the #PublicDomain through #CC0#CCzero.
It was June 2018.
No one submitted other proposals so it became the accepted logo of the #Fediverse. Variations from other users based on the same logo also came out later.
@evan@Gargron@chrismessina oh it was designed by @eudaimon and another person who I don't have written in my notes. I bet @youronlyone probably has both designers written in their SNS history timeline
@liaizon Personally, and the way the term was used, since it was first coined, was any software with #OStatus support (later #ActivityPub).
When there were discussions of having a new name, I ran suggestion threads and polls about it, and one suggestion/choice was mycelial, mycelium. I like it so I started using it myself.
By definition: * A mycelium is a single network. * A mycelial is a collection of various mycelium.
Adopting it to #SocialWeb: * The "Fediverse" is one mycelium network.o, based on ActivityPub * "The Federation" / #diaspora* is another mycelium network. * #Matrix is a mycelium network. * #ATproto is another mycelium network. * #XMPP / #Jabber is a mycelium network.
Together, they are called Mycelial Web. A collection of "decentralised, distributed, federated, and open, network". A subset of the Social Web.
A "sister", if you will, of the Mycelial Web is IRC and e-mail, as examples.
So: I. Web A. Social Web 1. IRC 2. E-mail 3. Mycelial Web * Fediverse/ActivityPub * ATproto * diaspora * Matrix * XMPP
@stefan I appreciate your attempt at trying to reach some understanding. The Wikipedia page is probably the worst contender for describing the fediverse at the moment. I think its something we really really have to tackle soon.
I thought fediverse was short for federated server multiverse or some such. I can't remember exactly. Not sure if the symbol is copyrighted or trademarked. If it is, then somebody has to give permission for corporate owned servers to use it.
By definition, ActivityPub is a protocol to add interoperability, in a social network way, to disconnected platforms. So, as long as they federate using AP, then it's fine. Consider the non-accessible content as "private".
There are #fediverse software with a "This instance/server only" feature. I think every fork of Mastodon software have that feature, only the mainline Mastodon doesn't have it. Other Fediverse software like Hubzilla, Friendica, the Misskey forks, the Pleroma forks, I think even Pixelfed, all have it.
Think of Threads content not viewable as "This instance only" type of post.
If it is wrong for Threads to do that, then one could argue that it is also wrong for other Fediverse software and forks to have an instance-only privacy feature.
For me, that's fine. As long as they federate. Maybe a third or two of their userbase will turn the feature on. That's good enough. 😉
That's great! I guess the question still remains, though, if bad actors like Meta are hiding material they don't want to see, using algorithms and all that stuff that is the exact opposite of what the fediverse is supposed to be, who can call that out?
@drq@eudaimon@evan@Gargron@chrismessina super interesting to hear some backstory! do you happen to have a link to your original version? just to keep in the vault of history
@liaizon Funny enough, it was a multiple invention.
We, I and @eudaimon, independently, without knowing about each other at all, made the same logo. Mine had different chirality though, and had couple of other details like UN-esque laurel wreath (because we're federation :).
After we showed each other our results, we agreed that his version is simpler and more concise, and it will kinda be attributed to both of us.
@liaizon A lot of people think that the pentacle was chosen because of its occult or satanic connotations. And while it would be in Fediverse's rebellious spirit, this was not the case.
My idea was to illustrate the structure of the network. There must be multiple nodes (multiple servers). There must be nothing in the middle (no center). The connections can cross each other, but must never follow the same path twice. No connection must be on top of each other.
It can't be done with two nodes, because it's just a line and in the middle of the line, there's line. It can be done with triangle, but it's boring. It can not be done with four nodes, because their connection cross in the middle.
So, five nodes it is. Thus, a pentacle.
Also, a pentacle is a classic symbol for a star. And I always wanted to associate the Fediverse with the stars and space in public consciousness.
What's plural of "a fedi node"? "a constellation".
@shekinahcancook That's correct. However, in their instance, they don't want any mention of “Pixelfed”, so there's that. It is no different from all other non-Threads servers/instances where they “fediblock” certain keywords (and accounts) without checking the context.
It still comes down to, “their instance/server, their rules”. As long as they federate, that's good. Any filters or “fediblock” they add for their instance, that's their rules. Just like any other fediverse instance are doing already before Threads came.
Don't get me wrong, I am not defending Threads or Meta. ^_^
I guess I'm not techie enough, but if they're censoring posts about, say, pixelfed, that I posted, but let my cat videos through, it would seem I didn't intend the pixelfed post to be local only. What am I missing here?