Notices by contrapunctus ✊🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ (contrapunctus@en.osm.town), page 2

@rysiek @kkarhan @agturcz An awful lot of people say they've used #XMPP "a while back". But they're often unaware of the best of XMPP, and have an unfairly negative view of it.

Did you happen to try...

...#Snikket for hosting?
https://snikket.org

...apps like #Quicksy and #Prav which use phone numbers for easy onboarding, same as #Signal #WhatsApp or #Telegram?
https://quicksy.im
https://prav.app

...featureful clients like #Cheogram #MonoclesChat #Gajim #Movim etc?

@aral This reminds me that there's actually an awful lot of criticism of capitalism. But hardly any discussions or pushes for _replacements_ to capitalism.

I see only one possible alternative - anarcho-communism - but I also know I'm in the minority. And that's why I think the discussion of replacements is avoided - it seems there is no consensus on alternatives.

So criticism of capitalism is everywhere, and calls for replacements are nowhere to be found.

@mdhughes @screwtape @stokesauce@toobnix.org @stokesauce@mastodon.sdf.org I'm not sure whether it's in a usable state, but here's a library I wrote for CLIM applications that you may find useful.
https://codeberg.org/contrapunctus/interact

Latest crowdfunded changeset in #Mumbai #India. Took me close to an hour.

> Lokhandwala - add 22 POIs, 3 street lamps, 2 manholes, 2 building parts, apartment complex; improve building geometries
https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/160558164

https://osmlab.github.io/changeset-map/#160558164

#OpenStreetMap

#huskyapp claims to have "Markdown support with WYSIWYG editor", but I don't see anything of the sort when using my #Akkoma account (fe.disroot.org)...nor does it appear with my #Mastodon account (but Mastodon doesn't support Markdown, right?)

#FediHelp

(Husky v1.6.1 from F-Droid.)

Here's my first changeset for this project. Took about 50 minutes.

> Dalia Industrial Estate - add 9 amenities, 6 shops, 2 craft, leisure, 6 buildings, 19 building parts, 9 building details, 4 commercial landuse, residential landuse

https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/159912844

https://osmlab.github.io/changeset-map/#159912844

Next set of changesets!

> Chembur - add restaurant
https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/159921462

https://osmlab.github.io/changeset-map/#159921462

> Lokhandvala - add sports centre, building details, 2 building parts, swimming pool, 2 pitches, service road, gate
https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/160001557

https://osmlab.github.io/changeset-map/#160001557

> Lokhandvala - add 2 sidewalks, 2 crossings, 2 manholes, 2 fast food, shop, bank, street name, building details, 4 buildings; convert 2 building nodes to areas
https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/160002155

https://osmlab.github.io/changeset-map/#160002155

The latest crowdfunded changeset in #Mumbai #India. Took me about 2.5 hours.

> Lokhandwala - add 47 POIs, building details, 5 building parts, 5 entrances, 3 manholes, 2 poles; improve 2 building geometries
https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/160160994

https://osmlab.github.io/changeset-map/#160160994

#OpenStreetMap

Latest crowdfunded changeset in #Mumbai #India. Took me roughly 2.5 hours (again).

> Lokhandwala - add 30 POIs (27 shops, 2 amenities, office), 2 buildings, 8 building parts, 4 entrances, 3 apartment complexes, manhole, 6 street lamps; improve 4 building geometries
https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/160290609

https://osmlab.github.io/changeset-map/#160290609

#OpenStreetMap

@serge @kolev Re: onboarding people to XMPP - I don't ask them to "use XMPP", I ask them to "install Quicksy". That removes the server selection step, and gives them easy contact discovery and password recovery. They can use their Quicksy account with other clients later.

That's as convenient as Signal, while still being federated.

(I should add this to that section of the guide, I guess.)

@kolev I'm not familiar with your exact setting, but I've written some broad points on the subject based on my experience in onboarding people.
https://contrapunctus.codeberg.page/the-quick-and-easy-guide-to-xmpp.html#onboarding-and-advocacy

It's critical to prevent #Bluesky from becoming the next #Twitter, and the time to prevent it is right-freaking-now.

It's important to not let it get as bad as #Telegram / #Matrix / #Discord / #SignalApp vs #XMPP. Or #GitHub vs #Forgejo. Trying to fix things at that stage is far more difficult.

5/

@realcaseyrollins Twitter was centralized, which allowed a change in ownership to affect the whole platform, to spread misinformation and hate across the world, and to engage in election interference.

Bluesky seems to be "centralized with extra steps". If we allow it to become as dominant as Twitter used to be, we will get a new centralized and corporate-controlled social media, which we can all very much do without.

I highly recommend reading -
https://pluralistic.net/2024/11/02/ulysses-pact/

@realcaseyrollins And even back then, people tried to warn others about centralized and proprietary platforms, and pushed for alternatives. The takeover of Twitter is merely one example - Facebook is no better at controlling disinformation and hateful content. People die IRL on a regular basis as a consequence.

The heart of the matter is that centralized platforms are harmful and should not be the world's dominant mode of communication.

You try onboarding people to a better platform. But nobody has space on their phone for a freedom-respecting platform, because all the space is taken up by "necessary" abusive platforms.

The same goes for _mind_ space. They may install your app. But they never post, never read, never interact - because all their time and mental capacity has been taken up by the other platforms. And then, one day, they uninstall it.

2/

Communities can choose freedom-respecting platforms, thereby forcing a significant number of people to use it.

But most communities are too cowardly to do that. Just try getting free software projects off GitHub, or try moving Telegram/Discord communities to XMPP. See how much pushback you get.

3/

The solution is the same as ever -

1. Onboard people to free platforms like #XMPP and the #Fediverse

2. Increase the value you create (e.g. posts, replies, interactions, etc) on free platforms, and decrease it on abusive platforms.

3. Get others to do the same.

4/

The #Fediverse may end up suffering from what #XMPP is going through.

Better-funded (but enshittification-prone) platforms (like #WhatsApp, #Telegram, #Discord, #Matrix, and #Bluesky) can swoop in, provide better marketing and more features. A critical mass of people moves there.

Suddenly, you're socially pressured into using them. They become a necessity to find work, to organize communities, to buy and sell stuff, to apply for government programs...hell, to even book Metro tickets.

1/

Today, I invite you to the crazy place that is the XMPP Railway Yard!

This #Jabber / #XMPP channel has a wide variety of people from all over the world, from #train geeks to #FuckCars fanatics to everyday folks who just think trains are cool.

https://xmpp.link/#trains@conference.jabjab.de?join

(Warning - brain damage!)

As before, if you're new to XMPP, this guide has everything you need to get started.
https://contrapunctus.codeberg.page/the-quick-and-easy-guide-to-xmpp.html

#BoostsAppreciated #choochoo #railfan #trains #railways

I'm trying to #crowdfund ₹20k (~€224 or ~$237) by the 20th of December, to add
~350 POIs (shop, restaurants, healthcare, etc)
~150 building levels,
shop phone numbers,
shop addresses,
named commercial and apartment areas,
and much more to #OpenStreetMap in the city of #Mumbai, #India.

To learn more and to contribute, visit -
https://contrapunctus.codeberg.page/projects/osm-mumbai-2024.html

(I've been an OSM contributor since 2016, and this is my latest attempt at turning it into a full-time job.)

#BoostsWelcome