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Andrew (bookseller era)

So, in all likelihood, I'll post a gemlog about the new influx of users to mastodon and make a mastodon thread about gemini.

31 comments
Andrew (bookseller era)

Basically, though, gemini needs it's geocities moment.

Andrew (bookseller era)

@edclayand it ain't up yet. I gotta fix the server first.

Vertigo #$FF

@ajroach42 I've been tempted to write a Gemini client for my silly ROSE environment. It seems like the sort of app that it's well suited for.

Travis Briggs

@ajroach42 I saw someone describe Mastodon as people who are more interested in writing microblogging software than actually microblogging. While I don't think that's true, I definitely get those vibes from Gemini. Everybody wants to write a Gemini client/server but no one wants to write Gemini content. Kudos for putting your article in the actual medium!

Andrew (bookseller era)

@audiodude Yeah, that's not really how Mastodon feels, but I do get some of those vibes from gemini.

Andrew (bookseller era)

Let me break a little further in to this.

For me, a (excuse the arrogance, but I think I've earned it) very technical person, setting up a gemini server is a breeze.

Sacrifice $2, waste ten minutes typing incantations, put the files where they go. Gemini server on the net.

I've done it three or four times now, and I've never really gotten a set up that I'm happy with, but it works.

(Now, as I say this, I am actively fighting with the config of one of my servers, but I'm trying to do several Complicated things that most reasonable people would not do.)

Let me break a little further in to this.

For me, a (excuse the arrogance, but I think I've earned it) very technical person, setting up a gemini server is a breeze.

Sacrifice $2, waste ten minutes typing incantations, put the files where they go. Gemini server on the net.

I've done it three or four times now, and I've never really gotten a set up that I'm happy with, but it works.

tomasino

@ajroach42 oh where's that old gemlog of mine....

ahh, here we go, from about a year ago -
gemini://tilde.team/~tomasino/

Andrew (bookseller era)

I tried to walk a friend through setting up a gemini server the other day, and that went really badly.

Like, explaining the fedi to new folks is tricky, you know? Explaining Geminispace to someone who doesn't make a distinction between the Web and the Internet is ... getting them to understand why or what gemini is... that's hard.

Andrew (bookseller era)

When I say "geocities moment" I don't mean "Easy" exactly.

Geocities was compelling. It was exciting to use. It made you feel like a part of a community.

I understand what I want out of gemini, but I don't want that in isolation.

I want to find and/or build the things that make gemini compelling for other people to use.

🏳️‍⚧ Frankitopia 🏳️‍⚧

@ajroach42 I feel like an integration with a tilde would help here. but again idk, when I was bigger into tildes they all seemed to blur into varying degrees of "computer programming on a shared computer programming server" which I think is too close to "using the protocol to write about using the protocol"

Andrew (bookseller era)

@68km

Yeah! When I was a regular on a tilde, it was a great place for lots of little small web services and gopherholes.

There is a fair amount of that kind of meta meta sometimes, but I usually enjoy myself.

Andrew (bookseller era)

So I'm working on a few things. Maybe I'll about them more tomorrow.

Ethan 🌒

@ajroach42 does gemini potentially have utility for avoiding corporate-governmental censorship and surveillance?

Andrew (bookseller era)

@Ethancdavenport Lots of utility for avoiding corporate surveillance, not so much government.

HRH ginsterbusch

@ajroach42 Geocities also was one of the most horrid spam / website collection ever. Having a site there meant to have to endure having a well-done site basically littered with awful blinking gif animated, HUGE banner ads .. EVERYWHERE. not to mention being the training grounds for popup blockers. xD

HRH ginsterbusch

@ajroach42 it is simply addendum to the "using geocities as glorious example for anything", which has become a "trendy thing nowadays. We cannot
comprehend what a "geocities moment" (expect pure horror ) may be. Except maybe if we have lived in parallel dimensions, where geocities was something entirely different.

Andrew (bookseller era)

@ginsterbusch I was there, I remember what it was like. I believe it was a net good, and I'd rather not fight about it.

mhd

@ajroach42 I think in the Geocities context, the last sentence really hits this, I think that "GeminiCities" would need a few good "selling points".

For original GeoCities I think that was mostly three items:

Being able to express your opinion and/or fandom(s).

Able to do that in a very unique graphical, extroverted manner.

Connecting with people doing the same.

Obviously the 2nd one won't fly in Gemini. (And apparently is a lost art, as even "creative outlets" afterwards, like Tumblr or TikTok are increasingly constrained)

So, different criteria or more focus on the other ones? With the current popularity of Gemlogs, it seems Livejournal would be the closer "old web analogue".

@ajroach42 I think in the Geocities context, the last sentence really hits this, I think that "GeminiCities" would need a few good "selling points".

For original GeoCities I think that was mostly three items:

Being able to express your opinion and/or fandom(s).

Able to do that in a very unique graphical, extroverted manner.

Andrew (bookseller era)

Alright. I'm back on this bullshit today.

What's your favorite gemini server? I've been using gmnisrv, and it's fine! But I'm open to other suggestions.

Andrew (bookseller era)

Basically, I'm going to build a Limited Tilde or a GeminiBBS for myself and maybe two or three other folks. If it works well, we'll harden it, open source it, and open sign-ups.

kelbot ◖⎚∠⎚◗

@ajroach42 I'm still using gmnisrv because I just can't be bothered to spend time on changing it since it works fine. There are some that have CGI though if you want to do fancier stuff than I do.

[dan]

@ajroach42 yeah I read something that tried to explain Gemini the other day because someone mentioned it on here and uh ..I did not understand by the end of said thing I read. I'd like to though!

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