Login

Recent searches

No recent searches

Search options

Only available when logged in.
fosstodon.org is one of the many independent Mastodon servers you can use to participate in the fediverse.
Fosstodon is an invite only Mastodon instance that is open to those who are interested in technology; particularly free & open source software. If you wish to join, contact us for an invite.

Administered by:

Server stats:

10K
active users

fosstodon.org: AboutStatusProfiles directoryPrivacy policy

Mastodon: AboutGet the appKeyboard shortcutsView source codev4.3.6

#openweb

32 posts21 participants4 posts today
Public
Hamish Campbell

Composting the mess

We do need to share a sharp critique, that funding structures shape (and often stall) #openweb development. The argument is that #NGO funding models divert energy away from real grassroots alternatives, pushing projects into bureaucratic traps rather than fostering a thriving #DIY culture. With, paranoid individualism which stems from #stupidindividualism, a byproduct of the #deathcult’s mainstream influence. NGO funding traps devour alternatives, replacing them with sanitized, […]

hamishcampbell.com/composting-

#deathcult#diy#ngo
Public
hamish campbell

The indieweb is strongly individualism, where the Fediverse is more community based, though says it’s individualism to get #mainstreaming outreach (white lie).

indieweb is a good fit for capitalism
Fediverse is (as of now) a bad fit for capitalism

So it depends on your (mostly unspoken) view on politics. In this they use overlapping tech but for different use, they are both #openweb native.

Public
witchescauldron

A part of this might be that it’s interesting to see that the right-wing are picking up the real problems and mess on the left and then using it to forward their own ideological agenda. The need for #netiquette to mediate hostility on the #openweb hamishcampbell.com/the-need-fo

hamishcampbell.comThe need for #netiquette to mediate hostility on the #openweb – Hamish Campbell
More from Hamish Campbell
Public
witchescauldron

The issue with #FOSS tech development

The failure of many #FOSS projects is a failure to move from theory to practice. The issue is that developers work in isolation, disconnected from grassroots needs, and get lost in perfectionism rather than delivering functional prototypes.

The #geekproblem dominates, many coders prioritize control, abstract debates, or self-contained experiments over practical, usable tools for real-world communities. This is why projects stall: they are not built with activists in mind. Meanwhile, centralized platforms continue to consolidate power, because they offer simple, accessible, and functional solutions, despite their deep flaws.

To break this cycle, we need:
* Practical iteration—build rough, working solutions rather than endless theorizing.
* #4opens culture—embrace open process, standards, and real collaboration.
* Bridging solutions—tech that activists can actually use, not just developer-driven experiments.
* Funding models beyond #NGO traps—so projects remain independent and sustainable.

The fight for the #openweb is not only about resisting #dotcons but creating alternatives people can and will use. Can we move beyond abstraction and actually make history?

Public
witchescauldron

Development - Next Steps for #OGB

The #OGB (Open Governance Body) is a native #openweb project to enable decentralized, transparent governance for grassroots media and activist networks. However, like many open projects, it faces significant development roadblocks.

Currently, the challenge is moving beyond theory into implementation. The stalled dev work at unite.openworlds.info highlights the common issue: lack of dedicated developer focus. The problem isn’t just writing code; it’s building a bridge between activist needs and functional, people-friendly tools. The #geekproblem looms large, developers work in isolation, disconnected from real-world social movements, or they get caught in perfectionism instead of delivering working prototypes.

What #OGB needs is practical iteration: a rough, working proof of concept, rather than endlessly debating the ideal model. The project requires coders willing to work openly, embracing the #4opens (open source, open standards, open process, open data). The biggest blocker? A culture that prioritizes control over collaboration.

Open Media NetworkOpen Media NetworkOrganisation for and example of "rebooting" Independent Media Centre's
Public
witchescauldron

The development side of #MakingHistory

Building radical alternatives is not just about ideas—it’s about infrastructure. The #makeinghistory project is grounded in the messy, often frustrating work of creating tools that actually function for real communities. We’ve spent decades watching #dotcons centralize power while open projects stumble due to lack of focus, infighting, or simply being too obscure for everyday use.

#Makinghistory means stepping outside the cycle of dead-end open-source projects that never reach real people. We need bridging solutions, funding models outside the #NGO trap, and devs who understand grassroots needs. It’s not about innovation for its own sake, it’s about making the #openweb function better as a lived alternative.

This is where the real fight is. Not in reaction, not in abstraction, but in building tools people can and will use.

Public
witchescauldron

The development of #IndymediaBack

The reboot of #Indymedia (#IndymediaBack) is about reclaiming grassroots, open, and radical media infrastructure outside of the control of corporate platforms and #dotcons. However, the development side has stalled due to the same issues that have stalled other #openweb projects, lack of sustained coder engagement, resistance in centralized funding, and the dominance of closed silos.

The challenge is building tech that works for activists, not just developers. The original Indymedia relied on early open-source tools. This means moving beyond tech-fetishist projects that scratch a developer’s itch while ignoring real-world community.

A trust-based federated publishing network is the goal. The #OMN (Open Media Network) framework already outlines how to create syndicated media flows using #4opens. The stalled dev site at unite.openworlds.info needs committed developers who care about media as a movement, not just a tech experiment.

Without serious investment in #DIY, people-friendly, open-source alternatives, activists will remain trapped inside the #mainstreaming of social media platforms. The question is: can we finally push through the #geekproblem and make this happen?

Open Media NetworkOpen Media NetworkOrganisation for and example of "rebooting" Independent Media Centre's
Public
Hamish Campbell

What software do activists need?

The core problem for the last 20 years has been that most activists were locked into #dotcons (corporate social media silos) because open alternatives were either too difficult to use, lack network effects, or fail to meet their practical needs. With the current reboot of the #openweb with the #fedivers based on #ActivityPub has already taken a step away from this mess. Here’s what’s needed from a software development perspective to break out of this mess. Open & accessible publishing […]

hamishcampbell.com/what-softwa

hamishcampbell.comWhat software do activists need? – Hamish Campbell
More from Hamish Campbell
#activitypub#dotcons#fedivers
Public
Ecologia Digital

"No real commitment from “allies”, the move to the #openweb was ignored by the #mainstreaming left who stay on the #dotcons…The liberal crowd loves theory, but often won’t do the hard work of actually shifting paradigms, this leaves in place structural hostility to #DIYCulture, PEOPLE ARE SO TRAINED TO CONSUME RATHER THAN CREATE & MAINTAIN that even the “alternative” spaces get stuck replicating the same individualist consumption patterns."
From: @eliasulrich
hachyderm.io/@eliasulrich/1142

Hachyderm.ioXamanismo Coletivo (@eliasulrich@hachyderm.io)"The #Mastodon codebase is an example here, it was designed by copying the #dotcons, so the fundamental social architecture reinforces #stupidindividualism rather than community building. Instead of nurturing federated, collective spaces, it encourages a kind of fragmented, isolated posting, which is why it struggles to grow meaningful movements. No real commitment from “allies”, the move to the #openweb was ignored by the #mainstreaming left who stay on the #dotcons even though they are evil. The liberal crowd loves theory, but often won’t do the hard, unglamorous work of actually shifting paradigms, this leaves in place structural hostility to #DIY Culture, PEOPLE ARE SO TRAINED TO CONSUME RATHER THAN CREATE AND MAINTAIN that even the “alternative” spaces get stuck replicating the same individualist consumption patterns." @hamishcampbell@mastodon.social https://hamishcampbell.com/maybe-its-time-to-stop-trying-to-fix-broken-tools-to-build-with-a-truly-native-approach/
Public
Hamish Campbell

The #mainstreaming mess

The #mainstreaming project is visibly failing. Worse, it is set to catastrophically fail over the next 30 years as #climatechaos escalates. The signs are everywhere: environmental collapse, political instability, and the hollow nature of mainstream culture. Yet, large parts of liberal society continue to bow to the #deathcult, a path of power, greed, and control over life, community, and sustainability. The end result we can now clearly see is the rule of big, dumb, ugly men with guns, a […]

hamishcampbell.com/the-mainstr

#climatechaos#deathcult#dotcons
Replied to hamish campbell
Public
Xamanismo Coletivo

"The #Mastodon codebase is an example here, it was designed by copying the #dotcons, so the fundamental social architecture reinforces #stupidindividualism rather than community building. Instead of nurturing federated, collective spaces, it encourages a kind of fragmented, isolated posting, which is why it struggles to grow meaningful movements.

No real commitment from “allies”, the move to the #openweb was ignored by the #mainstreaming left who stay on the #dotcons even though they are evil. The liberal crowd loves theory, but often won’t do the hard, unglamorous work of actually shifting paradigms, this leaves in place structural hostility to #DIY Culture, PEOPLE ARE SO TRAINED TO CONSUME RATHER THAN CREATE AND MAINTAIN that even the “alternative” spaces get stuck replicating the same individualist consumption patterns."

@hamishcampbell

hamishcampbell.com/maybe-its-t

hamishcampbell.comMaybe it’s time to stop trying to fix broken tools, to build with a truly native approach? – Hamish Campbell
More from Hamish Campbell
Public
Hamish Campbell

Support Needed to Keep this Site Online

If you’ve been finding https://hamishcampbell.com useful, here’s a heads-up, the site is struggling under increasing load, thanks to growing #ActivityPub readership. That’s a good problem to have, but it means I need to upgrade the server and do some tech work to keep things running smoothly. If you have any spare dosh (cash), please consider chipping in to help cover the costs. Every bit helps! You can donate here: […]

hamishcampbell.com/support-nee

hamishcampbell.comCommunity support needed to keep this site online – Hamish Campbell
More from Hamish Campbell
#activitypub#openweb
ExploreLive feeds
About