Also: Mastodon has been more successful than previous implementations of OStatus because it has features people actually want instead of relying purely on the expectation that users will choose open-source for its own sake. How shocking!
I've seen people get frustrated that Mastodon is "winning" even though it's buggy, breaks OStatus (allegedly), and has missing features.
Worse is better. "Bad" software that addresses user needs will always win over "good" software that doesn't.
@brunodias Mathematicians going into cryptography hit the same stumbling block:
"I have designed a provably secure cryptosystem."
" I have broken your system."
"Ah yes, but you didn't play by the rules."
@tomharris "This system is unbeatable (given perfectly cautious users)"
@brunodias I was a mathematician, so these are basically my default thought patterns, so I spend a lot of time trying to recognise and avoid them now.
Working in publishing helps break the maths mind.
"Where did these numbers come from?"
"I made them up."
"Oh, okay."
@tomharris I mean if you think about it that's where *all* numbers come from
@brunodias seems many otherwise techaware folk never worked in "all round" sysadmin / #devops #ITManagement roles in a *non tech* company - where endusers are aged 20-70+, not all speak English as 1st language, and interlinked ICT systems must run reliably as possible 24/7 & are safetycritical (healthcare). I encounter many* things that are suboptimal & make me curse, but my job is to keep them running & users (+patients) safe..
@vfrmedia I mean I never worked in that environment either... but I'm a game dev and I'm acutely aware of how quickly end-users will drop your app after having a bad experience.
@brunodias in my line of work that isn't as much an option (a very limited market for patient database systems for #seniorcare that are also compliant to UK NHS standards) but another example is why we (and similar orgs EU-wide) still end up (reluctantly) using (mostly) Windows workstations and MS Office even with the extra cost (and I've put much effort into finding #FOSS alternatives)
@brunodias I think those people recognise that Mastodon implemented OStatus. It could have been a custom protocol, which would splinter things.
"Correctness" is a lie and a trap. Programs are tools, not mathematical proofs, no matter how many frustrated mathematicians decide to get into software engineering.