You can see some more posts about it (including mock-ups of what some screens in the app might look like) if you look at the #NextSocial hash-tag, but —
I suppose the TL;DR version is —
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We are NOT trying to create yet another Twitter-like / Mastodon-like / etc / micro-blogging app.
We are trying to solve a number of outstanding user-experience problems.
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The previously mentioned "making it work across all decentralized social-media (DeSo)" is one of those user-experience problems. But it is not the only one.
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Another user-experience (UX) problem we are focusing on is —
The UX around videos & images.
With centralized social-media — some seem have pretty good UX around video or images, some don't.
On the Fediverse and decentralized social-media (DeSo) in general, this (the UX around videos & images) is an area that we feel has a need for improvement.
So we are especially focusing on creating a good experience around video & image — in the initial versions.
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Also —
Another user-experience (UX) problem we are focusing on is —
The UX problem around (decentralized) commerce.
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One thing I have been thinking a lot about is — how do you help the Fediverse last long-term.
(I think the only likely way of giving that a chance necessarily includes the ability for commerce, that is built into the Fediverse.)
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Right now a lot of the Fediverse exists because a number of individuals are just choosing to pay the bills out of their own pockets.
But, how long will this (funding) last if the as the Fediverse grows and the years go by?
I think there is a more sustainable way (for the Fediverse to continue to exist in the long-term as a decentralized entity). But the Fediverse needs to support commerce to enable it.
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For some examples of what I mean —
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There are lots of people paying for server hosting (of Fediverse servers) and letting hundreds if not thousands of others join their server — and paying their bill out of their own pocket.
Over the years I have noticed a number of these people stopping and shutting down their servers — because they loose interest, or they get too busy (with life or work), or it gets too expensive for them, etc.
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Another example...
Another example —
There are a number of people creating (open-source) Fediverse software and apps in their spare time (for free) —
They are literally building the fabric the Fediverse.
We have already seen some of them stop — and open-source Fediverse project die as a result.
Why? — life catches up with them, work gets busy, life gets busy, they need to work more to pay their bills, they loose interest, etc.
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Yet another example —
People who create high-quality in-demand content.
That seems to be what attracts most people to social-media. (Most people seem to be "consumer" of content, rather than "creators" of content.)
I think the world would be better if we can get those (regular) people onto decentralized social-media, too.
But to do that we have to attract the creators to DeSo.
But —
These creators of high-quality in-demand content — are putting A LOT of time into creating that content.
Sometimes there is even a team behind it.
They treat it as a job.
That means they need to make a living off it.
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If we don't want ads to be the norm on the Fediverse, then — we need an alternative means for these people to make a living.
And that is commerce.