> However, I disagree with some of the analysis, and have a couple specific points to correct.

[cwebber@social.coop]

But despite there being literally millions of people on both Bluesky and the fediverse, I haven't seen any other analysis that went comprehensively into architecture, terminology, and their implications at the level I did in terms of their *implications* and *impact*.

I think it needed to be done.

[raccoon@techhub.social]

@cwebber @3psboyd
Something I think is really important for people to understand about those programming problems before they post comics like this is that, even though they don't accurately mimic the day-to-day of professional programming work, they do teach a lot of skills in terms of solving the unique problems that people encounter, and tell potential employers that the person who solves them knows enough to solve a programming problem.

Keep in mind that the vast majority of applicants for programming jobs, including a large chunk of people with degrees in computer science, do not know how to do any programming in any language. Solving weird programming problems at least shows a degree of general competency.

[raccoon@techhub.social]

@cwebber
I love the figure.

The figure is love, the figure is life.

All hail FIG. 1.

[cwebber@social.coop]

So one more post after this one. Just one more post.

I have said so much, I feel like I am pumping the brakes on train of analysis and it's taking a while to come to a halt but it's time. I want to wrap it up, for everyone reading this, for myself.

So here we go.

[cwebber@social.coop]

We should build decentralized systems because we care about empowering people. We can't forget about power distribution.

Let's be clear about what our systems can and can't do.

And no matter where you are, if you're trying to build a healthier internet for everyone, keep it up.

Thanks.

[3psboyd@mastodon.social]

@Raccoon @cwebber In the past I've generally been able to tell if someone doesn't know how to program by speaking to them for a few minutes.

[raccoon@techhub.social]

@3psboyd @cwebber
"Yes I had chat GPT write that block for me. It knows better than I do how to solve the Fizz Bin problem."

[josef@mastodon.uniteddiversity.coop]

@cwebber I'd like to make a smaller than $10/mo regular contribution - where can I do that please? Thanks!

[josef@mastodon.uniteddiversity.coop]

@cwebber I think you meant to write "centralized today, in practice" here, right?

[cwebber@social.coop]

@OctaviaConAmore I think there *are* thoughts of expanding it, but also it's that Bluesky's character limit is even smaller, and I was crossposting to both at the same time!

[cwebber@social.coop]

@flippac @shtrom There is also a "perimeter security/reputation" approach that people keep trying over and over again that keeps leading to re-centralization

OCapPub writes about this https://gitlab.com/spritely/ocappub/blob/master/README.org

And we are trying to design to prevent it too

[cwebber@social.coop]

@viq it likes pets

[cwebber@social.coop]

@trwnh it's the best hummus

[cwebber@social.coop]

@McNeely A lot of work on standards, other research... though most of my fundamental CS background came from studying SICP

[cwebber@social.coop]

@gkrnours it's better than nothing if you don't have your meds

[cwebber@social.coop]

@josef Unfortunately every.org doesn't support donations less than $10, but you could make a one-time donation!

[cwebber@social.coop]

@josef Yep oops, fixed

[slothrop@chaos.social]

@cwebber Ok, I’ve read the whole thread, and found it wonderful.

But I have to admit that I still don’t understand why you prefer the term “decentralized” for the sort of system you’re working to build, rather than Baran’s “distributed”.

(Ok, for AP we’d have to define nodes as servers, rather than users. But that aside, “distributed” would work fine.)

[cwebber@social.coop]

@slothrop It's confusing and in general, people don't do it. What people tend to speak about *is* a power dynamic spectrum.

Baran was dealing with the situation where the term was being used in a specific technical way *at the time he wrote the document*, so he had to introduce another term.

When *most people* today talk about decentralization, they mean the spectrum. We *at least* have to be clear about definitions if you mean something else.