Make FMS/Freetalk part of the Freenet project
A working messaging system (FMS/Freetalk) could be included in the core Freenet project and some fraction of time could be dedicated to it.
Currently the lack of a working, trusted, bundled messaging system contrasts with good usability of core Freenet. This is an issue for end users and harms user retention, because communities cannot exist without messaging. (Some people stopped running Freenet node altogether since Frost is unavailable).
The proposal is:
- As a minimum, Freenet devs could review FMS/Freenet specs and publish an official "RFC-like" specifications for Freenet messaging. This would settle disputes over minor details. Making trusted specifications is of utmost importance too, because several messaging standards failed in the past (FMB, Frost) and both developers and users mistrust any new standard assuming it is fundamentally flawed too.
- Ideally, Matthew could spend some time (say ~3 months) working on the messaging system. This could be a good alternative to the (proposed) diversion of donations to other projects. I am sure that most people would appreciate the trade-off: getting a working messaging system, even if core Freenet schedule is delayed few months.
redbu11
shared this idea
Generally agree. Freetalk is being implemented by p0s, I am reviewing his commits, he has recently posted a spec and this is being negotiated with FMS folks. Freetalk will be an important part of 0.8. WoT (the backend web of trust system) will be loadable from the plugins page soon, and hopefully Freetalk will be official and bundled shortly after Christmas.
3 comments
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naesten
commented
toad, I heard that you told p0s about strategies that should be more efficient than the ones FMS uses in theory, but that SomeDude had found the opposite to be the case in practice, and that p0s refuses to budge...
Does this spec you say p0s published have a URI of some kind?
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pqs
commented
I agree, now many people run freenet for a wile and then just stop running it because they don't see an obvius utility. With forums, Freenet would be useful, people could talk to each other and share keys to obtain music, films, and other interesting stuff. That would motivate many people to use Freenet.
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redbu11
commented
to elaborate: We want users to run Freenet 24x7 but offer no motivation to use freenet
on the daily basis. An average user has _nothing to do_ in Freenet after exploring few flogs and freesites. Think of Freenet using valuable bandwidth, and the user has all reasons to stop running Freenet after a week or so.
Unlike freesites, anonymous forums offer a good reason to run Freenet over time.
