cross-posted from: https://feddit.org/post/24735701
See also:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemini_(protocol)
It is similar to the old gopher: text files, links, and images form a hypertext optimized for reading. Text is formatted like Markdown - but even simpler.
Clients display text, like an eBook, or images / media.
Servers can run on a PC or Raspberry Pi which needs half a Watt of power. No FAANG companies needed. No expert knowledge needed - not more difficult than running a file sharing client.
I think it is the right thing for defense of democracy and sharing your voice in the digital realm.
Edit: If you see comments here which kinda miss the point, appeal to emotions, have faulty logic, or depart from entirely incorrect assumptions: Please keep in mind that big US tech companies can’t say “that’s bad, how will we shovel money with this?”. Please use your critical thinking skills - they are much needed here!
Gemini can have competition of browsers: it’s feasible for one person to create a Gemini client completely, correctly and securely.
There are only ~2 web browsers left and making a new one at all is near impossible (forks with minor size changes are great n’ all but not meaningful enough to stop Google basically being in control).
There is a lot of browsers that can show HTML websites though, not just 2. There are even new ones made like https://chawan.net/.
And the only widely used browser not owned by big tech has about 2.2% market share now. And it is falling.
Gemini does less than nothing to solve this though?
One problem is that with this monopolization of the web, browser vendors like Google can yank the standard in any direction they like (for example for more tracking and more ads, or surveillance). And you can’t make another browser because the protocol and features are needlessly way too complex, so it is legally an open standard but practically not. In the end, everyone will have to use Googles browser and suffer the included tracking.
aye I’m with you, though for practical purposes currently Gemini seems a lot like throwing the baby out with the bath water
Seperating the modern web browser into discrete parts and each doing them well seems to be the only logically answer to me. (If ignoring the task of convincing the general public to do anything in their best interests). We already have dedicated video/music player software on our OSs.
That might be the right thing if the bath water is toxic.
It provides a way to share “web” pages (text, images, links) that can be read by a simple minimal client. Without needing a web browser
I think ladybird has been making good progress