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!
Out of curiosity, how do you find gemini sites to read? If there aren’t forms I assume there isn’t a search engine?
There actually are a couple of search engines available on Gemini. If you install the Lagrange Browser, for Gemini, there should be a few listed on the “getting started” page
See section 2.2 of the FAQ
https://geminiprotocol.net/docs/faq-section-2.gmi
Thete are aggregators. For example
gemini://warmedal.se/~antenna/
or gemini://rawtext.club/~sloum/spacewalk.gmi
gemini://gemini.circumlunar.space/capcom/
or comnunity interest sites, like
gemini://tilde.green/ ,
which is in turn a site of
gemini://tildeverse.org
https://gemini.tildeverse.org/
Then there are systematic directories, like
gemini://medusae.space/
and search engines like
gemini://geminispace.info/
see section 2.2.3 of the above FAQ.