Ringspace: A proposal for the human web
2 days ago
- #trust models
- #internet nostalgia
- #webrings
- The author expresses nostalgia for the early internet but clarifies that the current issues are not just about change but about losing the internet's original promise of global knowledge and connection.
- The integrity of knowledge is at risk, and the author suggests looking to the past for solutions, specifically mentioning the revival of webrings as a way to foster a human web.
- Webrings were simple, trust-based systems where websites with shared interests linked to each other, operating on mutual assurance and good faith.
- The author introduces Ringspace, a modernized webring concept that uses asymmetric cryptography to provide trust within small to medium-sized communities of creators.
- Ringspace is a proof-of-concept aimed at ensuring site authenticity and community standing, with tools like a CLI and browser extension, but it's not yet production-ready.
- The project emphasizes the importance of small, human-scale communities over internet-scale solutions, aiming to recapture the lost human element of the web.