Jeremy wrote:

] Memestreams is a core Internet technology.

What is that supposed to mean? I mean that seriously, not maliciously or sarcastically.

radical_edward wrote:
] Jeremy wrote:
]
] ] Memestreams is a core Internet technology.
]
] What is that supposed to mean? I mean that seriously, not
] maliciously or sarcastically.

[ I presume him to mean that Memestreams' reputation-based categorization represents a mechanism by which internet communications can be given credibility. A random web site has none -- a web site which has been reccomended to you by 5 or 6 friends or associates whose judgement you trust has some. Memestreams attaches credibility to sites based on the personalities who have submitted it, read it, commented on it.

I think there's a lot to this idea -- i think the kind of order it imposes on the flood of publications represents the best solution to filtering junk from jewels. Theoretically it could be extended to a behind the scenes protocol for reputation aggregation -- I'm sure Decius and Rattle could discuss it with more erudition than I -- point being, it's the future, or, anyway, *a* possible future, and it's promising... -k]

inignoct wrote:
] I think there's a lot to this idea -- i think the kind of
] order it imposes on the flood of publications represents the
] best solution to filtering junk from jewels. Theoretically it
] could be extended to a behind the scenes protocol for
] reputation aggregation -- I'm sure Decius and Rattle could
] discuss it with more erudition than I -- point being, it's the
] future, or, anyway, *a* possible future, and it's promising...

I'll be at Interz0ne wandering around ranting about MemeStreams related stuff. Right now, I'm really interested in using MemeStreams to aggregate information from other Social Network sites, enabling context and group aware searching technology, email integration, better hosting capabilities, and generally maturing everything we have here already. I want Memes to have some Wiki like characteristics.

Decius and I need help. We need lots of help. There is no way we can really build this system by ourselves, there is simply to much that needs to be focused on for two people to do it all at once. Let alone while trying to keep ourselves fed and housed. (Which Decius does a better job at then I do.) We need people who can build the system, who want to use it. That's the only thing that keeps Decius and I dedicated to making this happen. We don't have the time, money, or energy to fully dedicate ourselves, but we have been doing it to the extent we are capable because we want this thing we have a vision of to exist. We need a network of developers. We need at least 6 more people with similar motivations. We need the peer-pressure development model in effect, driven by more then just Tom and myself. At the other end, if we can pull this off, we may just have a company capable of supporting our work.

If we can actually get this project to where its "bootstrapped", "hit critical mass", or whatever euphemism we declare fits today, we plan to open source it. I like the Livejournal model personally.. However, my goal is to build an open and trusted centralized resource. If we open source this site now, we scale out in number, like Slash. That does not serve our goals. Other people are already working on those goals. There are no easy answers in the new age of Sysops.

I feel the "promoting decentralization" thing has become a true lie of Machiavellian proportions. Its not that simple. There must be balance, there will always be centralized resources we depend on. Google is the voice of God on the Internet right now, go ask it a question, or tell it who your friends are. Ask VeriSign how to get there. These are the results of believing decentralization is the only true and right answer to solving core Internet infrastructure issues. Sure, those systems are very decentralized, but the reason they exist is because there one one vision holding them together. We talk of leadership vacuums, while running 30 queries an hour through parties that have us completely bent over, be their intentions good or evil. Only on the reruns of the Highlander, can there be only one. I know what I have my sites set on, and its not taking something out.. Its creating something to compete and innovate.

This labor of love is seriously accelerating my hair's conversion to grey.

radical_edward wrote:
] What is that supposed to mean? I mean that seriously, not
] maliciously or sarcastically.

You are using something that is not even 1/10'th of the way built. The core ideas behind MemeStreams are not well represented in its current implementation.

In 2001 Decius and I started construction on this implementation. Our intent was to get something a mature enough implementation on the Internet, that we could use as a model to display and discuss our ideas.

This system is missing many things. There is no public grouping architecture yet. There is no form of collaborative weblogs/groups yet. Many parts of it are missing. Many capabilities (such as picture posting) have not been added yet. Most of all, the system in its current incarnation does not see time or interface well with other blogging and social network sites. (Which is finally possible now that other SNS's are starting to export FOAF, which we will be doing too)

Accepting the current implementation of MemeStreams for what it is, I only have one regret: The top level page of the Social Network section of the site. It creates a very false impression of what's happening in the community.

Everything MemeStreams does is based upon the individual who does it. No two person's Reputation Agent views are the same. The main page is only the most active posts in the community. Only those two extremes are visible right now. Its not possible yet to form into public groups. Everyone has their own individual view of the community. In a way, it is a representation of a pure idea anarchy. The most important aspect, is history.

When looking at that dreaded page (the top level of the Social Network section), there are several names on there that are not familiar to may new readers here. Yesterday, I had dinner with Cyantist. I hardly ever see her, she never posts here anymore, and she just reads. Maybe at some point she will re-engage the site, but like all of us she has the right to not care. Darwin was really active for awhile, and a good user too, but he was mostly interested in moving up that dreaded ranking. When he hit the point where he didn't progress any higher, he lost interest. That's something I'm upset about actually, I liked having him active on here. Reknamorken is an old friend of Decius and I. They don't get along that well anymore. They can't see eye to eye politically, they were both born to argue, and both (must) think of each other as rivals. As some point that will probably change, but in the meantime we just don't talk about it. Brad is dead now, Renka showed up to pay tribute. That says something about the significance of a place online.

Speaking of Brad.. How long he hangs in his very high position on that dreaded list has mostly to do with how the site grows, who sticks around, and who is vocal. There are an assortment of users who are relatively new, but have started to move up... [ Read More (0.3k in body) ]

Jeremy wrote:
] Google's rise to dominance in the search business came
] about for a number of reasons. One is the quality.
]
] But what has really carried Google to the top is a change in
] our perception of the Internet.
]
]
] Memestreams is a core Internet technology.

And as I told Decus and Rattle at DefCon last summer, I hope they both get filthy rich from their concept. -LB