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Small-net - Part II.

Cont. [Small-net - Part I].

Quoting introduction from [Project Gemini].

Gemini is a new internet protocol which:

- Is heavier than gopher

- Is lighter than the web

- Will not replace either

- Strives for maximum power to weight ratio

- Takes user privacy very seriously

I've started thinking about Geminispace as a part of Small-net and have a better sense of above sentence. Gemini aim isn't to replace of Gopher protocol. It is a popularisation of Small-net idea. Gophersphere was populated by people who taking over the relay of the echos of last decades. I think that they also aware that Gopher isn't shine as earlier and this technology would be hard to popularize. It's full of technological debts. It would need cleaning up all servers, clients, specifications like Gopher+. It's easier to start from the new point.

It's worked. There are many servers, many clients, and many other projects connected with Gemini. Hashtag [#Gemini] is active on Mastodon, and other Big-net places. It would bring more newcomers.

People who are already on Gophersphere would probably stay here. They have own habits, workflow, favourite software. They don't need Gemini. They can use Small-net as they did for all time before Gemini born.

But for newcomers (also like I) it's easier to host own capsule and to write on Geminispace. I don't have to understand what is difference between Gopher and Gopher+. And don't have to understand all history of clients and servers. And don't understand gophermap. I can just write content in gemtex.

But the most active projects of the Small-net technologies are start to merge all protocols. [Lagrange] is supporting Gemini and Gopher. [Castor] is supporting the same, and additional Finger protocol.

The interesting thing is that Small-net in some technological areas isn't far away from Big-net. It could be visionary that Gemini puts on TLS. Big-net with the hands of GAFA try to introduce password-less reality, which is standard thing in Gemini. It seems that Small-net is well prepared for growth.

The major achievement of Small-net is also mentioned earlier Lagrange browser, which fulfills the below assumption mentioned in [Project Gemini FAQ].

2.11 Why doesn't text/gemini have support for styling?

Some people have expressed a desire for something similar to CSS in Gemini. While it's true that something much simpler and lighter than CSS could easily be designed, Gemini instead takes the position that visual styling of Gemini content should be under the sole and direct control of the reader, not the writer. Not everybody has the same taste in colours and fonts, and no single way of styling a page will be optimal for all readers, all devices and all lighting conditions.

This is well done implementation of Gemini idea. Skyjake who is author of Lagrange is UX/UI professional, and besides his description on Mastodon account it's visible in his project. It's unique thing which maybe never came for Gophersphere. Gemini has professional looking, first class browser. It's beyond all text browsers (which aren't less important), and hobby's projects (which are also important, and are true fuel of Small-net idea).

The next good thing for Small-net is that it is accessible via mobiles, as Lagrange (and many others like [Elaho]) has mobile version. It's true that the heart of Small-net is located outside Google/Apple ecosystem, but it's convenient that it isn't hidden for them.

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@ Sat 14 Aug 2021 01:28:36 PM CEST

tags: #gemini, #smallnet, #software