cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/70749935
An interesting blog post about how the AT protocol has it’s own cool little ecosystem next to the fediverse.
It’s really interesting how the way ATproto is both more and less as every service must follow a strict format to interact with others using the same format.
Like, ATproto has more variety than the fediverse, but the way they interact is a bit more strict, which means that a post from a lemmy analogue wouldn’t show up on bluesky, but it also means that each platform often seems more polished.
Looking at the specs, it’s a promising concept, but its considerably less mature than ActivityPub. It’s also struggling with some of the same challenges:
What is Missing?
Non-Public Data: mechanisms for personal and group data sharing are planned, and should support a wide variety of application functionality. These will be large additions to the protocol framework. We recommend against simply “bolting on” encryption or private content using the existing protocol primitives.
Protocol Governance and Formal Standards Process: once the basic protocol framework has been shown to work between multiple interoperating organizations, the plan is to bring the protocol specifications to an existing standards body (like the IETF) for revision and independent review.
The first point is one the Fediverse struggles with (like the fact DMs aren’t private). The second is where ATProto falls behind ActivityPub - right now Bluesky is the only significant org running the protocol, and as such they’re still establishing standards.
Maybe the Fediverse should just be for social media, and leave DMs to like, XMPP or something? I dunno, just a thought. Feel like we’re reinventing the wheel here.
Note private data is now on alpha, it released last week.
I think the lexicon requirement certainly leads to a more polished look as you don’t have to worry about custom interactions across multiple platforms, interoperability is basically baked in (given it’s built to begin with).
It’s quite nice I’ve been working in it quite a lot. A lot of people here tend to get into the “my protocol is better” arguments but honestly both sides have the same ultimate goal, each has its quirks.
Note on the variety, a lot of these like Mu is re-using the bluesky lexicon so it’s effectively like a Mastadon Client. Same goes for Offprint, Leaflet, Pckt they all use the same Standard Site lexicon so they’re effectively clients with some frontend niceties built in and maybe their own features, but the core is the same.
Also my account here is actually atproto 👋
Also my account here is actually atproto 👋
But whatever gateway you’re using to federate with the fediverse must be speaking ActivityPub, otherwise we wouldn’t be seeing your comment, right?
it is kinda funny because this is a bit more of the way I would like things to work and like nostr a lot to. The problem with both is their main thing is xitter like and I went newsgroups to nothing to slashdot to reddit to here. most of the fediverse is xitter to but im not interested in that format.
The ‘Authenticated Transfer Protocol’, or AT Proto for short, is a very simple system at its core. A user signs up on a Personal Data Server (PDS) on which they’re given a data repository.
Ok this is some kind of web automation thing. Nothing to do with dialup modems where you say ATDT followed by the phone number, and so on.
Personally, I was really hoping it was Absolute Terror protocol.
Shinji, get in the Fediverse.
No, nothing to do with phone lines, but it’s also not quite a web automation thing either, well, I guess it is, but it also does more. It’s meant to facilitate personal ownership of data and federation between instances of services, much like the fediverse (Hence why I put it here).
Hello fellow old person. I too thought this was about the Hayes protocol.
