protocols over platforms⚓︎
Ripple effect⚓︎
A protocol like nostr is interoperable simplicity, yet it is not a dead language. Its code and its upper layers get written like gears in constant movement, churning new lines into websites and apps. It isn't code that sparks out of nowhere. It's molded and reshaped by open source communities brainstorming ideas, listening closely to the people who use their products, and bringing those ideas to life. Each step forward carries new challenges, as the gears shape PR after PR, with products built and strengthened over time.
We cannot know all of the work that has gone into giving us a door to freedom of expression. We do not know the depth of the countless challenges or the innovative solutions as they are placed into the code. We do not know all the layers of thought that go into keeping protocol interoperability while also driving innovation. We do not know the extent of positive effects it could have across the globe and into the future.
But we have the proof in our hands that the work is happening. Every day reveals a new surprise, a different way of using nostr. New doors open, because developers and designers care about freedom of expression, and continue to build upon that foundation.
A tool for freedom built by many, yet united in nostr.
Nostr is a wider team effort⚓︎
From the surface, it may seem impossible to be able to build nostr without a central figure dictating every move. Yet that absence is what makes this protocol move much faster and creatively than its platform counterparts.
Instead of a chaotic mess without purpose or vision, as one might imagine protocols to be, nostr revolves around a number of creative hubs with specific types of development and design. Hubs interact openly with one another, sharing ideas, issues to resolve, and milestones to celebrate... Each hub is a team, and development depends on how well the team can gel while retaining creative independence.
Nostr as a protocol works, in part, because of its guiding principles: Decentralization, simplicity, interoperability...
Another positive aspect is the fun in building something that you interact with everyday. It feels purposeful to dig into issues and to find a way to contribute.
It doesn't mean contributing is perfect, that there isn't overlap or mistakes along the way, but nothing is perfect. Nostr's ability to captivate creative people is what keeps its wheels moving.
It should not be a road to burnout, but the threading of a community building on each other's open work and deep dives into solutions. It is a work that should not only value the present, but to value building a stronger foundation for the future.