Words in Federated Space

A Glossary For The Fediverse

G l o s s a r y:

noun
1: an alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized
field of knowledge; usually published as an appendix to a
text on that field [syn: {glossary}, {gloss}]

—WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

With a little feature creep and no parent document to be appended to.

  • each entry attempts a graduated definition of its subject.

  • It tries to be agnostic.

  • It is intended for the interested user.

  • Developers may also find it useful. (side effect)

—Yours in pragmatism

Pete

revised as version 0.1.8 16:55 14-02-2020

A proposed "logo" for the fediverse concept space

By Eukombos [CC0], from Wikimedia Commons

5 nodes in pentagon shape with all diagonals, multicoloured.

Logo created to represent the Fediverse.

CC0 Licence. 22 June 2018 by Eukombos

-- [EukombosLogo-22June2018] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fediverse#/media/File:Fediverse_logo_proposal.svg


Introduction

For an excellent introduction and overview of the

Federation Fediverse and Indieweb

please see:

About

The Colophon notates when who how and what.

The Glossary Listing is apparently approximately alphabetical and starts just below.

If you are browsing the html (web) formatted version:

  • Each Entry Heading links back to it's Glossary Listing.

  • That Listing "#url" is sharable. (in #lowercase)


Glossary Listing


@ is for

@human

  • synonyms

@name , @handle , @user , @account , @logname

  • Noun

A form that identifies a particular person, named group (or account) at a local service.

  • It is often the local account name for a host or a service.

  • It is the User Name you login as, for a session on a network instance.

Compare with @handle@node.domain (or an email address).

see also: @mention , DM , User , Account

@handle@node.domain

  • Noun

Usefully a local "@name" may be appended with a nodes "@node.handle" to create a human readable Unique Identifier. [ @name@node.handle ] This allows posting, following and other interactions beyond the local service, to many other accounts across the Fediverse.

  • Notes

Communication between users on local nodes do not require the @node.domain suffix.

The construct "@yournick@yournode.somedomain" is one of the unique an enabling features of Federated Social Media. This facility brings near universal reach to federated systems, approaching the utility and simplicity of email addressing.

see also: DM , User , Account

@mention

  • Synonyms @ping , @message , @flag

  • Verb

To identify an account name (@person) in a message. Often used to get somebodies attention. Or simply to be inclusive and acknowledge contribution.

see also: Direct Message


A is for

ABI

  • noun

    Application Binary Interface

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

Application Binary Interface

ABI

<programming> (ABI) The interface by which an {application program} gains access to {operating system} and other services. It should be possible to run the same compiled {binary} applications on any system with the right ABI.

Examples are {88open}'s {Binary Compatibility Standard}, the {PowerOpen Environment} and {Windows sockets}.

-- (1994-11-08) [foldoc]

Example:

NetBSD has ABI (structures) that allow Linux (elf) binary applications to run on NetBSD systems.

This is not emulation, the application operates as though it is on a Linux system right down to requiring a separate file structure.


Account

Also: login name accounts

  • Noun

    • A persons place of operations that interface with a system, network or service.

    • Usually the Operator must be Authenticated to access their account.

      In the context of the Fediverse or federated systems a user has account(s) hosted on particular node(s).

  • An account allows:

  • Login Access and Authentication to that Instance.

    • Use of the Interfaces to the Services Provided by the Local Network Instance.

      Enabling access to your own data (!) and access to the federated social media networks.

see also: User , Handle , screenname


Acronym

  • Noun

From V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (September 2014) [vera]:

ACRONYM

Abbreviated Coded Rendition Of Name Yielding Meaning (slang)

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

acronym

<jargon> An identifier formed from some of the letters (often the initials) of a phrase and used as an abbreviation.

A {TLA} is a {meta}-acronym, i.e. an acronym about acronyms.

...

-- (2014-08-14)

compare : Anagram

see: TLA , CIT , jargon , lockin

Other listings: IMHO , AFAIK , VM , LOL , IRC , URL ,

TLDR , AI , ML , XMPP , LXC


ActivityPub

also: AP

From the ActivityPub info site:

ActivityPub is a decentralised social networking protocol based on the ActivityStreams 2.0 data format.

ActivityPub is an official W3C recommended standard published by the W3C Social Web Working Group.

It provides a client to server API for creating, updating and deleting content, as well as a federated server to server API for delivering notifications and subscribing to content.

[ActivityPub-2018]

ActivityPub provides two layers:

  1. A server to server federation protocol

    (so decentralized websites can share information)

  2. A client to server protocol

    (so users, including real-world users, bots, and other automated processes, can communicate with ActivityPub using their accounts on servers, from a phone or desktop or web application or whatever)

In ActivityPub, a user is represented by "actors" via the user's accounts on servers. User's accounts on different servers correspond to different actors.

[W3C-ActivityPub_Oct-2018]


ActivityStreams

  • Noun

A data format standard for exchanging information between distributed nodes. ActivityPub is built with this specification as the recommended (data) exchange format.

Activity Streams 2.0

Was formally released as a W3C Recommendation on 23 May 2017

The specification details a model for representing potential and completed activities using the JSON format.

It is intended to be used with vocabularies that detail the structure of activities, and define specific types of activities.

-- https://www.w3.org/TR/activitystreams-core/

Example :

{"@context": "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams",
"type": "Person",
"id": "https://social.example/alyssa/",
"name": "Alyssa P. Hacker",
"preferredUsername": "alyssa",
"summary": "Lisp enthusiast hailing from MIT",
"inbox": "https://social.example/alyssa/inbox/",
"outbox": "https://social.example/alyssa/outbox/",
"followers": "https://social.example/alyssa/followers/",
"following": "https://social.example/alyssa/following/",
"liked": "https://social.example/alyssa/liked/" }

-- [ActivityStreams_Oct-2018]


Anagram

  • Noun

A word made by rearranging another word.

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

Anagram An"a*gram([a^]n"[.a]*gr[a^]m), n. [F. anagramme, LL.

anagramma, fr. Gr. 'ana` back, again + gra`fein to write. See {Graphic}.]

Literally, the letters of a word read backwards, but in its usual wider sense, the change of one word or phrase into another by the transposition of its letters. Thus Galenus becomes angelus; William Noy (attorney-general to Charles I., and a laborious man) may be turned into I moyl in law. [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

Anagram An"a*gram, v. t. To anagrammatize. [1913 Webster]

Some of these anagramed his name, Benlowes, into Benevolus. --Warburton.

[1913 Webster] Anagrammatic

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

anagram

n 1: a word or phrase spelled by rearranging the letters of

another word or phrase

v 1: read letters out of order to discover a hidden meaning

[syn: {anagram}, {anagrammatize}, {anagrammatise}]

A message from Anna

see: Acronym , Jargon


Application

plural: Applications also: Apps, App

  • Noun

A Computer Program normally targeted at end users rather than Systems Operations..

Often built for specific environments such as Web Browser Extensions. Tablets , Smart Phones etc.

Most often these programs are also designed to work exclusively with particular networks and end sources, creating "Silos of Convenience".

From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]:

app

/ap/, n.

Short for ?application program?, as opposed to a systems program. Apps are what systems vendors are forever chasing developers to create for their environments so they can sell more boxes. Hackers tend not to think of the things they themselves run as apps; thus, in hacker parlance the term excludes compilers, program editors, games, and messaging systems, though a user would consider all those to be apps. (Broadly, an app is often a self-contained environment for performing some well-defined task such as ?word processing?; hackers tend to prefer more general-purpose tools.) See {killer app}; oppose {tool}, {operating system}.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

application program app application software applications software

<programming, operating system> (Or "application", "app") A complete, self-contained program that performs a specific function directly for the user.

This is in contrast to {system software} such as the {operating system} {kernel}, {server} processes, {libraries} which exists to support application programs and {utility programs}.

Editors for various kinds of documents, {spreadsheets}, and text formatters are common examples of applications. Network applications include clients such as those for {FTP}, {electronic mail}, {telnet} and {WWW}.

The term is used fairly loosely, for instance, some might say that a client and server together form a distributed application, others might argue that editors and compilers were not applications but {utility programs} for building applications.

One distinction between an application program and the operating system is that applications always run in {user mode} (or "non-privileged mode"), while operating systems and related utilities may run in {supervisor mode} (or "privileged mode").

The term may also be used to distinguish programs which communicate via a {graphical user interface} from those which are executed from the {command line}.

(2007-02-02)

Aspect

  • also: Diaspora Aspects , aspect , Aspects

  • Noun

Examples of Diaspora Aspects are: Family, Work, Interests, Organisations.

Diaspora* Aspects are a method of forming Sets of Contacts :

  • From your list of Contacts

  • Possibly naming those Sets for an "Aspect" of your life.

When you Post to an "Aspect":

  • The message is sent (only) to that Aspects Set of Members.

  • Those people may also see who else received the post. "You can make People be visible to each other inside your aspect."

Aspects are not "Groups" you can Moderate or have others Sign Up to. They are more like Mailing Lists you form from your Address Book.

more at: https://wiki.diasporafoundation.org/FAQ_for_users#Aspects

see: Diaspora


Atom

  • Noun Protocol

Describes the state of a web site for other web resources to subscribe to.

TODO TODO TODO


Authenticate

also: Authentication Authenticated Authentic

  • verb

    • To establish the truth of an Identity

    • To Check Some Credentials.

    • To validate the accuracy and provenance of an identity or content.

    • To ascertain that the "objects" are true as claimed and of good faith. ( Bono Fide )

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

Authenticate Au*then"ti*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Authenticated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Authenticating} (?).] [Cf.LL. authenticare.]

  1. To render authentic; to give authority to, by the proof, attestation, or formalities required by law, or sufficient to entitle to credit. [1913 Webster]

    The king serves only as a notary to authenticate the choice of judges.

    --Burke. [1913 Webster]

  2. To prove authentic; to determine as real and true;

    as, to authenticate a portrait.

    --Walpole. [1913 Webster]

-- The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

authentic

adjective

1: conforming to fact and therefore worthy of belief; "an authentic account by an eyewitness"; "reliable information" [syn: {authentic}, {reliable}]

2: not counterfeit or copied; "an authentic signature"; "a bona fide manuscript"; "an unquestionable antique"; "photographs taken in a veritable bull ring" [syn: {authentic}, {bona fide}, {unquestionable}, {veritable}]

-- From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

see: OpenWebAuth OAuth Diaspora Protocol Zot Ostatus ActivityPub Password IndieAuth


Authorisation

also: Authorization

Processes and people generally need various levels of authorisation to operate.

You give Authorisation for others to see your Avatar or Bio details when you configure your Social Networking Interfaces.

You may also give qualified authority to services run on your behalf ( your agent)

You may require various stages of Authentication to allow access to your messages.

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

authorisation

1: a document giving an official instruction or command [syn: {mandate}, {authorization}, {authorisation}]

2: the power or right to give orders or make decisions; "he has the authority to issue warrants"; "deputies are given authorization to make arrests"; "a place of potency in the state" [syn: {authority}, {authorization}, {authorisation}, {potency}, {dominance}, {say-so}]

3: official permission or approval; "authority for the program was renewed several times" [syn: {authority}, {authorization}, {authorisation}, {sanction}]

4: the act of conferring legality or sanction or formal warrant [syn: {authorization}, {authorisation}, {empowerment}]

authorise

1: give or delegate power or authority to; "She authorized her assistant to sign the papers" [syn: {empower}, {authorise}, {authorize}]

2: grant authorization or clearance for; "Clear the manuscript for publication"; "The rock star never authorized this slanderous biography" [syn: {authorize}, {authorise}, {pass}, {clear}]

-- From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

see: Authentication OpenWebAuth nomadic


Avatar

  • Noun

A visual icon or handle that helps to quickly identify a particular user.

" An "avatar" is an image that represents you online a little picture that appears next to your name when you interact with websites. "

-- [Gravatar_Oct-2018] https://en.gravatar.com/support/what-is-gravatar/

  • Attributes:

  • Usually a small image file to lighten storage requirements and bandwidth / transfer costs. + May also be "simple" ascii art

  • Sometimes auto-generated as a service.

  • Too often the default is used :(

see: Account , Gravatar


AI

  • Noun Acronym

    Artificial Intelligence

    see: ML


API

  • Noun Acronym

Application Program Interface

Essentially a set of defined rules in source code that allow coders to Interface with or utilise a set of code.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

Application Program Interface API Application Programming Interface Applications Programming Interface

<programming> (API, or "application programming interface") The interface (calling conventions) by which an {application program} accesses {operating system} and other services. An API is defined at {source code} level and provides a level of {abstraction} between the application and the {kernel} (or other privileged utilities) to ensure the {portability} of the code.

An API can also provide an interface between a {high level language} and lower level utilities and services which were written without consideration for the {calling conventions} supported by compiled languages. In this case, the API's main task may be the translation of parameter lists from one format to another and the interpretation of {call-by-value} and {call-by-reference} arguments in one or both directions.

(1995-02-15)

See also: UI , TLA , Jargon


AMA

  • Noun Acronym

Ask Me Anything

Australian Medical Association

see also: Acronym


AFAIK

  • Acronym Phrase

As Far As I know

see: LOL YMMV IANAL TLDR IMO , Acronym


B is for

Backend

  • noun

A Backend is a Service, application or more often an entire named suite of software, that is hosted on the server side of connections.

It may be an Social Media Service you connect to or deeper level services that the Instance itself works with.

The Client software connects to the Backend, and usually, an end user has little awareness of its operations.

This is the software that a Frontend works with.

see also: Jargon Service


Bio

  • Noun abbreviation

Biography

A short version of a biography intended for wide public consumption. May use community specific short-forms, jargon or conventions.


Birdsite

Synonym for Twitter

Onomatopoeic for some accents.

see: GNU Social , Silo , Platform List


Block

  • verb

syn: silence drop ban ignore dump devnull

Not usually the same as Unsubscribe but the intent is similar.

To avoid seeing another accounts status updates or feed.

see: Filter


Blog

also : weblog , diary, blogging

  • noun

  • A Journal or Diary.

  • Usually a hand written log kept by a person on the Web. - A weBlog.

  • verb

  • To write an entry in your web log.

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

blog

n 1: a shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences and hobbies; "postings on a blog are usually in chronological order" [syn: {web log}, {blog}]

v 1: read, write, or edit a shared on-line journal

From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]:

blog

noun

[common] Short for weblog, an on-line web-zine or diary (usually with facilities for reader comments and discussion threads) made accessible through the World Wide Web. This term is widespread and readily forms derivatives, of which the best known may be {blogosphere}.

As of late 2018 A reasonable graded discrimination may be made between Blogs Macroblog and Microblogging.

These categories are not exclusive. A platform may be primarily designed for a microblogging and include attached media (even visible in line). Macroblogging sites are able to "inline" microblog conversations.

The fediverse is quite flexible about all sort of definitions.

see blogs: writefreely , Plume , wordpress , blogger.com see macroblogs: Friendica , Socialhome Hubzilla , Osada compare: microblog , Birdsite , Pleroma , Mastodon, GNU Social


Blogger

  • Noun

  • A person who publishes a web log.

  • One who reliably keeps a Blog

  • Somebody who undertakes a notable amount of blogging.

see: blog , MacroBlogging , MicroBlogging , Platform List


Bot

  • also: robot, bots

  • Noun

Software that produces posts on social media with little or no human attention.

It is considered polite to identify 'bots' with a handle or identifier, that is visible per post.

#nobot seems to be used in roughly the same way as "No Junk Mail"

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

bot

<networking, chat, web> (From "{robot}") Any type of autonomous {software} that operates as an {agent} for a user or a {program} or simulates a human activity. On the {Internet}, the most popular bots are programs (called {spiders} or crawlers) used for searching. They access {web sites}, retrieve documents and follow all the {hypertext links} in them; then they generate catalogs that are accessed by {search engines}.

A {chatbot} converses with humans (or other bots). A {shopbot} searches the Web to find the best price for a product. Other bots (such as {OpenSesame}) observe a user's patterns in navigating a website and customises the site for that user.

{Knowbots} collect specific information from {websites}.

(1999-05-20)

From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]:

bot

  1. An {IRC} or {MUD} user who is actually a program. On IRC,

    typically the robot provides some useful service. Examples are NickServ, which tries to prevent random users from adopting {nick}s already claimed by others, and MsgServ, which allows one to send asynchronous messages to be delivered when the recipient signs on.

...

Note that bots in all senses were ?robots? when the terms first appeared in the early 1990s, but the shortened form is now habitual.

see: AI , chat


BSD

  • Noun Acronym

    Berkeley Software Distribution

From:

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]: (with some edits)

Berkeley Software Distribution

Berkeley Unix BSD BSD Unix

<operating system> (BSD) A family of {Unix} versions developed by {Bill Joy} and others at the {University of California at Berkeley}, originally for the {DEC} {VAX} and {PDP-11} computers, and subsequently ported to almost all modern general-purpose computers. BSD Unix incorporates {paged} {virtual memory}, {TCP/IP} networking enhancements and many other features.

BSD UNIX 4.0 was released on 1980-10-19. The BSD versions (4.1, 4.2, and 4.3) and the commercial versions derived from them ({SunOS}, {ULTRIX}, {Mt. Xinu}, {Dynix}) held the technical lead in the Unix world until {AT&T}'s successful standardisation efforts after about 1986, and are still widely popular.

-- (2005-01-20)

There have been a number of operating systems built around a common set of similar concepts : simplicity flexiblity and security.

Most notably FreeBSD , NetBSD , and OpenBSD .

-- [BSD_History-Nov_2018]

see: OS, GNU , NetBSD , OpenBSD , FreeBSD , NIXen Linux ,


C is for

Camel Case

also: CamelCase , lowerCaseCamel

  • Verb

To write something in Camel Case :

  • compresses the form of the statement

  • eases processing by removing white (empty) spaces

  • may assist in creating a Unique Identifier

  • may aid readability in some contexts

There are two main forms which are expressed as follows :

  1. Upper Case Camel

  2. Convert All To Title Case

  3. RemoveAllWhiteSpace

  1. Lower Case Camel

  2. lower Case First Letter

  3. removeAllWhiteSpace

Widely Used :

  • Within source code to name identifiers (functions constants variables) cleanly.

  • Where clear space may be problematic or error prone.

  • In 'personalHandles' , 'NetworkNames' and other identifiers.

  • As one component of uniqifying URL Strings.

From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]: (edited)

camelCase

A variable in a programming language is said to be camelCased when all words but the first are capitalised. This practice contrasts with the C tradition of either running syllables together or marking syllable breaks with underscores; thus, where a C programmer would write thisverylongname or this_very_long_name, the camelCased version would be thisVeryLongName.

...

Compare {BiCapitalization}; ... camelCasing is not aimed at impressing anybody, and hackers consider it respectable.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

( Wherein here we blame the container for the content and the car for the driver ) (edits)

CamelCase

<programming> The practice of concatenating words with either all words capitalised (e.g. "ICantReadThis" - sometimes called " UpperCamelCase " or PascalCase) or all except the first "iCantReadThis" - called " lowerCamelCase ".

It is used in contexts where space characters are not allowed, such as identifiers in {source code}.

Modern best practice separates words in identifiers with {underscore} for readability (like_this_example).

CamelCase is probably a historical throw-back to systems that had no underscore or when the length of identifiers was constrained either by the programming language or by the width of computer displays.

Unfortunately it has infected many projects, organisations and programming languages such as {Java} where the uninitiated create identifiers like "MemberSubmissionAddressingWSDLParserExtension".

-- (2014-12-02)


Chat

  • Verb

The act of having a conversation, on line.

Contemporary federated social networking may _almost_ be chat itself. Many networks include dedicated chat services. IRC or XMPP.

  • Noun

    "Chat"

May refer to a number of protocols that enable realtime (duplex) interactive chat.

Notably IRC , XMPP and Matrix [01].

  • If users are using a chat server they should expect to engage in near real time many-way interaction.

  • Normally text based.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

chat

<chat, messaging> Any system that allows any number of logged-in users to have a typed, real-time, on-line conversation via a {network}.

The medium of {chat} is descended from {talk}, but the terms (and the media) have been distinct since at least the early 1990s. {talk} is prototypically for a small number of people, generally with no provision for {channels}. In {chat} systems, however, there are many {channels} in which any number of people can talk; and users may send private (one-to-one) messages.

Some early chat systems (in use 1998) include {IRC}, {ICQ} and {Palace}. More recent alternatives include {MSN Messenger} and {Google Talk}.

Chat systems have given rise to a distinctive style combining the immediacy of talking with all the precision (and verbosity) that written language entails. It is difficult to communicate inflection, though conventions have arisen to help with this.

The conventions of chat systems include special items of jargon, generally abbreviations meant to save typing, which are not used orally.

E.g. {BCNU}, {BBL}, {BTW}, {CUL}, {FWIW}, {FYA}, {FYI}, {IMHO}, {OT}, {OTT}, {TNX}, {WRT}, {WTF}, {WTH}, {<g>}, {<gr&d>}, {BBL}, {HHOK}, {NHOH}, {ROTFL}, {AFK}, {b4}, {TTFN}, {TTYL}, {OIC}, {re}.

Much of the chat style is identical to (and probably derived from) {Morse code} jargon used by ham-radio amateurs since the 1920s, and there is, not surprisingly, some overlap with {TDD} jargon. Most of the jargon was in use in {talk} systems. Many of these expressions are also common in {Usenet} {news} and {electronic mail} and some have seeped into popular culture, as with {emoticons}.

[01] No not the movie Matrix

see:

XMPP , IRC Channel Out Of Band , Jargon , Acronym Platform List


Channel

also: Channels

  • Noun

There are many uses of the Concept of Channel in communications. Here the listing is from a human user on a Fediverse instance's point of view.

You probably only want the first two sections.

Human to Human Channels

  1. Users Channel

A List of users (with some common interest in a Subject) who may Message all of each other. This may not be in real time.

  1. IRC Channel

A #subject channel an IRC user connects to to enter into a group discussion. This is most often in Real Time. Though messages and alerts may be left.

Both of the above may be loosely considered a Chat Room.

Software Channels For Humans

This is a passive tuning into or subscribing to "broadcast" channel.

  • The user normally does not interact with the information.

  • The connection may be a Stream

  1. Atom / RSS subscriptions to a subject set from a web site or blogs.

  2. Audio Channels on Jamendo or Funkwhale

  3. Podcast series etc.

Socket like Channels

For most users this level of Channel is rarely or never seen. It is software talking to software.

Hopefully once set up it all happens auto-magically and you never have to investigate it.

The idea is that a dedicated connection channel is established between two networked entities.

Data packets are sent (streamed) directly between these actors. Rather than the usual "Let us know how that worked out, when you have a tick" packet by packet approach of the TCP/IP (Internet).

Your web browser or Social media "App" takes care of this for you.

Enabling technologies include (ephemeral) WebSockets, but also traditional ports, (extended addresses) per host BSD style sockets, and of course all still powered by TCP/IP connections.

It is not "Out Of Bounds" to consider any established connection a channel. Even if only two agents are communicating.

From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]:

channel

noun

[ IRC ] The basic unit of discussion on {IRC}.

Once one joins a channel, everything one types is read by others on that channel.

Channels are named with strings that begin with a # sign and can have topic descriptions (which are generally irrelevant to the actual subject of discussion).

At times of international crisis, #report has hundreds of members, some of whom take turns listening to various news services and typing in summaries of the news, or in some cases, giving first-hand accounts of the action (e.g., Scud missile attacks in Tel Aviv during the Gulf War in 1991).

-- Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003)

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

channel

chatroom room

<chat> (Or "chat room", "room", depending on the system in question) The basic unit of group discussion in {chat} systems like {IRC}.

Once one joins a channel, everything one types is read by others on that channel. Channels can either be named with numbers or with strings that begin with a "#" sign and can have topic descriptions (which are generally irrelevant to the actual subject of discussion).

-- Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015)


Circles

  • Noun

  • a grouping of friends

  • a set of followed accounts

  • verb Circle or Circles

To place a boundary around a qualified group of some kind.

"She Circles the members of the arts group who like Plato and Picasso."

see: Group Channels { Hubzilla , Osada }


CIT

also IT * noun, Acronym

Computing (and) Information Technology

see: Acronym , TLA

Client

  • Noun

  • Normally the Operators side of a Server Connection.

  • A Client communicates to a Service on a Users behalf.

  • The Client is the Software asking for a Service from a Server.

A Client might ask for an Icon for a users Avatar or A journal page from a Web Server.

There need not be any active human intervention. Most client to server connections are actually made transparently with no intervention at all.

The definition needs to be made per Service Instance as some Services can be both clients and servers. Mail Transfer Agents (MTA) are both. Web Servers _often_ act as clients while being proxies for other software.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

client

<programming> A computer system or process that requests a service of another computer system or process (a "{server}") using some kind of {protocol} and accepts the server's responses. A client is part of a {client-server} software architecture.

For example, a {workstation} requesting the contents of a file from a {file server} is a client of the file server.

-- (1997-10-27)


Clone

also: clones

  • Noun

Simply a duplicate. A copy.

  • Verb

To make a duplicate of some set of information or other data.

e.g.

"I make clones of my account to host on other Hubzilla servers."

" I may clone my Pleroma contacts list for import into mastodon and pleroma Instances."

see: Hubzilla Osada Pleroma


Commons

  • Noun

    • A place where something is held for the Common Good.

    • The interface that allows access to information held in common.

Wikipedia is a Commons. In that it holds knowledge in common.

Much of the Internet Archive may also be described as a commons.

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

commons

1: a piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area;

"they went for a walk in the park" [syn: {park}, {commons}, {common}, {green}]

2: a pasture subject to common use

[syn: {commons}, {common land}]

3: a class composed of persons lacking clerical or noble rank

[syn: {commonalty}, {commonality}, {commons}]

4: the common people

[syn: {third estate}, {Commons}]

-- WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

Networked Commons

A commons is a centralized web content hosting site, where users are able to freely contribute, and retrieve their own or others' content at will.

from : https://indieweb.org/commons

(with edits )

Commons usually exhibit these characteristics:

  • run by non-profits or informal communities.

  • allow using external web-based identity for sign-in (e.g. OpenID, web sign-in/IndieAuth)

  • allow posting of some kind of content (text, images, etc.)

  • may require contributions be licensed with a standard open content license (CC0, CC-BY, MIT, GPL, Public Domain)

  • enabling (or no explicit) terms of service (TOS)

  • little or no claim of ownership of any content contributed

  • little or no restriction on import/export of contributed content or data about such content (e.g. comments, tags)

Compare: silos

-- [IndieWeb-Commons-Nov-2018] https://indieweb.org/commons

see: FSF IndieWeb Lockin


Community

  • Noun

  • A group with identified attributes that collaborate, often for their collective good.

  • Individuals are usually members of many communities.

Community is a central concept for all Social Media.

see: Network

Community at the UI

(User Interface)

A Community may be a selection of account feeds filtered

through a sieve.

Concepts at Friendica seem portable enough to use here:

  • Global Community :

Every Account your host can see. Much the same as The Whole Known Network

  • Local Community :

Messages from Accounts hosted locally on your Server.

  • Friends :

A selection of Accounts or other groupings you have "Followed". These may be further organised , into Groups , Lists or Aspects.

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

Community

Com*mu"ni*ty, n.; pl. {Communities}. [L. communitas: cf. OF. communit['e]. Cf. {Commonalty}, and see {Common}.]

  1. Common possession or enjoyment; participation; as, a community of goods. [1913 Webster]

    The original community of all things. --Locke. [1913 Webster]

    An unreserved community of thought and feeling. --W. Irving. [1913 Webster]

  2. A body of people having common rights, privileges, or interests, or living in the same place under the same laws and regulations; as, a community of monks. Hence a number of animals living in a common home or with some apparent association of interests. [1913 Webster]

    Creatures that in communities exist. -- Wordsworth. [1913 Webster]

  3. Society at large; a commonwealth or state; a body politic;

    the public, or people in general. [1913 Webster]

    Burdens upon the poorer classes of the community. -- Hallam. [1913 Webster]

    Note: In this sense, the term should be used with the definite article; as, the interests of the community. -- [1913 Webster]

  4. Common character; likeness. [R.] [1913 Webster]

    The essential community of nature between organic growth and inorganic growth. -- H. Spencer. [1913 Webster]

-- The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

see: Platform List


Contact

  • Noun

A person on your list of other people you message in the Fediverse. see: Contacts

  • Verb

  • Get in touch

  • communicative interaction "the pilot made contact with the base" "he got in touch with his colleagues"

    -- [Wordnet Browser]

Contacts

  • Noun

    The list of entities (people) @names@placesin.Fediverse that you have saved for reference.

This is not unlike an Email Clients Address book.

Depending on the Hosting System , and its Administration, A Contact in your collection of Contacts may often be configured to be:

  • publicly viewable

  • or private

Or simply set collectively to one state.

Further they may be organised into Lists or Aspects .


Content

  • Noun

The information of Information Technology. The ever elusive point to all of this :) It may be:

text , sound , video , the code to an algorithm .... A story, a gripe, seduction , or stamp collecting, plain old showing off. Essentially human communication.

Anything that can reveal manipulate create or store information. Anything that can transmit knowledge or some facsimile of such a device. ( a PNG file of a Photograph of a Petroglyph ... A Video with sound of the same. ) Anything that is a tool in those endeavours be that Software Hardware or the systems that support those.

  • Rarely in this context used to imply or contribute to the following:

    From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

    Content Con*tent", n.

  1. Rest or quietness of the mind in one's present condition; freedom from discontent; satisfaction; contentment; moderate happiness.

"Such is the fullness of my heart's content."

--Shakespeare. << yeah, Not normally that.

consider: Data

Conversation

also: Conversations

  • Noun

  • A dialog.

  • Chat and interaction between Users are often labelled Conversations. Selection of a Conversations "button" will take you to a listing of your recent conversations.

  • A Friends Feed.

CW

  • Noun Acronym

Content Warning

On Social Media, particularly microblogging platforms CW is used as a flag or signal to other users (and software filters) to warn the recipient of possibly inappropriate content.

In many cases the users interface will hide the flagged content unless specifically selected.

  • Verb

I would assume content might be "CWed". (Language being a living thing.)

Continuous Wave, Carrier Wave From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

CW

<communications, history> (CW) A term from early {radio} history for a {transmitter} using an {electron tube} (valve) {oscillator} to constantly add energy to a {tuned circuit} connected to an {antenna}.

The term is used in contrast with the use of a {spark gap} to initiate a damped {sinusoidal wave} in a tuned circuit consisting of an {inductor} and {capacitor}. The energy in this circuit constantly changes between the capacitor's {electrostatic field} and the inductor's {magnetic field}. The energy is then coupled to the radiating antenna, loosely (so as not to dampen the wave too quickly).

Some radio amateurs understand "CW" to mean transmission by means a single frequency signal which is either on or off (e.g. {Morse code}), as opposed to a carrier which varies continuously in amplitude, frequency or phase. Some would even call the former "unmodulated" even though turning on and off is actually the most extreme form of amplitude modulation.

(2009-11-24)


D is for

DDG

  • Noun Acronym

Duck Duck Go

An excellent Search Engine.

see: [DDG] https://duckduckgo.com/


Data

Also: data, raw data

  • Noun

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

...

Numbers, characters, images, or other method of recording, in a form which can be assessed by a human or (especially) input into a computer, stored and processed there, or transmitted on some digital channel.

...

Data on its own has no meaning , only when interpreted by some kind of data processing system does it take on meaning and become information .

For example, the binary data 01110101 might represent the integer 117 or the ASCII lower case U character or the blue component of a pixel in some video. Which of these it represents is determined by the way it is processed (added, printed, displayed, etc.). Even these numbers, characters or pixels however are still not really information until their context is known...

(2007-09-10)

Data Stream

Also: Data Streams, Stream , Streaming

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

stream

  1. <communications> An {abstraction} referring to any flow of data from a source (or sender, producer) to a single sink (or receiver, consumer)*.

    A stream usually flows through a channel of some kind, as opposed to packets which may be addressed and routed independently, possibly to multiple recipients.

    Streams usually require some mechanism for establishing a channel or a "connection" between the sender and receiver.

  • Noun

    A reference to an instance of a stream

  • Verb

    The act of streaming data.

    e.g.

    "NASA will Stream Video from the ISS from 08:00 UTC"

Data Mining

  • Verb

From Wikipedia

Data mining is the process of discovering patterns in large data sets involving methods at the intersection of machine learning, statistics, and database systems.

Data mining is an interdisciplinary subfield of computer science with an overall goal to extract information (with intelligent methods) from a data set and transform the information into a comprehensible structure for further use.

[WikiPedia-Data_23-Oct-2018] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_mining

Like any other powerful tool it may be subject to abuse.

  • It is a "cultural marker" of the Fediverse that use of excessive or exploitative Data Mining Techniques is vigorously resisted.

DFRN

  • Noun Acronym Protocol

Distributed Friends and Relations Network

A distributed authorisation protocol developed by Mike Macgirvin Still used by Friendica.

see: Platform List

Diaspora

Also: D*, Diaspora Pods , Diaspora* Pods

  • Noun

Diaspora nodes are referred to as pods.

The name refers to dispersion, even invoking an Exodus away from Centralised silo style networks. [dd]

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

  • the dispersion or spreading of something that was originally localised (as a people or language or culture)

From The Diaspora Foundation [D*Website_Oct-2018] <https://diasporafoundation.org/>

diaspora*:

is based on three key philosophies:

  • Decentralisation [dd]

    Instead of everyone's data being held on huge central servers owned by a large organization, diaspora* exists on independently run servers ("pods") all over the world.

    You choose which pod to register with, and you can then connect seamlessly with the diaspora* community worldwide.

  • Freedom

    You can be whoever you want to be in diaspora*. Unlike some networks, you don't have to use your real identity. You can interact with people in whatever way you choose. The only limit is your imagination. diaspora* is also Free Software , giving you liberty over how you use it.

  • Privacy

    In diaspora* you own your data. You don't sign over rights to a corporation or other interest who could use it. In addition, you choose who sees what you share, using Aspects. With diaspora*, your friends, your habits, and your content is your business ... not ours!

Diaspora Protocol

diaspora* federation protocol <https://diaspora.github.io/diaspora_federation/>

Used by Diaspora and The Friendica project. (at least)

Digital Rights

Loosely:

  • Human Rights on the Internet

  • Property Rights on the Internet

Wider:

  • Amelioration of power imbalance and exploitation in digital environments.

"Privacy, Democracy, Fairness & Freedom in a digital age. Digital rights are human rights which see their expression online."

-- [DRW-au-Nov-2018]

See: EFF , EFA , EDRi , ORG , FSF

Direct Message

DM

  • Noun

A message sent _directly to a users account. May be a single recipient or many users in a _list or _group.

  • Verb

To @message a person or group.

  • example usage

    @sweetvince@vinarts.net will DM @gimpphotos@groups.podzrus.town tomorrow morning your time

  • Synonym

DM or even message

  • Notes

Often Shortened to 'DM' .


Discover

  • verb

Search Seek Find Explore

Distributed

Also: Distributed Computing

  • Verb, Adjective

Computational, Storage and Networking tasks are all distributed across many hosts.

This is not simple baton passing (relaying messages) alone but that plus storage of information and computation work being done.

Possibly, on many nodes, on many networks, across the Internet.

Cloud Computing is an example of distributed computing and there are many, arguably more powerful approaches and concepts.

Distributed Computing is what networked hosts were born to do. The concept predates computers with Central Processing Units. (as we currently know them)

While examples from the Napoleonic era leap to mind , [2m] I am sure there would be earlier instances. (Using visual signalling towers to relay messages along routes to end users.. naval Signalling)

World War Two was possibly the widest pre Integrated CPU era example (human computers connected by duplex telephony and simplex teletype (like) machines)

Or possibly some business networks in the 1920's and 30's. (which influenced the hardware and systems design of Military uses)

[2m] I _could_ research this I guess :)

  • Similar

Diversified, Federated , Fediversed , Cluster

see: Federation , Fediverse Erlang MPI

DNS

  • Noun

The Domain Name System

The system that matches a human readable Name to an Internet Address.

simple examples

  • google-public-dns-a.google.com. is mapped to 8.8.8.8

  • youtube.com.au has address 172.217.25.142

From V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (September 2014) [vera]:

DNS

Domain Name System (Internet, RFC 1034/1035, DNS)

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

DNS

  1. {Domain Name System}.

  2. Distributed Name Service. See {DECdns}.


E is for

Earth

  • Noun

    • Third Rock from the Sun

      • one of four elements composing the universe -- Empedocles

      • The planet where every cat whom has ever existed:

        existed:  nine times.
  • synonyms:

    Gaea, Ge, Terra, Tellus, Erde

    The Whole World, The Globe, Mother Earth

  • verb

    To electrically ground a circuit or device.

Notable Features

More or less blue and white

Active Magnetosphere

Diverse Water-Centric Biosphere

Home to Cats, Mice and their Companion Animals

Point of Origin for all known selfies.

Point of Origin for all known technology

(( as of Late 2018 : 2020-02-14 16:55 ))

May have civilisation.

Excellent Water Based Sports [nc]

Earth Exports

FFFpc

  • Facile Febrile Fundamentalism ( possibly contagious )

AntiFFFpc

  • Coffee Chocolate Cannabis Towels ( with remarkably little irony )

Potable Alcohol

Jazz

  • The Nova Bossa Soundtrack to the Galaxy

Warnings

See All of the above

Do not drink anything called "C o o l Aide" [ca]

Otherwise : Mostly Harmless

see: babel fishHHGG ™ perspective , proportionality


EFA

  • Noun Acronym

Electronic Frontiers Australia (Inc.)

EFA is a non-profit national organisation that has been promoting and protecting digital rights (civil liberties) in Australia since it was established in January 1994.

EFA is completely independent from the USA's Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

EFA is focused on issues directly affecting Australians, while EFF has an American and also a broad international focus.

The Objects and Purposes

  1. To protect and promote the civil liberties of users of computer based communications systems and of those affected by their use.

  2. To advocate the amendment of laws and regulations in Australia and elsewhere which restrict free speech and unfettered access to information.

  3. To educate the community at large about the social, political, and civil liberties issues involved in the use of computer based communications systems.

  4. To support, encourage and advise on the development and use of computer based communication systems, and related innovations.

  5. To research and advise on the application of the law (both current and proposed) to computer based communication systems and related technologies.

    -- [EFA-about_Oct-2018] https://www.efa.org.au/about/

see: Digital Rights

ref also: [DRW-au-Nov-2018] https://digitalrightswatch.org.au/about/

EDRi

  • Noun

European Digital Rights

Is an association of civil and human rights organisations from across Europe.

Whenever citizens' rights and freedoms in the online environment are endangered by the actions of political bodies or private organisations,

EDRi ensure that they are respected.

EDRi's key priorities for the next years are privacy, surveillance, net neutrality and copyright reform.

-- [EDRi-About_Oct-2018] https://edri.org/about/

see: Digital Rights


EFF

  • Noun Acronym

The Electronic Frontier Foundation

Based in the USA the EFF is the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world.

Founded in 1990, EFF champions user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development.

The EFF works to ensure that rights and freedoms are enhanced and protected as our use of technology grows.

The EFF also provides some tools and guidelines to assist users of Information Technology.

https://www.eff.org/pages/tools

-- [EFF-About_Oct-2018] https://www.eff.org/about

see: Digital Rights

Emoticon

emoticon , :), :(, o/

  • Noun

    Originally an ASCII character symbol (glyph) composed to short hand an emotive intent in a piece of text.

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

emoticon
n 1: a representation of a facial expression (as a smile or

frown) created by typing a sequence of characters in sending email; ":-( and :-) are emoticons"

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

emoticon, :-), smiley, smilies

<messaging> /ee-moh'ti-kon/ (Or "smiley") An {ASCII} {glyph} used to indicate an emotional state in text-only {electronic messaging} systems such as {chat}, {electronic mail}, {SMS} or {news}. Although originally intended mostly as jokes, emoticons are widely recognised if not expected; the lack of verbal and visual cues can otherwise cause non-serious comments to be misinterpreted, resulting in offence, arguments and {flame wars}.

Hundreds of emoticons have been proposed, but only a few are in common use. These include:

:-) "smiley face" (for humour, laughter,

friendliness, occasionally sarcasm)

:-( "frowney face" (for sadness, anger, or upset)

;-) "half-smiley" (ha ha only serious); also

known as "semi-smiley" or "winkey face".

:-/ "wry face"

These are more recognisable if you tilt your head to the left. The first two are by far the most frequently encountered. Hyphenless forms of them are also common. The acronym "{lol}" is also often used in the same context for the same effect (and is easier to type).

The emoticon was invented by one Scott Fahlman on the {CMU} {bboard} systems on 1982-09-19. He later wrote: "I had no idea that I was starting something that would soon pollute all the world's communication channels." {GLS} confirms that he remembers this original posting, which has subsequently been {retrieved from a backup (http://research.microsoft.com/~mbj/Smiley/BBoard_Contents.html)}.

As with exclamation marks, overuse of the smiley is a mark of loserhood! More than one per paragraph is a fairly sure sign that you've gone over the line.

[{Jargon File}]

(2010-05-16)

WikiPedia emoticons https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emoticons Unicodes FAQ https://www.unicode.org/faq/emoji_dingbats.html

see: jargon

Emojis

(o|o) http://www.emojitracker.com/

If you :

  • do not communicate in pictograms in your daily cultural interactions

  • your consistently using more than a couple per message

  • are having a non casual conversation

Consider that Emojis are not displayed consistently across platforms, interfaces, or even "Apps".

  • Are you saying _what_ you think you are saying ?

  • Are you saying _that_ with the _intent_ you mean ?

Your i-Silo and of course your i-call.

((Just Observations from Lived Experience.))

YMMV

Emojis can also be great fun. And there is nothing wrong with that.

see: jargon


Erlang

A computer programming language

Notable in this glossary context as it was designed to be robustly distributed and enable what we now call federation all concurrently in the 1980's.

It is widely used. Especially in areas that require high reliability and resilience.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

Erlang

1. <person> {Agner Krarup Erlang}. (The other senses were named after him).

2. <language> A concurrent {functional language} for large industrial {real-time} systems by Armstrong, Williams and Virding of Ellemtel, Sweden.

Erlang is untyped. It has {pattern matching} syntax, {recursion equations}, explicit {concurrency}, {asynchronous message passing} and is relatively free from {side-effects}. It supports transparent cross-{platform} distribution. It has primitives for detecting run-time errors, real-time {garbage collection}, {modules}, {dynamic code replacement} (change code in a continuously running real-time system) and a {foreign language interface}.

It tends to hurt the heads of those programmers who have locked in to procedural or Object based languages.

Some background in Set Theory may help. Though don't drink too much cool-aide.

From Erlang.org

Erlang is a programming language used to
build massively scalable soft real-time systems
with requirements on high availability.

Some of its uses are in telecoms, banking, e-commerce,
computer telephony and instant messaging.

Erlang's runtime system has built-in support for concurrency, distribution and fault tolerance.

-- https://www.erlang.org/

see also:

https://github.com/erlang

https://learnyousomeerlang.com/


Event

also: events

  • noun

    An event is an organised gathering of people.
    • Normally set for a specific time or a predictably repeating time.

    • Often recorded in a calendar which may be accessible by a group of people or network propagated to subscribed individuals. (email counts)


Export

  • verb

    To export your data is to download your contact lists , interface settings or , other listings from on Network Instance.

This allows you to move your personal contact lists and bio details between instances of the same type (and often other types) .

This facility is widely supported in the Fediverse as the assumption is that YOU own your data. It is not for data mining.

Export personal data

  • Export account

    Export your account info and contacts. Use this to backup your account or to move it to another server.

  • Export all

    Export your account info, contacts and all your items as json. Could be a very big file, and could take a lot of time. Use this to make a full backup of your account (photos are not exported)

    -- Friendica (squeet.me) Settings Dialog Oct 2018

see: Platform List


F is for

FAQ

  • noun

    Frequently Asked Questions


FB

  • noun acronym

    • Face Book

    • Facebook ™

    • Face-Book

A huge monolithic Social Media platform. That is actually a thinly disguised front for :

Galactic Groups ™ Sirius Cybernetics ™ Marketing Division ™.

see: Platform List

Fediverse

Also: The Fediverse , Fediverse

see also: Platform List see also: Software Suites Overview <https://fediverse.party/en/fediverse/> also see: Organic Design notes <https://organicdesign.nz/Fediverse>

The Not Divide

Sometimes further divided into the Federation and The Fediverse.

Generally; the Fediverse contains the Federation.

The Division is centrally about which Networks support the `ActivityPub`_ protocol.

  • Those that do are (also) in the Fediverse.

  • Those that don't (yet) are in the Federation.

Federation only networks can not easily communicate with Fediverse networks. [fg] The "division" is Post Hoc.

Its is almost as simple as the fact that ActivityPub was not formally released use until recently. (2018)

Most Federation (era) networks are either in active deployment and testing of ActivityPub or have future plans to.

Effectively this means the current tendency is for wider, more inclusive cooperation and Federation.

One Federated Distributed Fediverse with many flavours of networks.

( Late 2018 )

see also: Federation , Service , Instance , Pod , Host , Node and Solid , Zot , Platform List

[fg] There are gateways. Diaspora (Nov 2018) seems to be the only serious hold out.


Federated View

  • Noun

    A follow stream choice on some platforms. More or less all of the fediverse.

    All the posts your host can see.

see: The Whole Known Network


Federation

The Federation

  • Noun

The federation (in this context) is applied to the Services that exploit protocols such as

Zot Red OStatus (stack) and Diaspora (protocol) OAuth

A recent Protocol ActivityPub <https://activitypub.rocks/> has grown out of the experiences of the early Federated systems and is now an accepted formalised W3C standard.

From The Federation Website <https://the-federation.info/> (emphasis added)

"The Federation"

Refers to a global social network composed of nodes that talk to each other. Each of them is an installation of software which supports one of the federated social web protocols.

(or more than one)

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

<security> The establishment of some or all of business agreements, {cryptographic} trust and user identifiers or attributes across security and policy domains to enable more seamless business interaction.

As {web services} promise to enable integration between business partners through {loose coupling} at the application and messaging layer, federation does so at the identity management layer, insulating each domain from the details of the others' authentication and authorization. Key to this loose coupling at the identity management layer are standardized mechanisms and formats for the communication of identity information between the domains. {SAML} is one such standard.

—(2011-05-12)

See also the super set: Fediverse . Which includes the Federation as a subset at least in the scope of Social Media.

Federate * verb

e.g. Lets federate our XMPP server with the Fediverse.

Federated * Adjective

Services may be or become federated as they include protocols that allow distributed operations.

e.g. We have finally federated with the rest of the federation services.

Plugins or extensions exist for _some_ Fediverse Instances to receive or send feeds to non-federated platforms.

Federation Notes

Some locally archived notes:

see: Platform List fediverse


Feed

Also: feeds , data feed

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

data feed

<data, architecture> Some process for transferring {data} from one system to another in a predetermined form.

(2009-05-17)

also: RSS , Home Feed , Global Feed, Local Feed


Filter

  • verb

  • Noun

syn: sort sieve


finger

also: pinky

  • Noun

    • A Service run by a Host that provides details of Users and possibly their current activity.

    • WebFinger approximates this facility for Internet wide Social Media environments.

  • Verb

    • To finger somebody is to ask the fingerd service for details on somebody. This protocol was (and still is used) to facilitate easy human access to other people from the early days of computer networking.

Finger Notes

There are, of course, security implications and so access to this service is usually restricted.

"Pinky" is a light weight finger.

From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]:

finger

[WAITS, via BSD Unix]

1. n. A program that displays information about a particular user or all users logged on the system, or a remote system. Typically shows full name, last login time, idle time, terminal line, and terminal location (where applicable). May also display a {plan file} left by the user (see also { Hacking X for Y}).

  1. vt. To apply finger to a username.

  2. vt. By extension, to check a human's current state by any means:

    "OK, finger Lisa and see if she's idle."

    ...

[WikiPedia-Finger_Nov-2018] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_protocol [Man-Finger_Nov-2018] https://www.mankier.com/1/finger

see also: webFinger


Flag

also: Flagged

  • Noun

    A flag is an attribute set on an Object to assist filtering or other sorting / decision process..

    e.g. A flag may be set on a Message marking it Private, or eyes only for some other grouping of accounts.

  • Verb

    To "flag' something is to set a marker. Often a warning of some sort.

This usage does not relate neatly with "traditional" programming uses: Where a flag usually only has a couple of possible values.

like so:

From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]:

flag

noun

[very common] A variable or quantity that can take on one of two values; a bit, particularly one that is used to indicate one of two outcomes or is used to control which of two things is to be done.

see: signal , CW , semaphore, filter


Follow

also: Follows and Followed

see: Platform List


Framework

  • Noun

    • Software Building Blocks or Scaffolding.

    • A collection of software that forms the design template for other software.

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

framework

1: a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process; "the computer program was based on a model of the circulatory and respiratory systems" [syn: {model}, {theoretical account}, {framework}]

2: the underlying structure; "providing a factual framework for future research"; "it is part of the fabric of society" [syn: {framework}, {fabric}]

3: a structure supporting or containing something

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

framework

In {object-oriented} systems, a set of {class}es that embodies an abstract design for solutions to a number of related problems.

(1995-01-30)

see: Vue.js Elixer Node.js Ostatus

see: jargon


Free

see: FSF

TODO


Free Software

See: FSF

see GNU


Friendica

Also: Friendica Nodes

Friendica servers are called "nodes".

Friendica supports a wide range of inter-service protocols. It exploits a plugin mechanism (API) to extend connectivity to many non-federated Services as well. e.g. G+

Friendica Federation

Supported Connection Protocols:

  • DFRN, OStatus, diaspora StatusNet, GNU social, Quitter ActivityPub ( maturing late 2018 )

Social Media Connects to:

  • diaspora*, Hubzilla,

  • Mastodon, Socialhome, GangGo,

  • Pleroma, GNU Social, postActiv

  • email via IMAP4rev1/ESMTP.

  • RSS/Atom. (import data feeds from other sites)

Import arbitrary websites and blogs into your social stream via RSS/Atom feeds.

e.g. Wordpress

Support for other services via plugins.

see : Features https://friendi.ca/about/features/

Friendica Links:

see: Platform List


Frontend

  • Noun

    The applications that work with services on behalf of a Client.

    Most of the Interaction you may have with your Nodes on the Fediverse is done through a Frontend.

    (Your Web Browser Interfaces to Friendica or GnuSocial Instances for instance )


Funkwhale

  • Noun

    • Funkwhale is a Free and Open music player for the Fediverse.

    • Its federation features are currently limited to a bot or two.

    • The interface is web based. (browser)

Funkwhale Federation

from: https://docs.funkwhale.audio/features.html#federation [19-Oct-2018]

Each Funkwhale instance is able to fetch music from other compatible servers,
and share its own library on the network, in a process known as "federation".
Federation is implemented using the ActivityPub protocol,
in order to leverage existing tools and be compatible with other services such as Mastodon.

As of today, federation only targets music acquisition,
meaning user interactions are not shared via ActivityPub.
This will be implemented at a later point.

FSF

also: The Free Software Foundation

  • Noun

The Free Software Foundation

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a nonprofit with a worldwide mission to promote computer user freedom. [They] defend the rights of all software users.

...

Core Work

The FSF maintains historic articles covering free software philosophy and maintains the Free Software Definition - to show clearly what must be true about a particular software program for it to be considered free software.

The FSF sponsors the GNU project - the ongoing effort to provide a complete operating system licensed as free software.

We also fund and promote important free software development and provide development systems for GNU software maintainers, including full email and shell services and mailing lists.

We are committed to furthering the development of the GNU Operating System and enabling volunteers to easily contribute to that work, including sponsoring Savannah the source code repository and center for free software development.

-- [FSF-Intro_Oct-2018] https://www.fsf.org/about/

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

Free Software Foundation FSF

<body> (FSF) An organisation devoted to the creation and dissemination of {free software}, i.e. software that is free from licensing fees or restrictions on use. The Foundation's main work is supporting the {GNU} project, started by {Richard Stallman} (RMS), partly to proselytise for his position that information is community property and all software source should be shared.

see: Digital Rights , GNU ,


FreeBSD

  • noun

  • A flexible *Nix type Operating System

from : The FreeBSD FAQ

FreeBSD is a modern operating system for desktops, laptops, servers, and embedded systems with support for a large number of platforms.

It is based on U.C. Berkeley's "4.4BSD-Lite" release, with some "4.4BSD-Lite2" enhancements. It is also based indirectly on William Jolitz's port of U.C. Berkeley's "Net/2" to the i386#, known as "386BSD", though very little of the 386BSD code remains.

FreeBSD is used by companies, Internet Service Providers, researchers, computer professionals, students and home users all over the world in their work, education and recreation.

-- [FreeBSD_FAQ-Nov_2018]

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

FreeBSD

<operating system> A free {operating system} based on the {BSD 4.4-lite} release from {Computer Systems Research Group} at the {University of California at Berkeley}.

FreeBSD requires an {ISA}, {EISA}, {VESA}, or {PCI} based computer with an {Intel 80386SX} to {Pentium} CPU (or compatible {AMD} or {Cyrix} CPU) with 4 megabytes of {RAM} and 60MB of disk space.

Some of FreeBSD's features are: {preemptive multitasking} with dynamic priority adjustment to ensure smooth and fair sharing of the computer between applications and users. Multiuser access - {peripherals} such as printers and tape drives can be shared between all users. Complete {TCP/IP} networking including {SLIP}, {PPP}, {NFS} and {NIS}. {Memory protection}, {demand-paged virtual memory} with a merged {VM}/{buffer cache} design. FreeBSD was designed as a {32 bit operating system}. {X Window System} (X11R6) provides a {graphical user interface}. {Binary compatibility} with many programs built for {SCO}, {BSDI}, {NetBSD}, {386BSD}, and {Linux}. Hundreds of ready-to-run applications in the FreeBSD ports collection. FreeBSD is {source code compatible} with most popular commercial {Unix} systems and thus most applications require few, if any, changes to compile. {Shared libraries}. A full compliment of {C}, {C++}, {Fortran} and {Perl} development tools and many other languages. {Source code} for the entire system is available. Extensive on-line documentation.

{(http://freebsd.org/)}.

-- (1998-11-24)

see: BSD , OS , NIXen


G is for

G+ Exodus 2018

  • Oct 2018 Google+

    • An exodus was just commencing.

      Google ™ had recently announced the "Sundowning" of the public G+ Platform.

      A remarkable amount of collaborative effort was underway as G+ Users explored alternatives. [G+MassMigrateGroup]

      One astute User explained, with relevance and clarity, some differences between "Centralised" and "Federated" Network Types. [G+GriefPost]

Her post follows with layout alterations only.

I will attempt to explain:

A centralized or private social network cannot connect
with other social network types.
Like FB, G+, MeWe, and Discord for example.

You would need an account on each one.

A federated social network is decentralized
meaning there are many servers instead of one server like those above.
Each of these servers uses at least one of the 6 protocols
to communicate with other federated servers or nodes.

If you make an account on any federated network type,
that is the only account you need.

You will be able to "friend" others
on the same or different federated network types.

Examples of the network types are: Mastodon, Diaspora, Friendica, and Hubzilla.

I have a Friendica account so I can connect with others
(and already have done so in testing)
who have pluspora, joindiaspora, hubzilla, mastodon, and other friendica accounts.

If you join social networks that are not federated,
you will not be able to use it to connect with those that are federated.

You can, I am told by an admin, mirror your G+ posts to your Friendica account.
I am looking at how to set that up for my own account.

-- [Ayres_Oct-2018]

see: jargon Platform List


GAFA

  • noun Acronym

Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple

(sometimes called "GAFA")

see: Jargon , Acronym


GangGo

  • Noun

A Network in the Fediverse

TODO

see: Platform List


G Plus

Also: G+

  • Noun

    • A Non Federated Social Media Platform.

    • Operated by Google (TM)

    • Alphabet owns Google

see: Platform List


Glossary

  • Noun

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

Glossary Glos"sa*ry, n.; pl. {Gossaries}. [L. glossarium, fr.

glossa: cf. F. glossaire. See 3d {Gloss}.] A collection of glosses or explanations of words and passages of a work or author; a partial dictionary of a work, an author, a dialect, art, or science, explaining archaic, technical, or other uncommon words. [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

glossary
n 1: an alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized

field of knowledge; usually published as an appendix to a text on that field [syn: {glossary}, {gloss}]

see: Glossary


GNU

  • acronym ((recursive))

A *Nix

From 'GNU : http://gnu.org' :

The name "GNU" is a recursive acronym for "GNU's Not Unix!"; it is pronounced as one syllable with a hard g.

GNU was launched by Richard Stallman (rms) in 1983, as an operating system which would be put together by people working together for the freedom of all software users to control their computing. rms remains the Chief GNUisance today.

The primary and continuing goal of GNU is to offer a Unix-compatible system that would be 100% free software. Not 95% free, not 99.5%, but 100%. The name of the system, GNU, is a recursive acronym meaning GNU's Not Unix - a way of paying tribute to the technical ideas of Unix, while at the same time saying that GNU is something different.

Technically, GNU is like Unix. But unlike Unix, GNU gives its users freedom.

...

The ultimate goal is to provide free software to do all of the jobs computer users want to do ...

-- [GNU_Oct-21-2018] https://www.gnu.org/gnu/about-gnu.html

The software suite under the FSF / GNU's aegis is, arguably, foundational to the contemporary computing and the Internet itself.

It is certainly enabling.

The FSF maintain a software listing here:

https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Main_Page

-- [FSF-List_Oct-21-2018]

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

GNU

<body, project> /g*noo/ 1. A {recursive acronym}: "GNU's Not Unix!". The {Free Software Foundation}'s project to provide a freely distributable replacement for {Unix}. The GNU Manifesto was published in the March 1985 issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal but the GNU project started a year and a half earlier when {Richard Stallman} was trying to get funding to work on his freely distributable editor, {Emacs}.

{Emacs} and the GNU {C} compiler, {gcc}, two tools designed for this project, have become very popular. GNU software is available from many {GNU archive sites}.

see also: Unix, Nixen, *Nix, *BSD, suite, FSF ,

[GNU-Oct-2018] : <http://gnu.org>


GNUsocial

also: GNU Social, GNUSocial, gnusocial nodes

  • Noun

From: <https://gnusocial.cc>

gnusocial.cc is one of many GNU social-/StatusNet-instances.

gnusocial.cc is a project using the GNU social - / StatusNet -system, combined with a familiar user interface (UI).

GNU social/StatusNet is a decentralised microblogging platform.

Users of one instance (or: service) can follow, be followed by, and communicate with users of any other instance.

Other instances are, e.g., loadaverage.org, status.vinilox.eu, micro.fragdev.com, gnusocial.de, indy.im, quitter.no, rainbowdash.net, etc. The current number of microblogging instances using the GNU social/StatusNet software is probably about 50, gnusocial.cc is one of them.

As they all use the same software (GNU social/StatusNet) and transmission protocol (OStatus), they can talk to each other just like e-mail servers can talk to each other, even though they are independent and run by different companies.

[gnuSocial_Oct-2018]

see: Platform List


Gopher

  • Noun

    A document retrieval system from the 1990's. Gopher is offered as an extra protocol by some networks. [pg]

    While still Internet based (TCP/IP) Gopher is "off the Web" and surprisingly flexible. (enough of both to be a quietly useful medium)

    Gophers live on Port 70 and are persistent little critters. :)

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

gopher

<networking, protocol> A {distributed} document retrieval system which started as a {Campus Wide Information System} at the {University of Minnesota}, and which was popular in the early 1990s.

Gopher is defined in {RFC 1436}. The protocol is like a primitive form of {HTTP} (which came later). Gopher lacks the {MIME} features of HTTP, but expressed the equivalent of a document's {MIME type} with a one-character code for the "{Gopher object type}". At time of writing (2001), all Web browers should be able to access gopher servers, although few gopher servers exist anymore.

{Tim Berners-Lee}, in his book "Weaving The Web" (pp.72-73), related his opinion that it was not so much the protocol limitations of gopher that made people abandon it in favor of HTTP/{HTML}, but instead the legal missteps on the part of the university where it was developed:

"It was just about this time, spring 1993, that the University
of Minnesota decided that it would ask for a license fee from
certain classes of users who wanted to use gopher.  Since the
gopher software being picked up so widely, the university was
going to charge an annual fee.  The browser, and the act of
browsing, would be free, and the server software would remain
free to nonprofit and educational institutions.  But any other
users, notably companies, would have to pay to use gopher
server software.

"This was an act of treason in the academic community and the
Internet community.  Even if the university never charged
anyone a dime, the fact that the school had announced it was
reserving the right to charge people for the use of the gopher
protocols meant it had crossed the line.  To use the
technology was too risky.  Industry dropped gopher like a hot
potato."

—(2001-03-31)

Hot Potato or not Gopher is (apparently) still a useful "out of band" method for sharing information.

RFC 1436 is quite digestible.

[pg] the tildeverse and pleroma for instance , but there will be others.

see also: Protocol , URI , URL

[RFC1436_Nov-2018] https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc1436

[CatsGopherHWY_Nov-2018] https://gopher.zone/posts/how-to-gophermap/

see: Platform List


Graphic

Also: graphical

TODO TODO TODO TODO TODO TODO TODO TODO

see: Content , 'Video' , Attachment


Gravatar

  • noun

    A "Gravatar" is a Globally Recognised Avatar.

    You upload it and create your profile just once, and then when you participate in any Gravatar-enabled site, your Gravatar image will automatically follow you there.

    Gravatar is a free service for site owners, developers, and users. It is automatically included in every WordPress.com account

    [Gravatar_Oct-2018] https://en.gravatar.com/support/what-is-gravatar/


Grid


Group

also: Groups

  • Noun

    • A filtered set of User Accounts

    • A contact list.

    • A set of people who only get a message sent to them collectively.

  • verb

    To collect together a set of users accounts by some common factor.

synonyms: Lists , Aspects , Views , Circles


GUI

also: UI

  • noun , acronym

    • Graphical User Interface

    • User Interface

A more Human Friendly Interface that enables operations of vast collections of software.

see: Interface , Graphic see: jargon


Guest

  • Noun

    From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

    guest 1: a visitor to whom hospitality is extended [syn: {guest}, {invitee}]

    2: United States journalist (born in England) noted for his syndicated homey verse (1881-1959) [syn: {Guest}, {Edgar Guest}, {Edgar Albert Guest}]

    3: a customer of a hotel or restaurant etc.

    4: (computer science) any computer that is hooked up to a computer network [syn: {node}, {client}, {guest}]

  • Verb

    A perfectly sane system administrator might say:

    " We guest (many) hosts on our virtual hosts, and most of those guests are hosts. "

    The more correct alternative being:

" We host (many) hosts on our virtual hosts,

and all of those hosts are also hosting services. "

see: host , network , node


H is for

Handle

  • Noun

    In a Social Media context a handle is a name that identifies an account. A handle identifies a human, a group or bot. Essentially it functions as your name or Nickname. Nick is essentially a synonym for Handle.

    A Handle may also uniquely Identify a node or host much as shop front iconography or as web-address does for other networked systems.

see also: @handle@node.domain

The term "Handle" is still widely used in Information Technology, and other communications contexts.

From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]:

handle

noun.

1. [from CB slang] An electronic pseudonym; a nom de guerre intended to conceal the user's true identity. Network and BBS handles function as the same sort of simultaneous concealment and display one finds on Citizen's Band radio, from which the term was adopted. Use of grandiose handles is characteristic of {warez d00dz}, {cracker}s, {weenie}s, {spod}s, and other lower forms of network life; true hackers travel on their own reputations rather than invented legendry. Compare {nick}, {screen name}.

2. A {magic cookie}, often in the form of a numeric index into some array somewhere, through which you can manipulate an object like a file or window. The form file handle is especially common.

3. [Mac] A pointer to a pointer to dynamically-allocated memory; the extra level of indirection allows on-the-fly memory compaction (to cut down on fragmentation) or ageing out of unused resources, with minimal impact on the (possibly multiple) parts of the larger program containing references to the allocated memory. Compare {snap} (to snap a handle would defeat its purpose); see also {aliasing bug}, {dangling pointer}.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

handle

1. <programming, operating system> A simple item of data that identifies a resource. For example, a {Unix} file handle identifies an open file and associated data such as whether it was opened for read or write and the current read/write position. On the {Macintosh}, a handle is a pointer to a pointer to some dynamically-allocated memory. The extra level of indirection allows on-the-fly {memory compaction} or {garbage collection} without invalidating application program references to the allocated memory.

2. <jargon> An alias used intended to conceal a user's true identity in an electronic message. The term is common on Citizen's Band and other amateur radio but, in that context usually means the user's real name as {FCC} rules forbid concealing one's identity.

Use of grandiose handles is characteristic of {crackers}, {weenies}, {spods}, and other lower forms of network life; true hackers travel on their own reputations.

Compare {nick}.

[{Jargon File}]

  1. <networking> {domain handle}.

(2004-07-20)

see: jargon


Hashtag

also: #hashtag , HashTag * Noun

  • verb


HCard

also: h-card

  • Noun

    • A web version of a Vcard. Essentially your addressbook details.

    • A short simple formalised "micro-format" for finger like information.

" h-card is a simple, open format for publishing people and organisations on the web. h-card is one of several open microformat draft standards suitable for embedding data in HTML."

-- [Micro_Hcard-Nov-2018] http://microformats.org/wiki/h-card

So an short simple HTML addressbook "snippet".

see also: WebFinger



Host

  • Noun

    A machine or place on a network.

    A host may be a Work Station an Internet Of Things Appliance or any other device that has an Operating System and / or the ability to utilise its network connections.

  • Verb

    Host or Hosts

    A Server is an Instance of a Host that itself Hosts services for other computers or network nodes. A node may host software.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

  1. <networking> A computer connected to a {network}. The term node includes devices such as routers and printers which would not normally be called "hosts".

  2. <communications> A computer to which one connects using a terminal emulator.

    -- (1995-02-16)


Hub

also: Hubs

A Hubzilla or Osada Node is called a hub.

Hubs are interconnected into Federated grids.

see: Osada Network Federation Instance


Hubzilla

  • Noun

    Hubzilla is a fully featured social media platform and more.

This information is from the Hubzilla development site:

  • Hubzilla Instances (nodes) are called Hubs.

  • The Hubs Federate into a Grid.

  • The Hubs can see much of the rest of the Fediverse.

  • Access and Identity are portable across (at least) The Hubzilla Grid.

  • All web connections are encrypted ( https ).

  • All storage is encrypted.

( as of Late 2018 )

Hubzilla Federation

Hubzilla supports

Zot, OStatus, diaspora, ActivityPub

Which should get you connected to the fediverse and beyond. see these notes to engage all the protocols:

[fedi-hubzilla-protocols_Nov-2018] https://fediverse.party/en/hubzilla/

Hubzilla Notes

From: [HubzillaDevelopment-Oct-2018] https://project.hubzilla.org/page/hubzilla/hubzilla-project

"Hubzilla is a powerful platform for creating interconnected websites featuring a decentralized identity, communications, and permissions framework built using common webserver technology."

  • The Grid

    1. The Grid is a decentralised network of Hubzilla Hubs.

    2. This is similar to federation.

    3. There is no single point of failure and no master server.

    4. So I guess Hubzilla is a Hub Monster ?

  • Channels

    Hubzilla emphasises the concept of Channel to include almost any browsable meta grouping.

    • A user account is a channel,

    • An account may be cloned and imported into any other hubzilla.

    • A group of accounts may be a channel,

    • A web site may be a channel,

    • A collection of images may be a channel

    Think of Hubzilla channels as: A Collection that you can selectively share.

    Access and privacy are central to these channels and even portable.

  • Nomadic Identity

    A Hubzilla Identity is portable across other Hubzilla Hubs and anywhere the Zot protocol is supported.

    Zot allows completely decentralised communications and insulation from DNS based identity.

    [aside]

    It should not matter where you are, or how many proxies you hopped through to arrive there.

    " With Hubzilla, you don't have an "account" on a server like you do on typical websites; you own an identity that you can take with you across the grid by using clones. "

    -- [Osada-About-Nov-2018] https://osada.app/help/en-gb/about/about

    [/aside]

  • On-line Storage

    Hubs may offer cloud like storage allocations using WebDav and Browser uploads.

[Hubzill-start_Oct-24-2018] https://project.hubzilla.org/page/hubzilla/hubzilla-project

see: Platform List


I is for

Icon

  • noun

See also: Avatar


Identity

TODO

see: Hubzilla Osada

IndieAuth

  • protocol

Enabling users to use their own domain (or dedicated service) [od] to sign in to sites, plaforms and services.

  • IndieAuth OAuth2 like Sign-Ins [od] for the more Open Distributed Web.

IndieAuth is an extension to OAuth 2.0 that enables any website to become its own identity provider. It builds on OAuth 2.0, taking advantage of all the existing security considerations and best practices in the industry around authorization and authentication.

-- [dweb-iauth-Nov-2018]

IndieAuth enables Clients to:

  • verify the identity of an End-User.

  • obtain an access token that can be used to access resources under the control of that verified End-User.

One objective is to decentralise the Authorisation system. (away from the big silo type providers)

You might use it to handle remote logins to your social media service. Especially as you shift across devices, applications and locations.

[od] Instead of "Login With" Google,Facebook or Github for example.

IndieAuth is an extension to OAuth 2.0 [RFC6749], (is used by Micropub clients for example).

IndieAuth Architecture

IndieAuth starts with the assumption that every identifier is a URL. Users as well as applications are identified and represented by a URL.

When a user logs in to an application, they start by entering their personal home page URL. The application fetches that URL and finds where to send the user to authenticate, then sends the user there, and can later verify that the authentication was successful.

-- [dweb-iauth-Nov-2018]

How IndieAuth works

Basic flow with a user signing in to a (web) app

  1. The user fills in his/her personal URL This is called Web sign-in.

  2. The app fetches the URL, looking for an authorization endpoint. For this, the user can use IndieAuth.com, but it can also be at their own domain. The app redirects the User to their authorization endpoint.

  3. The user authenticates at their own authorization endpoint.

    • IndieAuth.com uses RelMeAuth to authenticate users,

    • but if a user uses an authorization endpoint on his/her own site, it can be a password, e-mail link, or any other authentication mechanism the authorization endpoint provides.

  4. They [the user] prove their identity to their authorization endpoint while the app waits for them to complete.

  5. The authorization endpoint issues a temporary authorization code, and sends it to the app by redirecting the user's browser back to the app.

  6. The app checks the code with the authorization endpoint,

    • and if the code is valid

    • and if the user's identifier matches the endpoints identifier

  7. the login is completed,

    • and the user can enter and use the app.

-- [IndieAuth-IW_Nov-2018] [Some edits and emphasis added.]


IndieWeb

The Independent Web

from: https://indieweb.org/

What is the IndieWeb?

  • The IndieWeb is a people-focused alternative to the "corporate web".

  • Your content is yours

    • When you post something on the web,

      it should belong to you, not a corporation.

      Too many companies have gone out of business and lost all of their users' data.

  • By joining the IndieWeb, your content stays yours and in your control.

  • You are better connected

    • Your articles and status messages can go to all services, not just one, allowing you to engage with everyone.

      Even replies and likes on other services can come back to your site so they're all in one place.

  • You are in control

    • You can post anything you want,

    • in any format you want,

    • with no one monitoring you.

      In addition, you share simple readable links such as example.com/ideas.

      These links are permanent and will always work.

-- [indieweb-org_Nov-2018] https://indieweb.org/

see : silos , indieauth , webmention , micropub , microformats ,


Information

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

information (Noun) ::
  • 1: a message received and understood [syn: {information},{info}]

  • 2: knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction

  • 3: formal accusation of a crime

  • 4: a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn; "statistical data" [syn: {data}, {information}]

  • 5: (communication theory) a numerical measure of the uncertainty of an outcome; "the signal contained thousands of bits of information" [syn: {information}, {selective information}, {entropy}]

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

information (Noun) ::
<data>

The result of applying data processing to data, giving it context and meaning. Information can then be further processed to yield knowledge.

People or computers can find patterns in data to perceive information, and information can be used to enhance {knowledge}. Since knowledge is prerequisite to wisdom, we always want more data and information. But, as modern societies verge on {information overload}, we especially need better ways to find patterns.

1234567.89 is data.

"Your bank balance has jumped 8087% to $1234567.89" - is information.

"Nobody owes me that much money" - is knowledge.

"I'd better talk to the bank before I spend it, because of what has happened to other people" - is wisdom.

(2007-09-10)



Instances

also: Instance

  • Noun

    An example of something.

  • Verb

    TODO

see: Platform List


Interface

  • noun

    The controlling mechanism(s) utilised to interact with a device.

  • verb

    The act of interacting with or controlling a device.

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

interface noun.
  1. a surface forming a common boundary between two things, especially between two fluids. [WordNet sense 1] [WordNet 1.5]

  2. (Computers) hardware that links one device with another (especially a computer). [WordNet sense 2] [WordNet 1.5]

  3. (Computers) That part of a computer program which controls the way a program interacts with a user; the manner of inputting and outputting of data, and the way information is presented on a computer monitor; also called {user interface}; as, a graphical user interface; a character-based interface. [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

interface (noun)
  1. (chemistry) a surface forming a common boundary between two

    things (two objects or liquids or chemical phases)

  2. (computer science) a program that controls a display for the user (usually on a computer monitor) and that allows the user to interact with the system [syn. {interface}, {user interface}]

  3. the overlap where two theories or phenomena affect each other or have links with each other; "the interface between chemistry and biology"

  4. (computer science) computer circuit consisting of the hardware and associated circuitry that links one device with another (especially a computer and a hard disk drive or other peripherals) [syn: {interface}, {port}]


Instant Messaging

  • Noun

TODO

  • Verb

see: XMPP also: IRC and : Platform List


Import

  • Verb

syn: Copy


IANAL

  • acronym

    I Am Not A Lawyer

see: acronym

IETF

  • noun

Internet Engineering Task Force

IETF

<networking, standard, body> (IETF) The IETF is a large, open international community of network designers, operators, vendors and researchers whose purpose is to coordinate the operation, management and evolution of the {Internet} and to resolve short- and mid-range {protocol} and architectural issues. It is a major source of proposals for {protocol} {standards} which are submitted to the {Internet Architecture Board} (IAB) for final approval.

see: jargon


IMHO

also: IMO

  • Acronym Phrase

In My Humble Opinion

In My Opinion

see: acronym


IRC

also: chatroom


J is for

JSON

  • Noun Standard

    Noun

    A description of a text based structure that is readily transportable across networks in any domain.

    Defined as an ECMA standard

    Widely used in ephemeral areas of web programming.

    MORE TODO


Jabber

  • Noun

    The original (and still widely used) name for XMPP

see also: XMPP , Instant Messaging Platform List


Jargon

  • Noun

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

Jargon Jar"gon, n. [F. jargon, OF. also gargon, perh. akin to
  1. garrulous, or gargle.]

  1. Confused, unintelligible language; gibberish. "A barbarous jargon."

    --Macaulay. "All jargon of the schools." --Prior. [1913 Webster]

  2. Hence: an artificial idiom or dialect; cant language; slang. Especially, an idiom with frequent use of informal technical terms, such as acronyms, used by specialists.

    "All jargon of the schools." --Prior.[1913 Webster]

    The jargon which serves the traffickers.

    --Johnson. [1913 Webster]

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

jargon

<human language, jargon> Language specific to some field of human endeavour, in this case, computing, that might not be understood by those outside that area.

The {Jargon File} is the definitive collection of computing jargon.

(2014-09-01)

Apparently all creatures with thumbs and a culture develop jargon. Computing and Information Technologies (CIT) not least of all. Social Media communication is riddled with often ephemeral instances.

  • Often used as shorthand.

  • May be used as a "status marker" of acquired knowledge and implied expertise. [sm]

  • Occasionally jargon is weaponised and used to exclude or ridicule. [sm]

Jargon is often a barrier for Newbs (New Users).

  • Jargon may obfuscate ideas, concepts and process.

  • Jargon is often less precise and more context specific, than a proponent often assumes or may even, reasonably expect.

Excessive use of jargon outside of some well lubricated social context, [wc] is usually an indicator of desperate obfuscation, pretence , or enthusiastically acquired freshly stamped proto knowledge. (*0*) . :-)

Otherwise it is a sure sign of some sort of , of , of, intoxy...

  • [sm] This sort of sneery patrician behaviour is generally considered to be a bad thing.

  • [wc] Say an office end of year do. Where cab charges and booze had been liberally allocated.

see: CIT , IT , TLA


K is for

Not much yet

kernels or kits or something I expect

see: Platform List


L is for

Linux

  • Noun

    A widely used Operating System.

    Often bundled with suites of Software called "Distros". Linux is the actual operating system in those cases in spite of common usage.

    An operating systems primary purpose is to enable software to Operate on various diverse lumps of electronic and optical circuitry.

    Anything else is a bonus.

see: BSD OS


List

also: Lists

  • noun

    Simply a list of Contacts or sometimes people you don't want to Contact. (It Happens)

  • Verb

    To add an element to a list.

see also: Contacts , Aspects Platform List


LockIn

also: Lock in Vendor LockIn proprietary lock-in customer lock-in

TODO rambles REWRITE jump to the references ...

Short For Vendor Locked In

The Borg at Work

Somehow this concept escaped "acronyisation"

  • When you can't apply solutions beyond the silo : ** YOU are locked in. **

  • Opportunity Costs at all levels are non-linear.

  • Aims to excludes external interaction even global standards

The Network effects of the Connected 21st century enable <&&> amplify this phenomenon:

  • on a scale barely conceivable a half century ago.

  • now possible for a vendor to achieve market and conceptual dominance - with locked in clients - at extremely low marginal costs. - per unit cost is (almost) not worth measuring.

Lockin Examples

Facebook's ™ dominance of _commercialised_ Social Media. Googles capture of the technological, design(s) and "mind spaces" of searching are just two examples.

Lockin is not always a "bad thing". Sometimes it organically grows into an enabling Standardisation:

If the "Plain Old Telephone System" (POTS)
had not been so successfully woven
into human culture it is unlikely you would reading this at all.

[Wikipedia-VLockIn_Nov-2018] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vendor_lock-in

[LinInfo-VLockIN-Nov-2018] http://www.linfo.org/vendor_lockin.html


Log

Also: Logging , Logs

  • Noun

    A file(s) where a record of activity is kept.

    This is most often automatically produced as part of the normal operations of Network Services.

    Often text based communications are recorded and archived for later searching and reference.

    Common examples include IRC , XMPP and other Chat Systems. Web and Mail Servers.

    Assume any service has active logs.

  • Verb

    "To log something"

    Is to make a record of a transaction or proposed action for later reference.

Examples

"The Mail Server logs all access attempts" "The Admin will log the Chat session and mail the logs to all participants."


Login

Also: Log In

  • Noun

    A Login is a current Account.

    e.g. " My Login on the Pleroma Server is still valid. "

  • Verb

    To "Login" is to access your account.

    Usually you are starting a session with a service or on a host.

Around distributed networking the authorisation process is often itself distributed.

IndieAuth and OAuth are two examples. Zot is another _similar_ Protocol.

You know one these are in use when you are offered a "login with" => some.other.network dialog.

see also: Session , Account Platform List


LOL

  • acronym

Laugh Out Loud

It may be surprising to the reader to learn that this term has been in use since the earliest days of telegraphy.

Perhaps even earlier.


LXC

  • acronym (?)

    LinuX Container

    A flexible system process and resource isolation system, similar to virtualisation or BSD Jails.

see: VM , acronym , Linux


M is for

MacroBlogging

  • noun

    Blogging that sits some where between microblogging and a full blog / writing site.

features include:

  • No or large word limit.

  • ability to embed media within the post or at least attach the media. (images video or sound)

  • text formatting tools. (markdown or similar)

see: microblogging Blogging Friendica Hubzilla Diaspora Platform Listing

Mastodon

Also: mastodon Instances

  • Noun

see also: instance

type: Microblogging with some media extensions and generally a longer word limit than Birdsite

TODO

Platform List


Matrix

  • Noun Protocol

    A federated Chat Service and much more.

  • Matrix's initial goal is to fix the problem of fragmented IP communications: letting users message and call each other without having to care what app the other user is on - making it as easy as sending an email.

  • Matrix is an open standard for inter-operable, decentralised, real-time communication over Internet Protocol. ... May be used for Instant Messaging, VoIP/WebRTC signalling, Internet of Things communication ...

-- [MatrixFAQ_Oct-2018]

mx:// Matrix://

  • Protocol in process

MurzNN commented on Sep 21, 2017

At now in most OS and browsers we can implement and register any custom protocol,
that opens specific app,
here is some examples: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Register_protocol

So there are not too hard to manually register mx:// or matrix:// protocol
in local system and configure browser to auto-open specific desktop app
(Riot for example) on click for all urls with this protocol.

Lets select and fix one recommended variation of Matrix protocol prefix
in Matrix docs and provide link to it in matrix.to website,
with short description how to configure it manually on local system.

This will be good start for officially registering Matrix protocol prefix
by default in browsers / OS.
And next small step will be provide browser extensions
with implementation of this protocol.

-- https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/issues/455 (Nov 2018)


Metadata

metadata

  • Noun

    Data about data

With Great Power (should) Come Great Oversight.

Metadata may include - time

  • created

  • visited

  • deleted

  • location and vector

    • held at where on what

    • visited by whom with what via where

    • downloaded by ...

Add a little tracking and you have FB , Google or a surveillance state. Add ranking (methodologies) and you have social control of large communities.

Now hand that to a Corporate or even Nation State actor...

What, could, go, wrong?

Otherwise humans have been at it for centuries :)

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

metadata

1: data about data; "a library catalogue is metadata because it describes publications"

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

metadata

<data> /me't*-day`t*/, or combinations of /may'-/ or (Commonwealth) /mee'-/; /-dah`t*/ (Or "meta-data")

Data about {data}. In {data processing}, metadata is definitional data that provides information about or documentation of other data managed within an application or environment.

For example, metadata would document data about {data elements} or {attributes}, (name, size, data type, etc) and data about {records} or {data structures} (length, fields, columns, etc) and data about data (where it is located, how it is associated, ownership, etc.). Metadata may include descriptive information about the context, quality and condition, or characteristics of the data.


Message

also: messages

  • Noun

    • A communication, written or otherwise. A tweet is a Message.

    Synonyms

  • Verb

    • To "message" somebody is to send them a communication. Usually NOT face to face. To "get in touch" with them.

    • @message syn. DM (informally) Imply a little more urgency or importance. Specifically contact a person or get their attention.

see: Instant Messaging


MFA

  • noun

    Multi Factor Authentication

    (That extra step after you enter the password.)

    "a method of confirming a user's claimed identity in which a computer user is granted access only after successfully presenting two or more pieces of evidence (or factors) to an authentication mechanism: knowledge (something the user and only the user knows), possession (something the user and only the user has), and inherence (something the user and only the user is)"

    -- [WikiPedia-MFA_Nov-2018]

    <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-factor_authentication>

see: 2FA


Microblogging

also: microblog

  • noun

    • Short (length limited) messages.

    • A 'Short Form Post', a Toot a Quip

    Introduced and generalised to the wider web by Twitter ™ as "Tweets".

    Originally text only.

    Link shortening and image embedding have extended the medium.

  • Verb

    To 'microblog' is to specifically make short form posts.

see: Platform List


Microformats

protocol

As a user you probably don't need to know about this ... Its just an agreed set of formats that browsers and servers need to understand.

As a web developer or an Application developer though you really should check it out.

" microformats2 is a simple, open format for marking up data in HTML. The microformats2 parsing specification describes how to implement a microformats2 parser, independent of any specific vocabularies. "

-- [MicroFormat_Nov-2018] http://microformats.org/wiki/microformats-2

see : IndieWeb , webmention , indieauth


MicroPub

  • noun protocol

The Micropub protocol is used to create, update and delete posts on one's own domain using third-party clients.

Web apps and native apps (e.g., iPhone, Android) can use Micropub to post and edit articles, short notes, comments, likes, photos, events or other kinds of posts on your own website.

The Micropub spec defines a simple mechanism to create content, as well as a more thorough mechanism to update and delete content.

-- [W3_micropub_Nov-2018] - https://www.w3.org/TR/micropub/ (With developer level examples.)

Similar to how microformats has a relatively small ruleset for parsing HTML documents into a data structure, Micropub defines a small set of rules to interpret HTTP POST and GET requests as Micropub commands.

Where Microformats does not require changing the parsing rules to introduce new properties of an object such as an h-entry, Micropub similarly does not require changing parsing rules to interpret requests that may correspond to different post types, such as posting videos vs "likes".

The Micropub syntax describes how to interpret HTTP POST and GET requests into a useful action the server can take.

-- [MicroPub_Indieweb_Nov-2018] https://indieweb.org/Micropub

see : webmention , IndieWeb , microformats , indieauth


Misskey

  • Noun

    A Network in the Fediverse

from: Miskey Site https://misskey.nl/

microblogging service.

Sophisticated fully customisable Ui, varieties of reaction for posts, free file storage providing integrated management system and other advancing functions are available.

Also, network system called "Fediverse" enables us to communicate with users on other SNSs. Like, if you post something, then your posts will sent not only to Misskey but also mastodon. Just imagine that the planet is sending a microwave to other planet to communication.

[miskey_Oct-19-2018]

see: Microblogging Platform List


MIT

  • Acronym

  • Noun From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT

    (MIT) An independent, coeducational university located in Cambridge, MA, USA. Its best-known computer-related labs are the {Artificial Intelligence Lab}, the {Lab for Computer Science} and the Media Lab. It is also known for its {hacks} or practical jokes, ... MIT <http://web.mit.edu/>


ML

  • acronym

Machine Learning

see: acronym


N is for

NetBSD

  • noun

    NetBSD

Very flexible and portable NIX style Operating System.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

<operating system> An {open source} {Unix} {clone} that aims for {platform} Independence by a clean separation between the {hardware} and the the {kernel}. It has been ported to many platforms from {embedded systems} to 64-bit computers.

{NetBSD Home (http://netbsd.org/)}.

--(2004-10-08)

from https://netbsd.org/about/

The NetBSD Project's goals

One of the primary focuses of the NetBSD project has been to make the base OS highly portable.

This has resulted in NetBSD being ported to a large number of hardware platforms.

NetBSD is also interoperable, implementing many standard APIs and network protocols, and emulating many other systems' ABIs.

Generally speaking, the NetBSD Project:

  • provides a well designed, stable, and fast BSD system,

  • avoids encumbering licenses,

  • provides a portable system, which runs on many hardware platforms, interoperates well with other systems,

  • conforms to open systems standards as much as is practical.

In summary:

The NetBSD Project provides a freely available and redistributable system that professionals, hobbyists, and researchers can use in whatever manner they wish.

-- [NetBSD_About-Nov-2018] https://netbsd.org/about/

see: NIXen , BSD , OS , API , ABI


Network

Networked, Networks , Net , Networking

  • noun

    • A set of elements that is in communication with each other.

    • A collection of interlinked nodes that exchange information. -- [InstNetCulture_Oct-2018]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

Network Net"work`, n.
  1. A fabric of threads, cords, or wires crossing each other at certain intervals, and knotted or secured at the crossings, thus leaving spaces or meshes between them. [1913 Webster]

  2. Any system of lines or channels interlacing or crossing like the fabric of a net; as, a network of veins; a network of railroads. [1913 Webster]

  3. Hence: (Computers) A system of computers linked together by communications channels allowing the exchange of data between the linked computers. [PJC]

  4. (Radio, Television) A group of transmitting stations connected by communications channels that permit the same program to be broadcast simultaneously from multiple stations over a very wide area; as, the CBS television network; also, the organization that controls the programming that is broadcast over such a network. Contrasted with a {local station} or {local transmitter}. [PJC]

  5. (Electricity, Electronics) Any arrangement of electrical devices or elements connected together by conducting wires; as, a power transmission network. [PJC]

  6. A group of buildings connected by means of transportation and communication between them, and controlled by a central organization for a common purpose; as, a book distribution network. [PJC]

  • Verb

    To network is to make connections between nodes. Nodes may be humans or some other device that communicates with other nodes on the network.

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

verb

1: communicate with and within a group;

"You have to network if you want to get a good job"


Nickname

Also: nick * Noun

In Social Media contexts Nickname or Nick is a synonym for Handle .

From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]:

Nick
  1. [IRC; very common] Short for nickname. On {IRC}, every user must pick a nick , which is sometimes the same as the user's real name or login name, but is often more fanciful. Compare handle, screen name.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

nick

[IRC] nickname. On IRC , every user must pick a nick, which is sometimes the user's real name or login name, but is often more fanciful. Compare Handle.


NIXen

also: UNIX UNIXES

  • Noun Collective Noun Plural

Linux , BSD (z) and Other Unix Like Operating Systems.

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

UNIX
n 1: trademark for a powerful operating system [syn: {UNIX},

{UNIX system}, {UNIX operating system}]

From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]:

Unix

/yoo'niks/, n.

[In the authors' words, ?A weak pun on Multics?; very early on it was ? UNICS?] (also ?UNIX?) An interactive timesharing system invented in 1969 by Ken Thompson after Bell Labs left the Multics project, originally so he could play games on his scavenged PDP-7. Dennis Ritchie, the inventor of C, is considered a co-author of the system. The turning point in Unix's history came when it was reimplemented almost entirely in C during 1972?1974, making it the first source-portable OS. Unix subsequently underwent mutations and expansions at the hands of many different people, resulting in a uniquely flexible and developer-friendly environment. By 1991, Unix had become the most widely used multiuser general-purpose operating system in the world ? and since 1996 the variant called {Linux} has been at the cutting edge of the {open source} movement. Many people consider the success of Unix the most important victory yet of hackerdom over industry opposition (but see {Unix weenie} and {Unix conspiracy} for an opposing point of view). See {Version 7}, {BSD}, {Linux}.

[richiethom]

Archetypal hackers ken (left) and dmr (right).

Some people are confused over whether this word is appropriately ?UNIX? or ?Unix?; both forms are common, and used interchangeably. Dennis Ritchie says that the ?UNIX? spelling originally happened in CACM's 1974 paper The UNIX Time-Sharing System because ?we had a new typesetter and {troff} had just been invented and we were intoxicated by being able to produce small caps.? Later, dmr tried to get the spelling changed to ?Unix? in a couple of Bell Labs papers, on the grounds that the word is not acronymic. He failed, and eventually (his words) ?wimped out? on the issue. So, while the trademark today is ?UNIX?, both capitalizations are grounded in ancient usage; the Jargon File uses ?Unix? in deference to dmr's wishes.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

Unix

<operating system> /yoo'niks/ (Or "UNIX", in the authors' words, "A weak pun on Multics") Plural "Unices". An interactive {time-sharing} {operating system} invented in 1969 by {Ken Thompson} after {Bell Labs} left the {Multics} project, originally so he could play games on his scavenged {PDP-7}. {Dennis Ritchie}, the inventor of {C}, is considered a co-author of the system.

The turning point in Unix's history came when it was reimplemented almost entirely in C during 1972 - 1974, making it the first {source-portable} OS. Unix subsequently underwent mutations and expansions at the hands of many different people, resulting in a uniquely flexible and {developer}-friendly environment.

By 1991, Unix had become the most widely used {multi-user} general-purpose operating system in the world. Many people consider this the most important victory yet of hackerdom over industry opposition (but see {Unix weenie} and {Unix conspiracy} for an opposing point of view).

Unix is now offered by many manufacturers and is the subject of an international standardisation effort [called?]. Unix-like operating systems include {AIX}, {A/UX}, {BSD}, {Debian}, {FreeBSD}, {GNU}, {HP-UX}, {Linux}, {NetBSD}, {NEXTSTEP}, {OpenBSD}, {OPENSTEP}, {OSF}, {POSIX}, {RISCiX}, {Solaris}, {SunOS}, {System V}, {Ultrix}, {USG Unix}, {Version 7}, {Xenix}.

"Unix" or "UNIX"? Both seem roughly equally popular, perhaps with a historical bias toward the latter. "UNIX" is a registered trademark of {The Open Group}, however, since it is a name and not an acronym, "Unix" has been adopted in this dictionary except where a larger name includes it in upper case. Since the OS is {case-sensitive} and exists in many different versions, it is fitting that its name should reflect this.

{The UNIX Reference Desk (http://geek-girl.com/unix.html)}.

{Spanish fire extinguisher

(ftp://linux.mathematik.tu-darmstadt.de/pub/linux/people/okir/unix_flame.gif)}.

[{Jargon File}]

(2001-05-14)

Apple machines operate with a Unix like Operating System as well. (darwin)

Unix is also an engineering concept:

More or Less:

"Use many small simple robust parts to build a greater whole. The concept has proven to be effective portable durable and efficient."

Which is not the same as Universally Applicable , It just seems that way.

see: OS , Linux , BSD , Server , GNU , FSF


Node

Nodes

  • Noun

  • A point of presence on a network. Occasionally a single purpose Host but by no means always.

  • The most basic part of the network; for example, a user or computer. -- [InstNetCulture_Oct-2018]

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

node

  1. A point or vertex in a {graph}.

  2. {network node}.

  3. A {hypertext} document.

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

node

8: (computer science) any computer that is hooked up to a computer network [syn: {node}, {client}, {guest}]

1: a connecting point at which several lines come together

2: any thickened enlargement [syn: {node}, {knob}, {thickening}]

3: (botany) the small swelling that is the part of a plant stem from which one or more leaves emerge [syn: {node}, {leaf node}]

4: (physics) the point of minimum displacement in a periodic system [ant: {antinode}]

5: (astronomy) a point where an orbit crosses a plane

6: the source of lymph and lymphocytes [syn: {lymph node}, {lymph gland}, {node}]

7: any bulge or swelling of an anatomical structure or part

see: Platform List


Nomadic Identity

also: Nomadic

A feature enabled by the Zot protocol.

Zot6 enables "entities" that are nomadic. Identity is a example of an entity that may be nomadic.

The ability to authenticate and easily migrate an identity across independent hubs and web domains.

Nomadic identity provides true ownership of an online identity, because the identities of the channels controlled by an account on a hub are not tied to the hub itself.

A hub is more like a "host" for channels.

-- [Osada-About-Nov-2018] https://osada.app/help/en-gb/about/about

see: Hubzilla Osada Authenticate Zot


Notification

Notifications

  • Noun

    Message(s) for your attention.

    • Usually information that relates to a particular user.

    • The System may notify you of mentions, re-posts, other discussion on a post or other alerts.

      Almost always configurable, via the operations interface. (or urgent messages only)

      Notifications may also be Emailed to a User.


NSFW

  • Noun Acronym

    Not Safe For Work

    A warning , a tag or flag , that the content of the message may be culturally inappropriate in Work Places or other Public settings.


O is for

OAuth

also: OAuth2

  • Protocol

    Auth0 provides authentication and authorization as a service. [OAi]

You have probably see this protocol at work many times.

Whenever a web site or service ask you to Log In or Sign In with : Google ™ or Facebook ™ or Github ™ or some other social media provider.

It is likely that the mechanisms at work depend centrally on OAuth2.

OAuth introduces an authorization layer separating the role of the client from that of the resource owner.

OAuth (2.0) allows controlled access to the resources of another entity.

It is used as a broker protocol by client applications to utilise information owned by another account or service.

More or less a constrained proxy who is given a unique set of ephemeral keys.

(usually)

In OAuth, the client requests access and is issued a different set of credentials than those of the resource owner.

This means the Client:

  • Never stores sensitive information.

  • Never receives the Owners (full) access authority.

  • May have access constrained and revoked easily.

Selections from RFC 6749

The OAuth 2.0 authorization framework enables a third-party
application to obtain limited access to an HTTP service, either on
behalf of a resource owner by orchestrating an approval interaction
between the resource owner and the HTTP service, or by allowing the
third-party application to obtain access on its own behalf.  This
specification replaces and obsoletes the OAuth 1.0 protocol described
in RFC 5849.
...
For example, an end-user (resource owner) can grant a printing
service (client) access to her protected photos stored at a photo-
sharing service (resource server), without sharing her username and
password with the printing service.  Instead, she authenticates
directly with a server trusted by the photo-sharing service
(authorization server), which issues the printing service delegation-
specific credentials (access token).

-- [OAuth2-IETF-rfc6749_Nov-2018] https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749

More information from :

[Oai] [OAuth-Started_Nov-2018] https://auth0.com/docs/getting-started

[OAuth-AaronParecki_Nov-2018] https://aaronparecki.com/oauth-2-simplified/

see: IndieAuth , IndieWeb , Authorisation , Authenticate Login


OpenBook

Still in development November 2018. (Github and Gitlab?)

Early 2019 release projected.

A new Social Network API and Interfaces based around Django and Vue.js

The focus seems to be secured connections with a validated plugins / modules system.

"We're at a breaking point. We need to stop building products for users and start building products for people. To put humanity at the core of everything we build."

-- Joel Hernandez ( Founder of Openbook )

Openbook holds hope for the future, a social network where we are not victims of its revenue model.

-- Phil Zimmermann ( Internet hall of fame member )

From FAQ :

Will Openbook be decentralised?

We want to get there eventually. We're looking into Solid MIT approach (The one from Tim Berners Lee) and we're very pleased with it so far.

Our first versions will however be centralised.

We do this because it's then easier to focus on innovating in the product features and overall user experience. These things will determine whether we'll reach the user base necessary to take on existing social networks.

If we succeed at this, sky's the limit into what we can do in regards to decentralisation!

-- [OpenBookFAQ_Nov-2018] https://www.openbook.social/en/faq

see: Platform List


OpenBSD

  • Noun

    OpenBSD

  • A *Nix style operating system. With an emphasis on security.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

OpenBSD

<operating system> A version of {BSD Unix} with an emphasis on security. A lot of security work that is ported to other free operating systems originates with OpenBSD and a lot of {code review} is done here.

Sub-projects of OpenBSD include implementations of

{OpenBSD Home (http://openbsd.org/)}.

-- (2005-01-17)

from openBSD FAQ: https://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq1.html#WhatIs

The OpenBSD project produces a freely available, multi-platform 4.4BSD-based UNIX-like operating system. Our goals place emphasis on correctness, security, standardization, and portability.

Why might I want to use it?

Some reasons why we think OpenBSD is a useful operating system:

  • OpenBSD runs on many different hardware platforms.

  • OpenBSD is thought of as the most secure UNIX-like operating system by many security professionals, as a result of the never-ending comprehensive source code audit.

  • OpenBSD is a full-featured UNIX-like operating system available in source and binary form at no charge.

  • OpenBSD integrates cutting-edge security technology suitable for building firewalls and private network services in a distributed environment.

  • OpenBSD benefits from strong ongoing development in many areas, offering opportunities to work with emerging technologies and an international community of developers and end users.

  • OpenBSD attempts to minimize the need for customization and tweaking. For the vast majority of users, OpenBSD just works on their hardware for their application.

-- [openBSD_FAQ-Nov_2018]

see: Nixen , BSD , OS


OpenID

also: openid

A remote id validation protocol and service

TODO

see: gravatar , Zot , authentication

Open Rights Group UK

also: ORG , ORGUK

  • noun

    Open Rights Group is a UK based digital campaigning organisation working to protect the rights to privacy and free speech online.

Values as stated by ORG

  1. We believe in human rights.

  2. Our work is based on evidence.

  3. We are accountable to our supporters, and operate with integrity.

  4. We believe in the importance of empowered people defending digital rights.

  5. Our work must be accessible and inclusive.

see: Digital Rights


OpenWebAuth

OpenWebAuth provides a light-weight form of cross-domain authentication between websites on the open web.

The principals involved in the authentication may or may not have any pre-existing relationship.

OpenWebAuth utilises webfinger (RFC7033) and HTTP Signatures (draft-cavage-http-signatures-09) with a simple token generation service to provide seamless and interaction free authentication between diverse websites.

-- [MacGirvin-OpenWebAuth-Nov-2018] https://macgirvin.com/wiki/mike/OpenWebAuth/Home

compare: Zot see: Webfinger OStatus Diaspora Protocol


Operator

also; Op, O P, Operators

  • Noun

    The person running the session. The Administrator of a Service or System Whom ever set up the chat room. Usually a human.

see: IRC Chat


Osada

NOTE

Osada has been discontinued.

Hubzilla is probably what you want for public social media uses.

Otherwise see Zot and Zap

for clarity see: <https://zotlabs.org/page/zotlabs/comparison+hubzilla+zap>


  • noun

    • Contemporary Social Networking suite with ActivityPub support and Zot authentication.

    • A Hubzilla derived Platform focused on portability.

for more features see: https://osada.app/help/en-gb/about/about#Features

What Is Osada

(from https://osada.app/help/en-gb/about/about)

From the practical perspective of hub members who use the software, Osada offers a variety of familiar, integrated web apps and services, including:

  • social networking discussion threads

  • cloud file storage

  • calendar and contacts (with CalDAV and CardDAV support)

  • webpage hosting with a content management system

  • wiki

and more...

[edits]

Osada allows you to set permissions for groups and individuals who may not even have accounts on your hub!

In typical web apps, if you want to share things privately on the internet, the people you share with must have accounts on the server hosting your data. otherwise, there is no robust way for your server to authenticate visitors to the site.

Osada solves this problem with an advanced system of remote authentication. Validating a Visitors identity by employing techniques that include public key cryptography.

[Osada-About-Nov-2018] https://osada.app/help/en-gb/about/about

Osada Federation

NOTE

Osada has been discontinued.

Hubzilla is probably what you want for public social media uses.

Otherwise see Zot and Zap

for clarity see:

<https://zotlabs.org/page/zotlabs/comparison+hubzilla+zap>

Connects with any almost any Platform including Ostatus Diaspora and ActivityPub enabled nodes. However Osada and Zot6 go even further.

From The Author

Mike Macgirvin https://macgirvin.com/wiki/mike/Osada/Home

Osada is a gateway server between nomadic and non-nomadic networks (such as between Zot Zot6 and ActivityPub Diaspora Ostatus ).

The purpose of Osada ("gypsy settlement") is to resolve the dilemma that software which was not designed around nomadic identity won't actually work correctly with software that is nomadic. The only other alternative is for all web communications software and protocols to be nomadic-aware and this is unlikely to happen.

In prior efforts such as RedMatrix and Hubzilla , federation with non-nomadic networks was offered as a choice. You could choose federation or nomadic identity. Choosing both leads to a situation where expected communications are not delivered and both federation and nomadic operation are flawed in basic ways.

Osada resolves this basic dilemma by providing a gateway service between the two incompatible paradigms.

At a high level, Osada provides a non-nomadic server which can federate with all existing networks.

(to the extent that those networks permit federation; ActivityPub and Diaspora have limitations on their ability to federate third-party messages between incompatible protocols).

On the nomadic side, Osada does not allow "nomadic" operation itself, but it supports nomadic communication.

It uses a Zot6 concept called linked identities to transfer information into and out of the nomadic network.

The linked identity on the Osada side is not a clone and [also] has a distinct non-nomadic identity. It can be bound to a nomadic identity on the Zot6 network.

All federation and cross-protocol communication occurs at the bridge. If the linked identity relationship is severed for any reason (including failure/shutdown of the bridge), all bridged communications will cease.

Osada identities can be moved/relocated and connections on non-nomadic networks which support account moves will be retained. Connections on services which do not allow moves will be lost.

People inside the nomadic network will make connections to the nomadic identity. People on outside networks will make connections to the Osada identity and will be (likely) unable to resolve the internal nomadic identity as something they are able to federate with.

An Osada reference implementation is available at https://framagit.org/macgirvin

-- [MikeMacGirvin-Osada_Nov-01-2018] https://macgirvin.com/wiki/mike/Osada/Home

see: Platform Zot nomadic Platform List



OTP

  • Noun Acronym

    • One Time Password

    • One Time Passkey

    • One Time Pad

      These all share the quality of being " single use only ".

      Usually a unique and random string or phrase that may only be used once.

This is often used with Multi-factor Authentication and / or encrypted communications.

The Password Or Phrase:

  • May be generated per access instance.

  • Will be known only to the User and Host.

  • Is ephemeral, discarded and never used again.

One Time Pads are often more involved, (spycraft) though essentially the concept is the same.

There are other meanings for OTP. These are not uncommon.:

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

OTP

  1. <security> {One-Time Password}.

  2. <protocol> {Open Trading Protocol}.

  3. <storage, integrated circuit> {One Time Programmable Read Only Memory}.

  4. <communications, library>

    {Open Telecom Platform}.

—(2001-08-28)


Out Of Band

  • Noun

Describes

  • Communication happening on a side channel or other "circuit".

  • Information flows outside the primary interface.

  • The displacement may also be temporal without being at all Doctor Who.

    (say the next day or previously or a few minutes later)

  • verb

The Act of Communicating Out Of Band.

" Lets Take this issue Out Of Band, while the rest stay on subject. "

see: "The Band" "The Last Waltz" IRC

see: IRC XMPP


OS

  • noun

    Operating System

The BSD family and Linux Operating Systems are important foundations for contemporary networking, and all general purpose computing.

see: Linux , BSD , Nixen


P is for

P2P

also: Peer To Peer peer-to-peer

noun (usually)

Not a protocol but a label for a number of sometimes distributed (often centralised) sharing "services".

At various times this approach has been controversial. Mostly because of the content shared, rather than the technologies.

The content actually shared maybe distributed across many clients (peers) The services provide methods of searching discovering and actually distributing content. The client (peer) is often expected to also share the content for at least as long as that client is downloading the many parts that make up the final file(s).

The name captures concepts invoked by : Peer to Peer , person to person , client to client. Newsgroups and anon FTP sites.

From Foldoc:

<networking>

1. The kind of communication found in a system using layered { protocols }. Each software or hardware component can be considered to communicate only with its { peer } in the same layer via the connection provided by the lower layers.

(1994-12-14)

2. A decentralised {file sharing} system like {BitTorrent}, {Gnutella} or {Kazaa} where computers that download data also store that data and serve it to other downloaders. This increases the total bandwidth available in proportion to the number of users and so reduces download time. It also improves resilience by providing multiple redundant sources for the same data. This contrasts with {client-server} where all clients download the data from a single server (or {mirror}), sharing its fixed bandwidth.

Peer-to-peer networks are typically ad-hoc and rely on users sharing the content they have downloaded for the benefit of other users. Users who fail to do this are called "leaches". A "seed" is a node on a peer-to-peer network that is sharing a complete copy of a file, as opposed to other nodes that may only have some of the parts into which the file has been split.

(2010-02-20)

-- The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]


Password

also: Pass Phrase

  • noun

    A string or phrase _you_ can recall that is:

    • difficult for another to guess or deduce.

    • unique to that user : login combination. [u]

    • Has never been used in a Movie ! (no seriously)

    • Not (only) A Number !

    Many sites have restrictions on what minimum standards a password needs to be.

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

Password Pass"word`, n.

A word to be given before a person is allowed to pass; a watchword; a countersign. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

-- The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

password

n 1: a secret word or phrase known only to a restricted group; "he forgot the password" [syn: {password}, {watchword}, {word}, {parole}, {countersign}]

-- WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

password

<security> An arbitrary string of characters chosen by a user or {system administrator} and used to authenticate the user when he attempts to log on, in order to prevent unauthorised access to his account. A favourite activity among unimaginative {computer nerds} and {crackers} is writing programs which attempt to discover passwords by using lists of commonly chosen passwords such as people's names (spelled forward or backward). It is recommended that to defeat such methods passwords use a mixture of upper and lower case letters or digits and avoid proper names and real words. If you have trouble remembering random strings of characters, make up an acronym like "ihGr8trmP" ("I have great trouble remembering my password").

-- The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (1994-10-27)

Nine Teen Ninety Four

[u] Remember Silos and sites occasionally get cracked. What would it mean if "that password" was exposed (and they do get sold on). How many sites would you have to alter.

see: Authorisation Authenticate


PeerTube

  • Noun

    A Federated Video sharing network, distributed Video in the Fediverse

from https://joinpeertube.org/

How it works

  • Everybody can host a PeerTube server we call [an] instance.

    Every instance hosts its own users and their videos. It also keeps a list of the videos available of the instances the administrator chooses to follow in order to suggest them to its users.

  • Every account has a globally unique identifier. e.g.

    @chocobozzz@framatube.org
    
    consisting of the local username (@chocobozzz)
    and the domain name of the server it is on (framatube.org).
    
    so @chocobozzz@framatube.org

    see also: @handle@node.domain for another explanation.

  • The administrators of a PeerTube instance can follow each other.

    When your PeerTube instance follows another PeerTube instance, you [also] receive the videos preview information [s] from this [followed] instance.

    This way, you can display the videos available on your instance and on the instances you decided to follow.

    So you keep control of the videos displayed on your PeerTube instance!

-- https://joinpeertube.org/en/#how-it-works [ 30 Jan 2019 ]

[ with small edits to content, bullet points for clarity ]

see: Platform List

refs:

[PeerTube_how_Jan-2019] [PeerTube_what_Jan-2019]


People

also: Humans

In this and wider Information Technology Contexts:

see: User


Ping

ping, pings , pinging

  • Verb

    • In the context of the Fediverse (and others) to "ping" somebody, is to get their attention. To inquire of their current status.

    • The active act of pinging. Testing and measuring a network connection. "Ping host X to see if it is up."

see also: @mention

  • Noun Backronym

    The name of the program, classically and widely used to actually "ping" a host or node.

    From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

    ping Packet InterNet Groper ping command pinging

    <networking, tool> (ping, originally contrived to match submariners' term for the sound of a returned sonar pulse) A program written in 1983 by Mike Muuss (who also wrote {TTCP}) used to test reachability of destinations by sending them one, or repeated, {ICMP} echo requests and waiting for replies. Since ping works at the {IP} level its server-side is often implemented entirely within the {operating system} {kernel} and is thus the lowest level test of whether a remote host is alive. Ping will often respond even when higher level, {TCP}-based services cannot.

    Sadly, Mike Muuss was killed in a road accident on 2000-11-20.

    The {Unix} command "ping" can be used to do this and to measure round-trip delays.

    The funniest use of "ping" was described in January 1991 by Steve Hayman on the {Usenet} group comp.sys.next. He was trying to isolate a faulty cable segment on a {TCP/IP} {Ethernet} hooked up to a {NeXT} machine. Using the sound recording feature on the NeXT, he wrote a {script} that repeatedly invoked ping, listened for an echo, and played back the recording on each returned {packet}. This caused the machine to repeat, over and over, "Ping ... ping ... ping ..." as long as the network was up. He turned the volume to maximum, ferreted through the building with one ear cocked, and found a faulty tee connector in no time.

    Ping did not stand for "Packet InterNet Groper", Dave Mills offered this {backronym} expansion some time later

    ...

    The Story of the Ping Program <http://ftp.arl.mil/~mike/ping.html>


Pixelfed

  • Noun

PixelFed is a federated social image sharing platform, similar to instagram.

"A Photo Sharing Experience for everyone"

Pixelfed servers are called instances.

Pixelfed Federation

Federation is done using the ActivityPub protocol, which is used by Mastodon, PeerTube, Pleroma, and more. Through ActivityPub PixelFed can share and interact with these platforms, as well as other instances of PixelFed.


Platform

Platforms

  • noun

    For this document a platform is the underlying suite of software providing the social media network.

see: Host , Service , Platform List


Platform List

also: Platform Listing

This list is by no means comprehensive. List Membership does not equate to recommendation.

-- originally from https://framaforms.org/fediverse-preferences-survey-1540788767

(amended and rearranged)


Pleroma

Also: pleroma instances

  • Noun

    "Pleroma is a federated social networking platform, compatible with GNU social, Mastodon and other ActivityPub and OStatus implementations.

    It is free software licensed under the AGPLv3.

    It actually consists of two components:

    • a back end, named simply Pleroma,

    • and a user-facing front end, named Pleroma-FE."

    Features:

    • High-performance

    • Light memory usage

    • Runs on a Raspberry Pi

    • Support for the ActivityPub and OStatus Protocols

    • Built with concurrency and distribution in mind from conceptual stages. * Elixer and other modern robust fault tolerant toolkits.

    • Multiple Web5 Front Ends Supported.

    • Gopher Access.

-- [Pleroma_17-Oct-2018] <https://pleroma.social/>

Pleroma network servers are called Instances .

It is fast robust and simple to operate .

Follows across the Fediverse are fast simple and reliable.

Pleroma is a microblogging server software that can federate (= exchange messages with) other servers that support the same federation standards... .

What that means is that you can host (run) a server for yourself or your friends and stay in control of your online identity, (and) still exchange messages with people on larger servers.

[lain_17-Oct-2018] <https://blog.soykaf.com/post/what-is-pleroma/> (some small edits)

Pleroma Federation

Pleroma will federate with all platforms that implement and engage with the OStatus or ActivityPub Protocols.

At least:

GNU Social, Friendica, Hubzilla and Mastodon . (as of November 2018)


Plume

  • Noun

    A Federated blogging engine, based on ActivityPub

    "Authors can manage various blogs from an unique website. Articles are also visible on other Plume websites, and you can interact with them directly from other platforms like Mastodon."

There is live and working instance at: <https://Fediverse.blog>.

"Fediverse.Blog is a great choice if you want to have an up-to-date public instance (where your data won't be deleted). It is provided by @gled@mastodon.host the Mastodon.host admin."

-- [baptise_Oct_2018} <https://baptiste.gelez.xyz/about>

Plume is not yet ready for production uses. (October 2018) Its Lead Developer considers it to experimental.

-- [PlumeDev]

Meanwhile for the curious the technical or to contribute: The best place to start Plume on Github or the Plume Development Blog .


PM

  • noun acronym

    Product Manager Production Manager

see: jargon


Pod

pods

In the context of Distributed Networked Services Pod has two recent meanings.

  1. An standalone Instance of Diaspora.

  2. Personal Online Data (store) POD

    "Used for distributed person data storage and processing". Promulgated by Tim Berners-Lee and others.

    -- [Inrupt-Oct-2018]

    see: MIT , Solid

As a further demonstration of the fluidity of contemporary language and the crowding of name-spaces and concepts, here are some other known meanings in the general context of Information Technology.

From V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (September 2014) [vera]:

POD

Plain Old Document [format]

POD

Print / Publishing On Demand, "PoD"

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

pod

Not to be confused with {P.O.D.}.

1. <printer> (Allegedly from abbreviation POD for "Prince Of Darkness") A {Diablo} 630 (or, latterly, any {letter-quality} {impact printer}). From the {DEC-10} {PODTYPE} program used to feed formatted text to it.

  1. <text> {Plain Old Documentation}.

[{Jargon File}]

(1998-12-18)

see: Platform List


Poll

also: polls

  • Noun

    • A survey

    • A quiz

  • Verb

    • To query a set of people.


Post

also: posts

  • Noun

    A single message.

    • A Toot is a Mastodon Post.

    • A tweet and a quip are types of post.

    • A (sent) message is a post

    Something one may fix a paper based message on. Often cylindrical and composed of wood. :) emoticon

  • Verb

    post

    To post a message where it is (generally) visible on a network.

    "I will post this to the group" "I have posted too many cat pics" "Gandalf's Posts are Wizard"

    From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]:

    To send a message to a {mailing list} or {newsgroup}. Distinguished in context from mail; one might ask, for example: ?Are you going to post the patch or mail it to known users??

    From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

    post

    <messaging> To send a message to a {mailing list} or {newsgroup}. Usually implies that the message is sent indiscriminately to multiple users, in contrast to "mail" which implies one or more deliberately selected individual recipients.

    You should only post a message if you think it will be of interest to a significant proportion of the readers of the group or list, otherwise you should use private {electronic mail} instead. See {netiquette}.

    [{Jargon File}]

    (1997-12-04)

see: toot, tweet, quip, conversation, message, CW Platform List


postActive

postactive postactiv

  • Noun

    A Federated social networking platform

    It is derived from GNU Social, which is itself derived from StatusNet and Laconica. It helps people in a community, company, or group to exchange short status updates, do polls, announce events, or other social activities.

    Users can choose which people to "follow" and receive only their friends' or colleagues' status messages.

    They can also view the public timeline of the site to see everyone, or the "whole known network" timeline, to see all the people in sites that have connected with this one, by someone [on your site] following them.

postActive Federation

As of Late 2018 postActive communicates with servers running : Friendica, Hubzilla, GNU Social, StatusNet, and Mastodon. (with some qualifications for mastodon)

-- [postActive-home_Oct-2018] https://postactiv.com/

see: ActivityPub which is a protocol not a platform.

Platform List


Protocol

Protocols

An accepted set of rules procedures and guidelines.

By accepting an agreed common standardised set of methods communication is reliably enabled between many systems.

In Federated Social Networking there is a well developed "Open Stack" of Protocols:

  • OAuth authorization, OpenID authentication, Zot portable authentication.

  • OStatus federation, ActivityPub federation protocol,

  • XRD metadata discovery, the Portable Contacts protocol,

  • the Wave Federation Protocol, XMPP (Jabber)

  • OpenSocial widget APIs,

  • microformats like XFN and hCard,

  • Atom web feeds. RSS syndication / feeds.

Some or usually many of these are used per social network system, ( Framework. Platform ) and in other distributed applications.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

protocol

A set of formal rules describing how to transmit data, especially across a {network}. Low level protocols define the electrical and physical standards to be observed, bit- and byte-ordering and the transmission and {error detection and correction} of the bit stream. High level protocols deal with the data formatting, including the {syntax} of messages, the terminal to computer dialogue, {character sets}, sequencing of messages etc.

Many protocols are defined by {RFCs} or by {OS}.

(1995-01-12)


Public Timeline

  • A flow of all public posts made by accounts on a local Instance or Host.

  • A Message Feed that holds content that is not `flagged`_ Private. Only the messages actually published by @handle on @node.domain.

see: Timeline


PubSubHubBub

  • Noun and Verb

    A protocol for subscribing to a Hubzilla account ?

    Also Known As: WebSub

    This is used to send messages to followers that have sent a "follow activity".

    -- [lain@pleroma.soykaf.com_Oct-2018]


Push

  • verb

    To send information out rather than waiting for a request.

    Socialmedia Protocols often use notification type services to notify other agents of state changes.

    TODO


POSSE

  • Noun Acronym

    Publish Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere

A content publishing model that starts with posting content on your own domain first, then syndicating out copies to 3rd party services with permashortlinks back to the original on your site.

This method helps ensure you retain clear verifiable ownership of your content while also enabling simple point of origin reference URL's.

There is more at:

-- [IndieWeb-POSSE_Nov-2018] https://indieweb.org/POSSE

see: URL , RSS , Authenticate


Q is For

Quip

also: quips

see: jargon Platform List


R is For

Room

also: Chat Room

  • noun

    A room is a place where users can share, send and receive messages. Messages are sent to a room, and all participants in that room with sufficient access will receive the message.

-- paraphrased

[MatrixSpec-Oct-2018] https://matrix.org/docs/spec/#room-structure

see also: Chat , Jabber , Matrix , IRC, ICQ


RSS

  • Noun, Acronym

    Really Simple Syndication

    A standardised mechanism for sites to propagate data streams , to other nodes or endpoint data consumers on networks. This enables ready syndication (duplication) of Content across arbitrary numbers of distribution and consumption points.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]: [edited]

Rich Site Summary Really Simple Syndication RSS RSS feed

<web, standard> (RSS, blog , feed) A family of {standard} {web} document types containing regularly updated, short articles or news items.

RSS documents (generally called "RSS feeds", "news feeds" or just "feeds") can be read with an RSS reader* ... These are sometimes called " aggregators " because they combine multiple RSS feeds which the user can browse as a single list.

The RSS reader tracks which articles the use has read, and is typically set to show only new articles, hence the idea of a "feed" or flow of new items.

Most RSS feeds are based on {RDF}.

{RDF} is a structured document format for describing textual resources such as news articles available on the web. RSS originally stood for "RDF Site Summary" as it was designed to provide short descriptions of (changes to) a {website}.

Because it provides a standard way to deliver, or "syndicate", news or updates from one site to another, RSS is sometimes expanded as "Really Simple Syndication". It is closely associated with {blogs}, most of which provide an RSS feed of articles.

(2013-08-15)

see: Atom


S is for

Salmons

singular: Salmon

  • noun

    Messages sent to direct recipients, when you mention someone. These are signed by a public key crypto mechanism.

    They swim upstream to find you.

    -- [lain@pleroma.soykaf.com_Oct-2018]

Not the fish. Which is why its S a l m o n s.

see: DM @mention WebSub PuSH OStatus


Service

services

  • Noun

    A utility delivered and accessed from a networked computer.

    A service delivered by a Server or a Daemon

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

<networking, programming> Work performed (or offered) by a {server}. This may mean simply serving simple requests for data to be sent or stored (as with {file servers}, {gopher} or {http} servers, {e-mail} servers, {finger} servers, {SQL} servers, etc.); or it may be more complex work, such as that of {irc} servers, print servers, {X Windows} servers, or process servers.

(1997-09-11)

Simplified Example

  1. An http server: Delivers access to web pages. i.e. It serves up web pages.

    Those pages are constructed using an agreed set of standardised instructions (HTML / XML) delivered over the Internet using HTTP or HTTPS (Secured) protocols and standards.

    a. Apache and Nginx are two programmable httpd Servers. They provide the http web-service.

    b. Firefox and Chromium are two software http Clients. They process instructions received from a web server.

see: Platform List


Server

  • noun

    • A Node on a Network that provides one or more Services.

    • The Physical Machine that provides services. Often dedicated to the task and designed to perform those tasks effectively and reliably.

    • A node that has connections to a relatively large amount of other nodes [InstNetCulture_Oct-2018]

see: host Platform List


Session

  • Noun

    A communications connection between at least two agents. None of them have to be human.

    • At the human operator level, it often means logging on to a service to interact with the software itself and optionally (eventually) other people.

    When you log into the Fediverse you are :
    • Starting a client to server(s) session with the Networking Software.

    • Operating a 'session' exchanging information with other Users , or even Bots.

      • ( or you may just be immoderately out on a 'session' of podcasts and News Feeds :)

  • Verb

    To ** session ** ; is to communicate.

    " I will session with you on Socialhome tomorrow night. " ( Probably implying that: I will login and engage 'intently' with you. )

    -- aside : Context. Its a slippery thing.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

session

<networking> 1. A lasting connection between a user (or user agent) and a {peer}, typically a {server}, usually involving the exchange of many packets between the user's computer and the server. A session is typically implemented as a layer in a network {protocol} (e.g. {telnet}, {FTP}).

In the case of protocols where there is no concept of a session layer (e.g. {UDP}) or where sessions at the {session layer} are generally very short-lived (e.g. {HTTP}), {virtual} sessions are implemented by having each exchange between the user and the remote host include some form of {cookie} which stores state (e.g. a unique session ID, information about the user's preferences or authorisation level, etc.).

See also {login}.

2. A lasting connection using the {session layer} of a networking protocol.

(1997-08-03)

see: Platform List


Set

Informally :

A grouping of or from a list

Sets

TODO


Short Status

also: short status updates

A microblog post

A short message


Side Effect

also: sideeffect

noun 1: a secondary and usually adverse effect of a drug or therapy; "severe headaches are one of the side effects of the drug"

2: any adverse and unwanted secondary effect; "a strategy to contain the fallout from the accounting scandal" [syn: {side effect}, {fallout}]

-- From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006

  • Not always an undesirable engineering moment.

  • Often a surprise.

  • Something to avoid with good ( functional ) practice

see: Jargon


Sign In

also: Sign-In

  • Noun

    A "sign in" is approximately the same as an "account"

  • Verb

    To "sign in" is to login to a service of some sort..

Sign-In is often seen in the context of OAuth and IndieAuth.

It is diffentiated from Login by being undertaken by an agent for you. A proxy of some sort, acting for you.

this is often indictated by phrases like:

Sign In with "Some Place Else" .

e.g.

  • 'Sign in with Google' [ ]

    or

  • 'Sign In with Face Book' [ ] .

Github etc etc.

There is no reason _you_ , or a group of _you_ (we), cant do this your (our) self.

see: Indieweb IndieAuth OAuth note Lockin

Platform List


Signal

  • noun

    From the User of a Social Media Interface a signal is more or less a road sign: However there are probably many layers of signals going on around you right now :)

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

Signal Sig"nal, n. [F., fr. LL. signale, fr. L. signum. See {Sign}, n.]

  1. A sign made for the purpose of giving notice to a person of some occurrence, command, or danger; also, a sign, event, or watchword, which has been agreed upon as the occasion of concerted action. [1913 Webster]

    ...

  1. Hence: (Electronics) A measurable electrical quantity, such as voltage or current, that conveys information by varying in magnitude over time; as, the signals from the strongest commercial radio stations can be received over hundreds of miles. [PJC] Signal to noise ratio

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

signal

<operating system> A predefined message sent between two {Unix} {processes} or from the {kernel} to a process. Signals communicate the occurrence of unexpected external events such as the forced termination of a process by the user. Each signal has a unique number associated with it and each process has a signal handler set for each signal. Signals can be sent using the {kill} {system call}.

(1996-12-10)


Silos

also silo

  • noun

    • Isolated self referencing environments.

    • Often Corporate , but by no means always.

Synonyms: "Corporate Web"

Mitigating Influences: IndieWeb , Federation . Fediverse

For the sake of clarity "Stovepipes" "Echo Chambers" and "think space Silos" are not dealt with in this entry.

Originally :

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

Silo Si"lo, n. [F.]

A pit or vat for packing away green fodder for winter use so as to exclude air and outside moisture. See {Ensilage}. -- [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

silo

1: a cylindrical tower used for storing silage 2: military installation consisting of an underground structure where ballistic missiles can be stored and fired

Characteristics Of A Silo

Edited from: https://indieweb.org/silo

A silo, or web content hosting silo, in the context of the IndieWeb, and this glossary is a centralized web site that:

  • stakes some claim to content contributed to it

  • and restricts access in some way (has walls).

Silos Often have many or all of the following characteristics:

Silos:

  • Require you to create an account specific to that site.

  • Allow you to post content.

  • Only allow interaction with others on that site.

  • restrict your ownership via:

    • an access wall that prevents obfuscates or impedes indexing of content or metadata.

    • a restrictive terms of service (TOS)

    • claim some ownership or license to any Content you create or share within the silo.

  • Impose Constraints on your ability to import/export your own content, Or metadata about that content.

-- [IndieWeb-Silo_Nov-2018] https://indieweb.org/silo

see: FSF LockIn

compare: Commons , Indieweb , Fediverse


SMS

  • noun

    From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

    SMS

    1. <messaging> {Short Message Service}.

    2. <storage> {Storage Management Services}.

    3. <operating system> {System Management Server}.

    (1999-05-02)


Socialhome

also: SocialHome , Social Home

  • noun

    From the (this) Users point of view Socialhome is a Broadsheet, or even a Glossy Journal.

Short form posts (tweet or toot like) are fully supported. Long form, illustrated messages are encouraged.

SocialHome AMA Notes

from an Ask Me Anything session with :

SocialHomes Primary Developer

@jaywink@jasonrobinson.me

Moderated by:

Edward Morbius: https://plus.google.com/104092656004159577193

A "lay persons" description of the platform :

  • a social networking server with rich profiles.

  • a cross between Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest.

  • statuses like Twitter,

  • longer form posts like Tumblr

  • visual layout more like Pinterest.

  • Inlined image uploads.

  • Socialhome streams load fast

  • users have the choice of 4 visibility levels for content.

    • Public (federates, indexed by google)

    • limited (federates, but only to those servers where targeted users are at)

    • site (does not federate, visible to server users only),

    • self (visible to self only, good for drafts).

-- [Gplus-AMA-31-October-2018] <https://plus.google.com/communities/112164273001338979772/stream/d925d840-efe8-45f7-b218-1b9cf2a5aa8a>

From The SocialHome Network itself: <https://socialhome.network/>

SocialHome Streams

Content in #Socialhome is collected in Streams. In the future users will be able to build their own Streams based on rules and filters.

Currently:

  • Followed - Content from followed users.

  • Public - Content with visibility public from local and remote users.

  • Tag - Visible content containing a particular hashtag.

  • Local - Content created by users on the same server.

  • Limited - Non-public content visible to the user from local and remote users.

  • User pinned - Content the user has pinned to their profile.

  • User all - All content the local or remote user has.

Social Homes Federation

Socialhome federates using the Diaspora protocol.

This allows content to federate not only to other Socialhome servers, but also with servers from Diaspora, Friendica and Hubzilla platforms.

ActivityPub support is work in progress, which should extend SocialHomes reach to all of the Fediverse.

[SocialHome_Oct_2018] <https://socialhome.network/>

see: Platform List


Social Media

From Wikipedia

Social media are interactive computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks.

The variety of stand-alone and built-in social media services currently available introduces challenges of definition; however, there are some common features:

  • Social media are interactive Web 2.0 Internet-based applications.

  • User-generated content, such as text posts or comments, digital photos or videos, and data generated through all online interactions, is the lifeblood of social media.

  • Users create service-specific profiles for the website or app that are designed and maintained by the social media organization.

  • Social media facilitate the development of online social networks by connecting a user's profile with those of other individuals or groups.

-- [WikiPedia-SocMed-Oct-2018] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media

see: Platform List


Socmed

  • noun abbrev

    Social Media

see: Social Media Platform List


Solid

  • Noun

"The Web as I envisaged it, we have not seen it yet. The future is still so much bigger than the past."

-- Tim Berners-Lee

[solid-Oct-2018]

Solid

  1. Empowers users and organizations to separate their data from the applications that use it.

  2. It allows people to look at the same data with different software at the same time.

  3. It opens brand new avenues for creativity, problem-solving, and commerce.

  • You Own Your Data, and choose Apps to Manage it.

  • You decide where you store your data.

  • You are free to move your data at any time, without interruption of service.

  • You give people and your apps permission to read or write.

  • Things saved through one app are available in another: * you never have to sync, * because your data stays with you.

    -- [solid-Oct-2018]

The mission is to reshape the contemporary web as we know it. In many ways this is a set of tools to re-democratise and decentralise (de Silo) the Internet and allow anybody to take back control of their data.

It is still early days but the software is useful and ready for some wide testing.

visit: Solid at https://solid.inrupt.com/

Referenced: [Tim Berners-Lee-Oct-16-2018]

Open Letter: https://www.inrupt.com/blog/one-small-step-for-the-web

Solid Features

  • PODs are like secure USB sticks for the Web, that you can access from anywhere.

  • Its your Solid POD so You decide where you store your data.

  • You're free to move your POD at any time

  • You give people and your apps permission to read or write to parts of your Solid POD. ( photos sounds video text )

  • You never have to sync, because your data stays with you.

  • In order to prove ownership of your data, you need a way to identify yourself. Rather than relying on a third party, you can use your Solid POD to say who you are.

    • So no more "Log in with X" or "Log in with Y" on the Web

    • just "Log in with your own Solid POD".

-- [Solid-how_Nov-2018]

See also: Zot , IndieAuth , OAuth , Hubzilla


spam

. Noun Unsolicited messages (much more here)

. verb To propagate the same, generally widely.


Status

synonym: Message


StatusNet

also: statusnet

  • noun protocol

The original GNU Social

see: Platform List


Stovepipe

TODO


Subscribe

  • Verb

    Normally visible to the account being followed. Optionally visible to anybody else, or some group of selected accounts.

see also: Follow


Suite

  • noun

    A collection of software applications designed to work together.

    An office suite

    provides many tools related to reporting and planning in commercial (or other) settings.

    Many Social networking platforms may be considered suites as they provide more than one communications interface. Using more than one inter-platform protocol.

see: Platform List


T is for

The Whole Known Network

A Global Feed

Often an Interface Feed choice.

  • Show me messages from everybody this local node knows about.

  • Give me a view of the Socialmedia activity of as much of the Fediverse as the Node can.

The Whole Known Network is a stream of Local posts combined chronologically with feeds from other Hosts that reach your home Host.

i.e.

The Feed contains Public Posts from all of the remote Accounts Followed by all of the Users on your local Host.

synonym: Global


Thread

  • Noun

    • A particular chain of messages.

    • A message stream that can be filtered or otherwise selected.

    Often a subset of a wider conversation. May be facilitated by using:

    • #Tags

    • > subject here

    • Or a simple line alone at the head of a message.

Nothing (overtly) to do with CPU threads.


Timeline

  • noun

    An accounts feed of messages.

    • In Chronological Order (more or less)

    • Normally collated from who an account follows and perhaps the local instance.

  • Verb

    To timeline something is to

    • Schedule it. Perhaps fit something into an extant schedule.

    • Or examine the process implications required to complete a task.

See: GNUSocial Platform List


TLA

also: 3LA . YABA

  • Noun

    Three Letter Acronym
    • not all TLA's have 3 letters.

TLA

/T?L?A/, n.

[Three-Letter Acronym]

1. Self-describing abbreviation for a species with which computing terminology is infested.

2. Any confusing acronym. Examples include MCA, FTP, SNA, CPU, MMU, SCCS, DMU, FPU, NNTP, TLA. People who like this looser usage argue that not all TLAs have three letters, just as not all four-letter words have four letters. One also hears of ?ETLA? (Extended Three-Letter Acronym, pronounced /ee tee el ay/) being used to describe four-letter acronyms; the terms ?SFLA? (Stupid Four-Letter Acronym), ?LFLA? (Longer Four Letter Acronym), and VLFLA (Very Long Five Letter Acronym) have also been reported. See also {YABA}.

Notes TLA

  • YABA YAFA may be used interchangeably in most use cases.

  • Not to be confused with Three Letter Agency

    ((which is a collection of administrative agencies) on a good day)

see: Jargon , Acronym , Cultural Virus compare: Anagram


TOS

  • Acronym

    Terms Of Service

A readily understood set of conditions. That simply, swiftly and clearly define the restrictions imposed on you for use and access to a service or product.

While simultaneously absolving the provider with any responsibility to act with good craft faith or honour at all.

Many Denizens of Commonwealth Nations know, quite precisely, how to extend and pronounce this acronym.

see: YMMV , LOL , Jargon , Silos , LockIn , StovePipe

TOOT

  • Noun A Mastodon Post

  • Verb To post on Mastodon


Troll

also : Trolling

  • Noun

  • Verb

A huge waste of time and O2 mostly

see: jargon


Twitter

also: Tweets , Tweet

  • Noun

    • A definitive microblogging host.

    • As of Late 2018 Twitter is not directly federated with other social media sites.

    • Individual posts on Twitter are called "Tweets"

To Tweet is to post on Twitter.

synonym: Birdsite

see: Platform List


TLDR

also: TL:DR TL/DR

  • acronym

    Too Long Didn't Read

see: acronym


U is for

URI

  • Noun Acronym

    Universal Resource Identifier

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

Universal Resource Identifier

URI

<web> (URI, originally "UDI" in some {WWW} documents) The generic set of all names and addresses which are short strings which refer to objects (typically on the {Internet}). The most common kinds of URI are {URLs} and {relative URLs}.

URIs are defined in {RFC 1630}.

W3 specification http://w3.org/hypertext/WWW/Addressing/URL/URI_Overview.html.

(1997-07-16)

URL

  • noun

    Uniform Resource Locator

    • Commonly A Web or other Internet Address

    • But also many other protocols

URL Notes

protocol://remote.address[:optional port]/resourceLocation?#do-stuff

( read on for clarity : )

Modified: (slightly) From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

  • Uniform Resource Locator

  • Uniform Resource Locater

  • Universal Resource Locator

  • URL

  • web address

<web> (URL, previously "Universal" ) A {standard} way of specifying the location of an object, typically a {web page}, on the {Internet}. Other types of object are described below.

URLs are the form of address used on the {World-WideWeb}. They are used in {HTML} documents to specify the target of a {hypertext link} which is often another HTML document (possibly stored on another computer).

URL Examples

Here are some example URLs:

http://w3.org/default.html
http://acme.co.uk:8080/images/map.gif
http://foldoc.org/?Uniform+Resource+Locator
http://w3.org/default.html#Introduction
ftp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/mirrors/msdos/graphics/gifkit.zip
ftp://spy:secret@ftp.acme.com/pub/topsecret/weapon.tgz
mailto:fred@doc.ic.ac.uk
news:alt.hypertext
telnet://dra.com
file:///home/Donald/LunchCodes.tweets
gopher://baud.baby/0/phlog/fs20181102.txt
  1. The part before the first colon specifies the access scheme or {protocol}. Commonly implemented schemes include:

    • {ftp},{http} (web), {gopher} or {WAIS}.

    The "file" scheme should only be used to refer to a file on the same host. Other less commonly used schemes include

    • {news}, {telnet} or mailto ({e-mail}).

  2. The part after the colon is interpreted according to the access scheme.

    In general, two slashes after the colon introduce a {hostname} (host:port is also valid, or for {FTP} user:passwd@host or user@host ).

  3. The `port`_ number is usually omitted and defaults to the standard port for the scheme,

    e.g. port 80 for HTTP.

  4. For an HTTP or FTP URL the next part is a {pathname} which is usually related to the pathname of a file on the server.

    (That) file can contain any type of data but only certain types are interpreted directly by most {browsers}. These include {HTML} and images in {gif} or {jpeg} format.

    ...

    A file whose type is not recognised directly by the browser may be passed to an external "viewer" {application},

    e.g. a sound player.

  5. The last (optional) part of the URL may be - query string preceded by "?" or - a "fragment identifier" preceded by "#".

    The later indicates a particular position within the specified document.

    ...

    The authoritative W3C URL specification http://w3.org/hypertext/WWW/Addressing/Addressing.html

    (2000-02-17)

see: gopher , URI


User

Also: users , person

  • By "convention", a natural actual extant human person :)

  • A person who utilises the facilities offered by a Host.

  • That person would normally have an account on that Host to operate it.

  • Sometimes the person has agents who have 24/7 agency for them.

    These services run for, or even pretend to be, the User.

  • Sometimes there is no spoon

  • Yet other times the User is a "Bot" .

    And never was a person.

    • OR :

      Essentially a User is the Owner of an Account on a Host or Service Instance.

see also operator , Handle , Account


Utility

also: utilities

  • noun

    • Software that does some underlying or occasional task that is not the prime function of the software suite.

    • These may be generic, portable and independent.

examples:

A Configuration Wizard , Search Interfaces , A Colour Picker, Domain Name System (DNS) lookup tools, even email applications . There are also many software libraries that provide programmatic utilities.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

  • utility software

  • utility

  • utility program

    _tool (Or utility program, tool) Any {software} that performs some specific task that is secondary to the main purpose of using the computer (the latter would be called {application programs}) but is not essential to the operation of the computer ({system software}).

    Many utilities could be considered as part of the {system software}, which can in turn be considered part of the {operating system}.


Username

  • Noun

    • An identifying label for a service or node .

    • Your name at a social Media Instance.

    • Your account name on a host. (Nixen)

see also: Handle , Account `


V is for

Vaporware

vapour , Vapourware , vapor

  • Noun

    • Proposition. (Often that is all it is or takes).

    • Smoke and Mirrors. Confuses the space; deceit.

    • (Usually) Software that is announced and never fully released.

    • May also be Hardware.

    • A Politicians Promise

Applies beyond the CIT Industry.

  • Often used as a tactic by Vendors exploiting 'Space Dominance or Lockin.

    • By announcing new product or standards a vendor attempts to exclude competition.

  • Smaller players are discouraged by having to also implement or match the new "thing".

  • The Userbase is kept engaged at least for a short time.

  • Discussion even argument is generated which adds noise to the environment and implies or reinforces vendor authority (and Brand awareness) in that space.

-- [VaporLininfo_Nov-2018] http://www.linfo.org/vaporware.html

Vapour History

from Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporware

"Vaporware" was coined by a Microsoft engineer in 1982 to describe the company's Xenix operating system and first appeared in print in a newsletter by entrepreneur Esther Dyson in 1983.

It became popular among writers in the industry as a way to describe products they felt took too long to be released.

InfoWorld magazine editor Stewart Alsop helped popularize it by lampooning Bill Gates with a Golden Vaporware award for the late release of his company's first version of Windows in 1985.

Vaporware first implied intentional fraud when it was applied to the Ovation office suite in 1983; the suite's demonstration was well received by the press, but the product was never released.

-- [VaporWiki_Nov-2018] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporware

(emphasis added)


View

also: views

  • Noun

    • A named subset of a larger listing of accounts.

    • A particular take on filtering a list.

    • An aspect of a greater view of a set of people.

see also: Group , Aspect


Vue.js


VM

  • noun

    Virtual Machine

see: acronym , LXC


W is for

Web

  • noun

    • Generic term for the Internet.

    • Originally and identifier for the "World Wide Web"

    • The Internet as seen via a web browser and the http(s) standards.

    • Networking using TCP/IP under http with DNS as the addressing glue. ( :) )

synonyms:

online, the internet , the webs , the webiverse


WebFinger

  • noun Protocol

    • simple discovery for the web

    • One agreed method of asking about an identity on someone elses computer.

    • Used to discover users on distributed nodes and pods.

    • Webfinger uses JSON Resource Descriptor ( a standard pattern ) to ask for data such as:

      • the address of an accounts primary server.

      • the Hcard details of an account. (address book details)

    • Webfinger uses the HTTPS protocol to secure the requests

for example:

A webfinger request might be made, asking where to find an Avatar and Profile Summary for a particular account.

WebFinger Notes

WebFinger is used by the federated social networks notably GNU social StatusNet and Diaspora.

-- [wpwf]

The protocol is used to inquire of information about an entity. The entity is identified by a URI that may look like @handle@node.domain.

The client can, optionally, specify (ask for) one or more link relation types for which it would like to receive information.

  1. A Webfinger Request discovers:

    • information about people or other entities

      • using standard web methods over a secure transport.

    • information for a URI that might not be usable as a web locator

  2. A WebFinger Resource :

    • Returns a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) object describing the entity (thing) that is queried.

    • That JSON object is called a JSON Resource Descriptor (JRD). It may include extra link relation information:

      For a human entity, the type of information includes:

      • a personal profile address, identity service, telephone number, or preferred avatar.

      Other entities might return JRDs (Resource Descriptors)

      • containing links that enable a client to discover, that a printer can print in color on A4 paper, the physical location of a server, or other static information.

WebFinger is specified as the discovery protocol for "OpenID Connect", which is a protocol that allows one to more easily log into various sites on the Internet. -- [wpwf]

see also: Finger , Pinky , Hcard , JSON , Zot

referenced:

[WikiPedia-WebFinger_Nov-2018] [wpwf] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebFinger

[WebFinger-IETF-rfc7033_Nov2018] https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7033

[WebFinger-Net_Nov2018] https://webfinger.net

[Diaspora_WebFinger-Nov-2018] https://diaspora.github.io/diaspora_federation/discovery/webfinger.html


webmention

  • noun protocol

    pingbacks, @mentions and more for the entire universe.

Webmention is a simple way to notify another URL when you mention it on your site.

A Webmention is a notification that one URL links to another.

For example,

  • Alice writes an interesting post on her blog.

    • Bob then writes a response to her post on his own site,

    • linking back to Alice's original post.

    • Bob's publishing software sends a Webmention to Alice notifying that her article was replied to,

  • and Alice's software can show that reply as a comment on the original post.

Sending a Webmention is not limited to blog posts, and can be used for additional kinds of content and responses as well.

  • a response can be an RSVP to an event,

  • an indication that someone "likes" another post,

  • a "bookmark" of another post, and many others.

Webmention enables these interactions to happen across different websites,

enabling a distributed social web.

Webmention is a W3C Recommendation that supersedes Pingback, using only HTTP and x-www-form-urlencoded content rather than XML-RPC. It has additional functionality and greater security & robustness from years of experience with prior iterations.

"A web standard for mentions and conversations across the web, a powerful building block that is used for a growing federated network of comments, likes, reposts, and other rich interactions across the decentralized social web."

"# an @ mention that works across websites; so that you don't feel immovable from Twitter or Fb." -- Rony Ngala

"When you link to a website, you can send it a Webmention to notify it. If it supports Webmentions, then that website may display your post as a comment, like, or other response, and presto, you're having a conversation from one site to another!"

The above is a mashup from the following sites:

-- [WebMention-Intro_Nov-2018] https://indieweb.org/Webmention

-- [WebMention-Dev_Nov-2018] https://indieweb.org/Webmention-developer

-- [webmention-W3C_Nov-2018] https://www.w3.org/TR/webmention/

-- [WebMention-W3C-REC_Nov-2018] https://www.w3.org/TR/2017/REC-webmention-20170112/

see: micropub microformats indieweb indieauth Platform List



Whole Known Network

A follow setting that includes all known accounts the platforms instance knows of through local users subscribing to external instances users posts.

see: The Whole Known Network Federated View Platform List


WIP

  • Noun

    Work In progress Like this thing

Wizard

  • Noun

    An User Interface designed to allow simpler, reliable, configuration of client software to a service or other utility.

    The intention is to ease the operators effort while also presenting the underlying software with configuration values that are consistent and (hopefully) within design limits.

    • Occasionally this facility is called a Druid.

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (18 March 2015) [foldoc]:

wizard

1. A person who knows how a complex piece of software or hardware works (that is, who {groks} it); especially someone who can find and fix bugs quickly in an emergency. Someone is a {hacker} if he or she has general hacking ability, but is a wizard with respect to something only if he or she has specific detailed knowledge of that thing. A good hacker could become a wizard for something given the time to study it.

2. A person who is permitted to do things forbidden to ordinary people; one who has {wheel} privileges on a system.

3. A Unix expert, especially a Unix systems programmer. This usage is well enough established that "Unix Wizard" is a recognised job title at some corporations and to most headhunters.

[ snips ]

4. An interactive help utility that guides the user through a potentially complex task, such as configuring a {PPP} driver to work with a new {modem}. Wizards are often implemented as a sequence of {dialog boxes} which the user can move forward and backward through, filling in the details required. The implication is that the expertise of a human wizard in one of the above senses is encapsulated in the software wizard, allowing the average user to perform expertly.

—[{Jargon File}] (1998-09-07)


Wordpress

Wordpress has a huge user base and a vast number of developers who have become proficient in theming and extending the platform.

see: Blog Platform List


WriteFreely

  • Noun

    A Contemporary blogging platform written in the Go language.

From github site:

WriteFreely is a beautifully pared-down blogging platform that's simple on the surface, yet powerful underneath.

It's designed to be flexible and share your writing widely, so it's built around plain text and can publish to the fediverse via ActivityPub.

[writefreely-GitHub_Nov-2018]

WriteFreely Features

Start a blog for yourself, or host a community of writers

Form larger federated networks, and interact over modern protocols like ActivityPub.

Write on a dead-simple, distraction-free and super fast editor.

Publish drafts and let others proofread them by sharing a private link

Build more advanced apps and extensions with the well-documented API.

-- [writefreely-GitHub_Nov-2018] https://github.com/writeas/writefreely/blob/master/README.md

WriteAs

Officially launching v0.1 of WriteFreely, our free, self-hosted version of Write.as.

WriteFreely lets you start your own community of writers, optionally with ActivityPub enabled, so you can join the larger fediverse and spread your writing on the decentralized social web.

You'll be able to set up a space for your small gathering of writers, who can all create multiple blogs under one account, save drafts, and even customise their blogs with CSS.

You can also use WriteFreely to host your own minimalist blog with the same distraction-free writing experience you love on Write.as.

-- [writefreely-HelloWorld_Nov-2018] https://blog.writefreely.org/hello-world

see: Blog Platform List


X is for

XMPP

  • Noun

    A Messaging Protocol that can be Extended.

    It is highly likely you use it every day as the Protocol XMPP. You may also use it as Jabber : a message / chat service (and more) .

From Jabber.org

The original open instant messaging (IM) technology, invented by Jeremie Miller in 1998 and formalized as the Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) by the IETF as an Internet Standard for messaging and presence.

[Jabber_Oct-2018] <https://www.jabber.org/faq.html#jabber>

From XMPP.org

Battle-tested. Independent. Privacy-focused

Millions use XMPP software daily to connect to people and services.

XMPP is the open standard for messaging and presence

XMPP powers emerging technologies like IoT, WebRTC, and social.

No one owns XMPP. It's free and open for everyone since 1999.

It's a living standard.

Engineers actively extend and improve it.

[XMPP_Oct-20-2018] <https://xmpp.org/>

see: Instant Messaging Platform List


Y is for

YMMV

'Your Mileage May Vary'

Usually used to lightly warn the recipient that the subject of discussion may not perform as previously observed.

This also implies that its up to the recipient to operate the object under discussion as documented or otherwise noted.

It is a template / boiler plate / box warning. In a similar, though not as alarmist, category to:

Warning Flames may be Hot.

see: Acronym , Jargon

Z is for

Zap

Zap is an open source decentralised social network with more privacy and less drama.

Supports Zap and ActivityPub, starting with the latest release from 2019-09-22.

-- [ZapHome-Feb2020] https://zotlabs.org/page/zap/zap

Zap provides

  • permission control and moderation of comments.

  • Events RSVP Rich Formated Content Groups and more

see: <https://framagit.org/zot/zap>

The Federation MarkDown file is informative: https://framagit.org/zot/zap/blob/a14474a1355bc3c6338ed274f1fb8eac9213d90c/FEDERATION.md

Zot

Zot6

  • Noun Protocol

Independent portable authorisation "system".

GOT ZOT?

Zot is a JSON based web framework for implementing secure decentralised communications and services.

It differs from many other communication protocols by building communications on top of a decentralised identity and authentication framework.

The authentication component is similar to OpenID conceptually but is insulated from DNS-based identities.

Where possible remote authentication is silent and invisible. This provides a mechanism for internet scale distributed access control which is unobtrusive.

[Hubzill-start_Oct-24-2018] https://project.hubzilla.org/page/hubzilla/hubzilla-project

The primary issues Zot addresses are

  • completely decentralised communications

  • independence from DNS-based identity

  • node mobility

  • seamless remote authentication

  • high performance

-- [OsadaZot_Nov-2018] https://osada.app/help/en-gb/developer/zot_protocol#Technical_Introduction

W3C has a Zot Working group active in early 2020. https://www.w3.org/community/zot/

Zot is a WebMTA which provides a decentralised identity and communications protocol using HTTPS/JSON.

Earlier revisions of the zot protocol dealt with the creation of nomadic identities and cross-domain authentication to enable a decentralised network with features rivaling large centralised providers.

Zot/6 builds on those concepts and streamlines many of the interactions, applying lessons learned over decades of building decentralised systems.

...

Zot is architecturally different from other HTTPS-based "social communications" protocols such as OStatus, ActivityPub, and Diaspora.

The primary differences are:

  • Support for nomadic identity where an identity is not permanently bound to a DNS server.

  • MUAs built on top of Zot are able to use and express detailed cross-domain permissions.

  • Encryption negotation for additional message protection in addition to HTTPS

  • Zot does not define an absolute payload format for content. Implementations MUST support ActivityStreams. Additional message types and serialisation formats MAY provide vendor specific enhancements.

  • Federation between other WebMTA protocols is not hampered by unnecessary restrictions on 3rd party communications.

  • Messages from incompatible systems may be relayed to other sites which do not support the 3rd party protocol.

  • Detailed delivery reporting is provided for auditing and troubleshooting; which is critical in a distributed communications service.

    -- [zotlabs-zot-2020] <https://zotlabs.org/page/zot/specs+zot6+home>

Zot as Trinity

from: https://zotlabs.org/channel/zap?f=&cat=Zap (February 2020)

The Zotlabs* Trinity short and concise

What's Zotlabs|Hubzilla, Zotlabs|Osada and Zotlabs|Zap all about?

Hubzilla - Osada - Zap are one family.

The brains behind them all is the same there are other developers involved in all three.

Each has a fairly defined use-case, but (once the transition to Zot6 in Hubzilla is complete) - all three will be able to intercommunicate with each other.

Hubzilla is the most established product. It should be considered more of an "application platform" or maybe a "publication platform" (kind of like what WordPress has become since it now has plugins that allow you to do almost anything - it's more than a Content Management System).

"Social Media" on Hubzilla was one of the first use-cases adopted by a large number of people - and so many think it is primarily a social media platform. It is not. It is a privacy and security aware application platform that can support a huge number of use cases through the plugin/addon architecture which is lean and efficient.

Osada is more intended for end users interested specifically in Social Media applications that want to be able to communicate with ActivityPub but also have SOME of the privacy and security capabilities offered by Hubzilla.

ActivityPub has a larger user base but is fundamentally incompatible with certain privacy and security models. So, anything related to ActivityPub is going to be a compromise. Osada is a social media platform that brings as much of the privacy and security features of Hubzilla as is possible while still providing integration with ActivityPub.

Zap is a social media platform for those who are privacy and security minded and are not willing to compromise privacy and security just because "everybody is doing it." It has the [same] full range of privacy, security, and censorship resistant features inherent in the Zot protocol as Hubzilla (without Federation addons).

If you are an "end-user" of social media and want to be able to seamlessly communicate with ActivityPub, you want to use Osada.

If privacy, security, and censorship resistance is important to you and you're willing to give up access to other protocols in order to maintain those things, you probably want Zap.

If you are primarily interested in providing content and data to others on an extensible and robust manner with privacy, security, and with built in ability to provide redundancy in case of failure or as a censorship resistance feature, you want to consider Hubzilla.

[Zotlabs_February_2020]

Some layout alterations for clarity and local consistancy.

Zot Manifesto

The Zot Manifesto

You have the right to a permanent internet identity which is not associated with what server you are currently using and cannot be taken away from you by anybody, ever.

You have the right to refuse/reject or possibly moderate comments on your posts by anybody you don't know. You also have the right to not allow them to comment on your posts in the first place, until such time as they have earned your trust.

You have the right to show your photos and videos to anybody you desire and also NOT show them to anybody you desire.

If your software does not implement these rights, you have the right to fix it or replace it.

The Earth Manifesto

The earth is your mother. She gave you life. Respect her or she will take it away.

Silence is complicity. Speak.

Those who are leading us to destruction can be stopped. 7.5 billion people cannot be stopped.

see also: Osada Hubzilla Zap


2FA

  • noun

    Two Factor Authentication

    Essentially a user is asked to further authenticate their Identity by providing the Host with a least one extra unique information that only the user knows.

    A common example is to SMS (text) message a "text string" to enter. (as well as Username and Password)

    Other methods might involve text via email , biometrics (voice and or fingerprint), hardware (OTP) key generators.

see: MFA


Colophon

Status

more-bita-beta

Version

0.1.8 revision: 14-02-2020 :Date: 2020-02-14

Authors
  • Peter Gossner

Contact

Fediverse

  1. @petegozz@pluspora.org

Email

  1. pete.gossnerSPANNER$SPAMMERSgmail.com

A Scarfed Stuffed Happy (Toy) Penguin Orbits Antarctica
Copyright

Dedication

For Artists and Hackers, Academics, and Admins.

For Humans who Grok stuff. Those self taught, and persistent.

For those who build for Us : Tools to own and run.

For People in Community : Who will not be a Commodity,

For Our Internet, And all who sail on her.

Useful may it be. Save time may it much.

Cheers :-) (^0^)

-- Peter Gossner

Oct 2018


References and Footnotes

also: references , footnotes

Images

ActivityPub and ActivityStreams

Solid and Tim Berners-Lee

GooglePlus Exodus

Pleroma

Plume

WriteFreely , WriteAs

SocialHome

Misskey

XMPP

Diaspora

JSON and related Hcard

GNU FSF

OStatus

WebFinger RFC 7033

Finger Pinky 79

Matrix

Zot Osada "Gypsy Camp" Hubzilla Zap * [ZapHome-Feb2020] https://zotlabs.org/page/zap/zap * [zotlabs-zot-2020] https://zotlabs.org/page/zot/specs+zot6+home * https://project.hubzilla.org/help/en-gb/developer/zot_protocol

Multifactor Authentication MFA

OAuth

Friendica

Peertube

PostActive

IndieWeb

With thanks to Sebastian Lasse * [indieweb-org_Nov-2018] https://indieweb.org/ * [IndieWeb-Silo_Nov-2018] https://indieweb.org/silo * [IndieWeb-Commons-Nov-2018] https://indieweb.org/commons

IndieAuth

micropub microformats

POSSE

WebMention

Gopher 70

Lockin Vaporware

PixelFed

Erlang

-- (all accessed Nov 2018)

Operating Systems

BSD

Others