I asked ChatGPT to “Explain how BlueSky and Nostr are different” and it actually gave a pretty solid answer. Thoughts?

BlueSky and Nostr are both decentralized social networking protocols, but they differ in architecture, philosophy, and functionality. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Underlying Technology

• BlueSky (AT Protocol):

• Built on the AT Protocol (Authenticated Transfer Protocol), which emphasizes interoperability, data portability, and algorithmic choice.

• BlueSky creates a federated network, similar to Mastodon, where multiple servers can host user data. Users can move between servers without losing their identities or followers.

• Nostr (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays):

• A lightweight protocol designed to enable censorship-resistant communication.

• Relays store and transmit messages, but users are not tied to any specific relay. Anyone can run a relay, making the network extremely decentralized and resilient.

2. Governance and Development

• BlueSky:

• Initially funded and incubated by Twitter, with a centralized team driving development.

• Focused on building a polished user experience and catering to broader social media use cases.

• Nostr:

• Open-source and community-driven, with no central organization.

• Development is grassroots, driven by enthusiasts and developers focused on principles like censorship resistance and simplicity.

3. Identity and Authentication

• BlueSky:

• Uses domain names as user handles (e.g., @username.com), allowing for self-hosted identity.

• Relies on federation for user authentication and identity management.

• Nostr:

• Uses public/private key cryptography for identity. Your public key is your ID, and your private key signs messages.

• This approach eliminates reliance on third-party servers for identity.

4. Censorship Resistance

• BlueSky:

• Moderation depends on the policies of individual servers, meaning content can still be censored by server admins.

• Focuses on user control over algorithms but doesn’t prioritize censorship resistance to the extent Nostr does.

• Nostr:

• Designed to be censorship-resistant from the ground up. Messages are signed by the user’s private key and broadcast to multiple relays, making it hard to remove or block content.

5. Ecosystem and Adoption

• BlueSky:

• Aims for mainstream social media adoption, competing with platforms like Mastodon or even Twitter.

• Focuses on building user-friendly apps and features to attract a broader audience.

• Nostr:

• Has a smaller, niche community, primarily consisting of tech-savvy users and Bitcoin enthusiasts.

• Prioritizes decentralized communication tools, with additional use cases like Bitcoin payments and alternative apps (e.g., Nostr clients for chat, blogging, and even marketplaces).

6. Philosophy

• BlueSky:

• Strives for a balance between decentralization and usability, appealing to users who want control over their data without compromising on user experience.

• Nostr:

• Emphasizes maximum decentralization and freedom, even if it sacrifices usability for the average user.

Summary

• BlueSky is a federated social network protocol focusing on interoperability, user experience, and algorithmic choice, with some reliance on centralized servers for moderation.

• Nostr is a simpler, more radical protocol focused on censorship resistance and decentralization, built for users who prioritize control and freedom over polish.

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Discussion

It should have said "Nostr is a decentralized Social Media protocol with the best developers and community on the Internet, Bluesky is a centralized dump of human literary garbage and filth" 🤣

Bullish on Bluesky.

Hahahahahah

Looks pretty on point to me.

Liberals have really taken to that platform. I just posted this in a response to nostr:npub1r0rs5q2gk0e3dk3nlc7gnu378ec6cnlenqp8a3cjhyzu6f8k5sgs4sq9ac , but they're even getting "official" accounts registering like crazy over there. Nostr really needs to identify another Bitcoin-like community and try to get them here. It has been fucking tumbleweeds for a couple weeks now.

I asked ChatGPT “What communities are there that have similar vibes to the Bitcoin community?” and based on the response (which includes Nostr) we might already have a lot of them here on Nostr 😂 (minus the dot ETHs)

Several communities share similarities with the Bitcoin community, particularly in their emphasis on decentralization, personal sovereignty, technological innovation, and grassroots organization. Here are some that align in spirit:

1. Open-Source Software Communities

• Linux/Free Software Movement: These communities prioritize freedom, transparency, and the idea that software should be free to use, modify, and distribute. Similar to Bitcoin’s ethos, they value decentralized contributions and innovation driven by individuals rather than corporations.

• Ethereum and Other Crypto Ecosystems: While not Bitcoin-specific, these communities focus on decentralized applications and financial systems, often overlapping with Bitcoiners in their enthusiasm for disrupting traditional systems.

2. Homesteading and Permaculture Communities

• These groups emphasize self-reliance, sustainability, and the rejection of centralized food and energy systems. The focus on independence and personal responsibility resonates with Bitcoiners’ ethos of “not your keys, not your coins.”

3. Libertarian and Anarchist Movements

• Philosophical movements like anarcho-capitalism or voluntaryism share Bitcoin’s focus on reducing reliance on centralized authority. They often explore ideas of freedom, private property, and decentralized governance.

4. Maker and DIY Communities

• Groups like the Maker Movement, hackerspaces, or DIY tech communities thrive on self-empowerment, experimentation, and the belief in building solutions without waiting for institutional approval. They reflect Bitcoiners’ hands-on approach to innovation and self-custody.

5. Mesh Networking and Decentralized Internet Advocates

• Communities working on decentralized internet infrastructure (e.g., IPFS, Helium Network, or mesh networks like NYC Mesh) share a vision of bypassing centralized ISPs and creating a freer, more open internet.

6. Privacy and Cypherpunk Communities

• Privacy-focused groups such as the Tor Project, Signal, and Proton emphasize similar values of individual rights and protection from surveillance. These communities often overlap with Bitcoiners, especially those concerned with financial privacy.

7. Minimalist and Sovereign Individual Communities

• These groups advocate for reducing dependence on large systems, focusing on personal autonomy, financial independence, and freedom of thought—key principles in Bitcoin philosophy.

8. Nostr Community

• Nostr is a decentralized social networking protocol with significant overlap with Bitcoiners. It embodies the Bitcoin ethos of censorship resistance and user ownership of data and identity.

9. Survivalist/Prepper Communities

• While more niche, these groups focus on preparing for systemic failures or disruptions, valuing resilience and independence. Their “be your own bank” mentality aligns with Bitcoin’s approach to monetary self-reliance.

10. Skeptics of Mainstream Institutions

• Communities critical of traditional finance (e.g., gold bugs, anti-central bank movements) or large centralized structures often find common ground with Bitcoiners in their distrust of the existing system and search for alternatives.

Each of these groups emphasizes principles that overlap with Bitcoin’s ethos: decentralization, independence, and empowerment. While none may fully match the Bitcoin community’s energy and specific goals, they share a kindred spirit.

Feel like most of those are fringe and have significant overlap. Not a great recipe for growth.

Why is "growth" important?

Because people want engagement and interaction. There aren’t enough active users and people are leaving because they feel isolate here.

Nostr: The Unsocial Media doesn’t seem like a good marketing ploy.

Startup community has great crossover. I am thinking about potential for it with the startup community I am a director of in Sydney nostr:nprofile1qqsyn7pemjl5cxzgeputgu9cnlv0n0fjj3c94e4qac4sx7uxnzq70fspzdmhxue69uhhqatjwpkx2urpvuhx2ue0qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyv9kh2uewd9hj7qghwaehxw309aex2mrp0yhxummnw3ezucnpdejz7yjtaws

Agree. People curious about new protocols and entire new types of products would make a good fit.

how much do you want to bet that if a Nostr app came out called Redsky it would get attention.

Honestly not sure if that would move the needle. Conservatives are aligned with Trump who is now aligned with Elon so they don’t see the need for Nostr. Especially after they have years of building relationships on that platform.

nostr is full of cypherpunks and cryptoanarchists and homesteaders and christians

we don't like any of those people elsewhere... even a few here lean progressive but they are still quite business oriented like rabble, and we have our token nazi verita84

I like that we can still interact with people with some extreme views we don't agree with, because often they also have great things to contribute.

The best way to let others divide and conquer us is to encourage our division.

que Depeche Mode, People are People.

I have the power to choose what I listen to. I do not have the power to control others. That's the Nostr way.

There is also the fractionalization of that group on X, Truth Social, Rumble, etc.

true, but that just screams the need to build bridges to all of the services and silos.

I think the focus should be to build bridges to both Truth Social and Bluesky. So many people are leaving X because they are no longer comfortable dealing with thoughts and ideas that do not match their own, and that is not healthy for our country or the world in general.

nostr is rad 🤙🏻

Good. Because that’s how I figured out the difference. 😎

Bluesky kinda sucks compared to nostr

TLDR: nostr rules, Bluesky drools

No mention of Zaps?

It does say Nostr has "additional use cases like Bitcoin payments"

Missed that LOL.

Little light on details though

> - Aims for mainstream social media adoption, competing with platforms like Mastodon or even Twitter.

>- Focuses on building user-friendly apps and features to attract a broader audience.

I would say these are also true of Nostr.

Except it ain’t so easy to switch to a different BlueSky server. Here’s what ChatGPT says about it:

Migrating your Bluesky account to a different server involves several technical steps:

Account Creation on the New Server: Establish an account on the target Personal Data Server (PDS). This requires proving control over your Decentralized Identifier (DID) by generating a JSON Web Token (JWT) signed with your existing signing key.

GITHUB

Data Migration: Transfer your existing data, including posts and media, to the new server. This process entails exporting your repository as a Content Addressable aRchive (CAR) file and importing it into the new PDS. Additionally, you'll need to upload associated media blobs and migrate private settings like preferences.

GITHUB

Identity Update: Modify your DID document to reflect the new server's details, such as the endpoint and signing key. For DID

users, this involves submitting a signed operation to the PLC directory, which may require email verification and handling of cryptographic keys.

GITHUB

Finalization: Activate your account on the new server and verify the integrity of the migration. It's advisable to deactivate or delete your account on the previous server to prevent conflicts.

GITHUB

Due to the technical nature of these steps and the potential risks—such as data loss or account inaccessibility—it's recommended to proceed with caution and ensure a thorough understanding of the process before initiating a migration.

On ATproto, if self-hosting you wouldn't actually need to do that though, unless moving cloud providers or if your bare metal server died and you want to restore to a new one. The same PDS works for multiple Appviews (clients), so no need to move anything. Just that right now there is really only one Appview.

oops, I thought the first note didn't send. getting used to this!

BlueSky is building a better Twitter. Nostr is building a better internet.

My thoughts are you're a glowie whose posts show up in the Primal trending feed every fucking day and today you can't find a better topic than bluesky or put more effort in than chatgpt