I have my eye on this exact set of problems and I think they are totally solvable.

Basic blocks are:

- private community-based relay (none of the naive users need to even think about or know about this)

- a simple Nostr client mobile native app that works just as a naive user would expect (think simple feed + group chat + DMs) and nothing more.

- the client would be configurable to only deal with a subset of relays at a time. A "context". So at first it would by default be set to the starting community relay. New users would only see that stuff and wouldn't have to know anything else exists

- IF (only IF!) they want to branch out from there, they could add other relays to a separate "context". So their default experience would still be their direct community, but they could flip into other, broader relay sets if they choose.

- no wallet, no zaps, no fancy NIPs. Installable from major app stores. Download it, enter your community's URL that your friend told you, and you're good. Hell, you could do all that with an in-person QR code.

And then naturally if they want to use other clients they can go wild into the wide world of Nostr as usual. But if not, they just think of this app as "their private community communication app" and they can stop there.

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I never got notified of this reply 😭

I agree there could be a walled garden setup like you outline, ideal for all kinds of private groups wanting to use nostr like you would private Telegram groups (and replace them, eventually).

The URL or qr code invite would be crucial in onboarding members to the group too. Right now, our local group has a main private Telegram group chat whose entry is protected from entry by a lobby chat, where people are basically asked to tell us how they found the group, and we can invite them (or not) to the main group.

Agreed about the invite flow.

My simple/moron solve for that initially is: human trust.

Group members have a private QR code that will allow anyone in who scans it. So people should be extremely discriminating with handing it out.

When you have a _valuable_ and super high trust unit like that, people are naturally incentivized to protect it.

We already are careful with Telegram invite links, and once the person that we invited joins, we revoke the link to deactivate it. I'm guessing something similar could be done with the private nostr channel?