Comment on flohmarkt a federated alternative to ebay and facebook marketplace
curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 3 weeks agoSites are not physical. Sites are not locked at signup. You are misunderstanding how Craigslist (and others) work.
What this page is saying is “If you post in the Berlin section, and want to offer it in Los Angeles, you need to make a new post”.
You don’t need a different account, a different server, or to otherwise associate with a different region.
I’d be happy to explain if there is a part here that is confusing, I’m really not sure what you are not understanding on this.
I’m also not putting down the idea of a federated marketplace, I would love it.
I just think its a bad design to rely on a server setting that users have no control over. What happens if that host moves to an entirely different region? They have to keep serving that region? They can change it and all those listings are invalid?
It isnt a good design.
poVoq@slrpnk.net 3 weeks ago
So you are only complaining that accounts are not centralized? The entire Fediverse works like that and I don’t really see an issue with that.
curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 3 weeks ago
No, I’m complaining that the server determines a user and items location.
You don’t need centralization for that. If I’m making a post, I should be able to set the location for the item at that point - this information is federated, so then the user’s server is irrelevant, only the location the user sets is relevant.
That is what makes this a bad design. It has nothing to do with centralization.
poVoq@slrpnk.net 3 weeks ago
Why is it bad design that you have a location specific page where you post lication specific classified ads? Thats how all of them work.
curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 3 weeks ago
Because the ability to post is locked to a server’s region.
As you said, I can’t go in and browse the United States listings. Why? What technical reason is there to prevent me, as a user, from wanting to join?
NOT as an admin. As a user.
Lets think of this like mastodon and hashtags for a second. If the hashtag were a location, why would I need to join aus.social to see the hashtag location for Australia? Why would I need to join mstdn.ca to see the hashtags for Canada?
I think the flohmarkt design inherently works the opposite of other federated designs. It is limiting by design, limiting server use by region, rather than what a user is choosing to follow.
I’m concerned I’m not explaining something properly, so if there is a part that isn’t making sense to you, let me know.