On: Twitter funding a team to develop an open standard...

[Angostura]

Mastodon, anyone? https://joinmastodon.org

[nenolod → Angostura]

Mastodon at Twitter scale could be truly hilarious to see.

[kick → Angostura]

Mastodon isn't decentralized, it's federated, and ActivityPub is a terrible protocol (that Mastodon frequently disobeys).

[dgellow → kick]

That's a type of decentralization. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distributed_social_network which is using both terms:

> A distributed social network or federated social network is an Internet social networking service that is decentralized and distributed across distinct providers (something like email but for social networks), such as the Fediverse.

[Gaelan → kick]

The terminology I've most commonly seen used is this:

Centralized = One central system runs everything (i.e. Twitter, Facebook)

Decentralized = Multiple central systems run everything, but they talk to each other and you can build your own (i.e. email, Mastodon/ActivityPub)

Distributed = No central system at all (i.e. Bitcoin)

[miguelmota → Gaelan]

> Distributed = No central system at all

I can have a single non-distributed computer system and have that single computer be decentralized by having the programs it runs be done through achieving consensus. Your definitions are a bit off because Mastadon and Bitcoin are both distributed and decentralized systems.

[M2Ys4U → Gaelan]

Decentralised implies distributed (although the inverse is not true - one can have a distributed yet centralised model).