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by dvasdekis 2237 days ago
Messing around with some other IPFS-based tooling previously (I think 3Box), I found that the user had to install and be running IPFS in order to view a truly decentralised client application (or there had to be an intermediate webhost that did this for you). This, for me, removed some of the benefits of the decentralised model.

Is the Textile toolkit able to operate directly 'on chain' via a standard web browser? Or do visitors still need to install and run executables locally in order for it to work?

Sorry if I've inaccurately slandered 3Box here - I am still learning about this space, and I am very excited by the possibilities!
2 comments
andrewxhill 2237 days ago
It's funny. Web2 got so many things right, but early Web3 often tried so hard to abandon it all that it made for a lot of unnecessary pains. We've tried to take a more balanced approach. Decentralized where it makes sense (user data ownership, interoperable data models, data storage) and hosted/curated nodes where it makes sense (app resources, trustless services/gateways, relay services). We think we've come up with something compelling and pretty simple.

A couple of details:

- ThreadsDB is a database and protocol. A lot of our work on Threads (particularly Follower or Service keys was aimed at the problems you bring up exactly). https://blog.textile.io/introducing-textiles-threads-protoco...

- We love the 3box team and product and its probably come a long way since if you haven't poked around recently. We are also working with them to make sure our things are interoperable with theirs. So look out for more updates in this area soon.

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pookeh 2237 days ago
Still want to know the answer to the original question "Is the Textile toolkit able to operate directly 'on chain' via a standard web browser?"
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andrewxhill 2237 days ago
There is no chain. It uses a set of protocols that have no consensus. They run in the browser. Here is a relevant merged feature in the ThreadsDB library today, https://github.com/textileio/js-threads/pull/136
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amelius 2237 days ago
This makes me wonder how a decentralized system can grow if nobody shares their resources.
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StavrosK 2237 days ago
That is a problem indeed. Everyone expects to not have to install anything and just freeload off of someone else's gateway and still have all the benefits.

If you don't install the client, it's not a decentralized system, you might as well run WordPress and call it a day.

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dboreham 2237 days ago
The "FileCoin Problem".
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