[Slighted]

>Unfortunately, we just couldn't back down from the demands to have a discord server

Except you could've, and still can. People need to learn how to adapt. There's no reason a Discord server is necessary for distributing and discussing anticheat software. Thousands of much larger, more important projects are doing just fine without Discord™ servers, and part of it is the people with influence putting their feet down at the mention of Discord, a glorified spyware platform populated with the socially deprived. Discord is rarely ever a key piece of infrastructure necessary for advertising and documentation for the majority of projects that have one attached to themselves.

[RJIb8RBYxzAMX9u]

> Except you could've, and still can.

For many scenes, the community is an integral part of the ecosystem. Unless OP is the only person who can develop anti-cheat software, s/he's beholden to the community even if s/he's among the leader(s).

> People need to learn how to adapt.

They will adapt by starting their own Discord and cutting OP out.

[the_af]

> They will adapt by starting their own Discord and cutting OP out

Exactly. And it's depressing. People of every community think they "need" Discord (or a similar tool) and if you don't create it, they'll create it themselves.

"Hey, what about if AwesomeCommunity had a Discord?"

"I don't see the point, we already have a group here."

"Well, but some people like Discord!"

"Ok"

"Do you mind if we create a fan Discord community then?"

And presto! The community gets Discord and additional fragmentation, whether you like it or not.

[bombcar]

This is exactly it. I’m in a few forums that insist on no discord and unless you go out of your way to provide a chat alternative there will just be unofficial discords.

Discord is a cancer.

[the_af]

Sadly.

The good news is that you'll have additional fragmentation with facebook groups and reddit, all overlapping your community so that no two groups are exactly the same!

If you want to post an update to the community for $thing, you must remember the Discord, Facebook group and reddit sub!

"Hey guys, we already have a reddit sub, do we really need a facebook group?"

"Well, if you don't mind I'll go create an unofficial $thing fb group!"

(Bonus points if you subscribe to all and get to see the same content being posted to every venue, with somewhat the same people reacting to it. It boggles the mind)

[BlueTemplar]

You are making it worse yourself by posting your updates on those walled gardens.

[bombcar]

It always ends up being a doomed if you do, doomed if you don't.

If you don't post on those groups or create them, they get created anyway, and now they exist and you have no direct influence on them; and that can easily result in a community misunderstanding and split.

And if you do create them, you've encouraged walled gardening and there will STILL be stuff not duplicated.

[BlueTemplar]

Splits can always happen, and are probably a good thing once the community gets big enough, and it is also a good thing that these splits are even easier if you're not using platforms.

Doesn't mean you have to support the people that chose to go elsewhere and tolerate those that are advertising platforms.

[the_af]

Yes. But I mean, these are not communities I created myself. Whatever the platform (phpbb, reddit, fb, etc) I always witness a sizeable portion of the community split away to something else (Discord, etc). It's maddening.

[tarotuser]

As much as I dislike Stallman's non-tech opinions and actions, I think his proprietary social media handling policy is probably the best:

https://stallman.org/facebook-presence.html

Assuming you must use proprietary solutions to reach your people, RMS's solution is to use the other platforms to convert to your open platform. Maybe that won't work for everyone, but at least it allows usage of cockroach motel systems to your open one.

[bombcar]

This is elaborated as POSSE in some places: https://indieweb.org/POSSE

[Evidlo]

Just bridge it to Matrix for archival and for a fallback chat.

[INTPenis]

Discord is huge with the kids today. I saw my nephew kept checking his phone and like a typical old fart I challenged him and asked what the hell he's checking. Turns out it's discord. He subscribes to channels on discord, some are read-only, just a way of distributing notifications.

The draw is the single sign on. You sign on to one simple service and you have all your friends, all the games you follow, all the groups.