[ericson578]

I think the reason diaspora hasn't caught on is because micropayments aren't easy for the average user yet. If you want me to use bandwidth and keep a machine running in my house connected to some decentralized p2p facebook thingee, sure some might do it for free but if everyone who used your node tossed you 1/10th of penny or something like that per use maybe it would have a lower barrier to entry.

Not to mention that it needs to be much easier to setup a server securely for the average person, and have a digital wallet to store their micropayments. (I love bitcoin but asking your average facebook user to setup a wallet securely is still too difficult)

This article correctly called out the advertising incentive of today's big companies as not being in the average users' best interest. I wish it had also talked more about what kind of incentives that are missing to get people to become a part of p2p networks. Great article though, I like how the author tied in the slowing rate of discoveries/progress into the problem.

[dredmorbius]

micropayments aren't easy for the average user yet

And never will be. Information assessment costs integral to the payment decisionmaking process are too high.

Bundle. Don't disaggregate.

(But allow for exclusion of high-cost items on request.)