Oddbean new post about login | logout freedom technology - bitcoin, lightning, nostr, will all take off and become more mainstream when they become easy enough for grandma to use on a day to day basis without issue and when issues do eventually arrive, easy solutions exist to remediate them.
Can't deny we're on the way!
we are. things get easier and better every single day.
How do you suggest we help these along to become more mainstream?
it's all about user experience. the user interface needs to flow better and get less technical. we are getting there though. designers and developers are doing this.
And what do you suggest for current Nostr users who are not designers and developers? How do current everyday users (like myself) convince and onboard new users with the current framework?
I tell people that Nostr is new and still being built before our eyes, that grassroots movements take time, but they're worth it. I then give them as many guides and tools as I have available. I tell them that Nostr is always improving, if they don't get it or don't understand something, to check back in a month or three months, because it's always growing and improving.
Thanks for your time Derek! You’ve been a big inspiration to me in my Nostr journey.
I don’t even really know what a relay is but I seem to be able to use it. a lot of stuff goes woosh but I can follow people and post random bullshit.
good! UI/UX is getting much better all of the time with nostr.
Nostr and other tech should not be made for Grandma. Yes I'm aware this is not literal, but I think many VC software firms believe this. IMO most tech should not be made for Grandma to use. Oversimplification of complex systems just papers over the complexity of the world older generations are not equipped to understand. Its mean for younger generations to assist older generations. Not to mention I think older folks are also not equipped for the stimulation their devices give them, they have become far less social in my experience than us who have learned that the internet and connected devices are a tool and nothing more. It cannot replace the real world no matter how comforting it is. I've had way too many older family members and friends hurt or nearly bankrupted because they didn't understand how the technology worked. Their naivety leads to their exploitation. I understand this problem is not unique to technology, but it just brings that exploitation to their door step.
I only used Grandma as an example. Grandma being non technical would be similar to a 25 year old being non technical. It was a generalization, my bad. Freedom technology needs to easy for everyone to use, not just technical people.
As I mentioned, I knew you weren't being literal, trust me I understand, I've said it before and want to be careful saying it. > Freedom technology needs to easy for everyone to use, not just technical people. Absolutely agreed I think the tricky part is there must be a trade off of responsibility for reduced complexity, if an app hides settings or sets defaults for users, they must also take responsibility for doing that. For example, if an app suddenly enables client advertisement in singed notes, they must take the responsibility for teaching users of this new default, otherwise take responsibility for the blow-back of doing so.
I think it's a balance. We need advanced tools and settings for advanced users so we don't alienate them, but we also need simple user defaults for those that don't want to tinker with settings and just want their apps to work. Education here is also key so that users can choose to do more if they wish.