Oddbean new post about | logout
 Nostr is a system built on top of http, which is a web standard.  Nostr  operates at a different functional layer.  It is not a formaly standardized, indeed nobody can tell you who controls it, right now.  It is somewhere between an API and a higher layer protocol.  A key thing is implementation variability.  Another is scalability.  In any case you cant compare nostr to the web, it's a system built on the web.  Therefore, anything nostr can do, the web can do, and more, because the web is a well-defined supserset of nostr.  The trick is to take nostr design patterns and proliferate them across the web, brinking new functionality to a wider audience.   
 I agree with everything you say, and I don't think nostr should aim to be a network independent of the web standards. But I also think web might benefit in many ways if we inject nostr somewhere between http transport and html presentation layer (like we do with npub.pro sites, and like all web nostr apps do), which is what I meant when I said "rebuild the web on top of nostr". Should I have said "rebuild the web WITH nostr"?
 
 Perfect.  npub.pro is a really significant innovation.  Because it ties together two worlds.  It's more than a bridge.  It's like putting two jigsaw pieces together to make everything around it make more sense.  More can be done in this direction, but a truly excellent start. 
 Thanks! Is there anything significant we should explore/prioritize, in your opinion?  
 I am experimenting with npub login where authorization is an encrypted dm challenge/response (no need to type in 6 digit code at site). When it’s ready, I will show you and you might consider it for your login. 
 Sounds interesting, please let me know! 
 Yeah, the penny dropped when I saw what you did with npub login (kicking myself, why didn’t I think of that!). I realized I could generalize extend and make every #nostr client an authenticator, too! 
 Exactly! 
 I think embedding widgets or frames in a note, that users can interact with.  But this can also be a standalone micro app.  Or a widget in a home page etc. 
 Thanks, need to think about that!