The year of the personal web

Was 2023 the year of the personal website? And what about 2024?

I'm not sure about 2024, but on the last day of 2023, I'd like to respond to the first question posed by Matthias Ott. His Own Your Web newsletter was one of my motivations to keep working on this blog. Seeing others and their website designs reminds me of the days before social media, which had more room for personal expression.

I don’t mean everything is bad today. However, I like being able to personalize my blog with snowflakes, a Christmas tree at the bottom of the page, and altering the mood of my visitors. We can't do that on Facebook or Twitter, which I find odd. Many would enjoy and even pay for such personalization. The only example I can think of is Steam, where gamers can purchase various avatar borders, profile backgrounds, and other visual elements.

This year wasn't just about starting my website. Changes on Reddit and Twitter encouraged me to look for alternatives, which had long existed. With a surge in interest, these platforms gained a significant user base, making them not just technically viable but also engaging.

I discovered that platforms like Mastodon, Pixelfed, and Lemmy aren't isolated. They are connected through the decentralized social protocol named ActivityPub, forming a fascinating network of services called the Fediverse. On one Lemmy site, you can interact with users from another, sharing posts and discussions. Furthermore, Mastodon users can view Lemmy posts and vice versa, even WordPress can join this network.

A notable aspect is that different platforms can block, or defederate from each other, preventing communication. While some view this negatively, I see it positively as it allows users to choose a comfortable and safe environment among like-minded individuals.

Narrowing the focus to web and technology, 2023 was the year of the Fediverse for me.

However, it was also a year of my first financial crisis. Unlike the 2007-2008 collapse, which I was too young to experience, this time I was laid off and spent nearly five months seeking employment!

But most importantly, in January I adopted Osiris, an adorable orange cat. He makes every day a little brighter :)

Happy new year, everyone!