• lilypad [she/her, undecided]
    ·
    8 months ago

    Hear me out, a distributed dating app, so that everything happens without needing a server.

    Assume 1gb of free storage per device, distribute gzipped text-only profiles such that any given profile is constantly "on the network" (i.e. distributed via someone elses device if youre no longer connected, idk like distribute to 20 random devices, and then redistribute if the number of active devices drops below 5?), but have images hosted from your device so theyre only available if your device is currently connected. Have everyone set a "home location point" to avoid distributing via a device thats across an ocean or something.

    Basically, by using the app you're contributing processing power to run the network. Idk ive never done or looked at anything like that before, but it sounded cool in my head. Plus text only profiles take so little space, you could store a lot of them in 1gb, especially if theyre like gzipped tarballs or something similar.

    Messages could be peer to peer. If someone messages you or likes you or matches with you, it forwards that info to your device or stores it on one or more devices in order to forward it once youre back on the network.

    Goal is to remove any profit motive from the app, so users instead of paying money pay with device processing power.

    Ok random thought over now. Ive never done distributed systems before so its probably a pipe dream or something impractical.

    • Yurt_Owl
      ·
      8 months ago

      3ds street pass but its a dating app

    • albigu@lemmygrad.ml
      ·
      8 months ago

      I definitely would torrent a movie, a car and a boyfriend. \s

      While I don't like your solution, it seems to be directed at a similar reason as to why fediverse communities are generally nicer (I also don't think federated dating apps are a good solution), because the communities are hosted willingly by people who are part of the community.

      Even if somebody has to shoulder the costs, and the website is driven by donations, it's hard to scale that into something profitable, and the community comes out better from that. I remember reading that craigslist started as a local email list. Maybe the solution for dating apps would be to make them hyperlocal systems rather than generic multinational hyper-individualistic one-size-fits-all solution.

      (In my experience, it's also rather cringe seeing apps like tinder trying to use gringo marketing techniques over here)

      • Assian_Candor [comrade/them]
        ·
        8 months ago

        Hell yeah peoples dating site. You have to read a line of theory to log in. Extreme moderation so if you send an unsolicited dick pick or are a chud you get instantly banned.

        • Great_Leader_Is_Dead
          ·
          8 months ago

          The USSR literally had events for single young people to encourage them to bone down and have kids so yeah, this isn't without precedent

            • Great_Leader_Is_Dead
              ·
              8 months ago

              It was some article I read years ago, I'll try and dig it up.

              Also there's a Soviet Czech movie where they show an event like this, but again I'm blanking on the name.

    • GaveUp [love/loves]
      ·
      8 months ago

      Yea I think this idea fails for anybody with non incredible connection speeds or phones