Comments on: Identi.ca vs Twitter or Open vs Closed

By: Algot Runeman

Algot Runeman — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:24:37 +0000

Supporting FOSS by using it accomplishes two things (at least). It encourages the developers to stick with their efforts. It makes the FOSS more viable because, in the case of the Identi.ca example, more users mean more potential.

For a simple FOSS money management program, you might also look at Grisbi.

By: Maxo

Maxo — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:08:38 +0000

I look forward to checking out MoneyDance. I have been using GNUCash and have been wanting to find something better, but have not been successful. Hopefully MoneyDance will be it.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 04:54:37 +0000

I use open-source as much as possible for my personal use. On my computer, pretty much everything is open source.

Most people I know don’t. No one I know has an identi.ca account. So I use Twitter. Same goes for AIM. I use Jabber too, but many people I know are on AIM.

I will use closed-source when it can give me something I want (contact with friends for instance), even if it costs (not open).

If it sucks (windows, for instance), I wouldn’t use it even if it was open-source. Twitter isn’t that way.

By: Alex Launi

Alex Launi — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:02:46 +0000

Rather than post another comment, I’ve replied to you and Aaron in a blog post of my own. http://www.lamalex.net/2009/01/to-all-of-the-twitter-hating-freetards/

By: Chuck

Chuck — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:45:53 +0000

Alex,

When I am mobile I have yet to want to send a dent. If/When that time comes I’ll just send it via email from my phone.

If I stand up a laconi.ca server I am choosing identi.ca, linuxoutlaws.net, army.twit.tv, and every other laconi.ca instance that is public.

This discussion is not about linux adoption, it’s about Free software.

By: Alex Launi

Alex Launi — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:54:46 +0000

@Chuck
indenti.ca does not support ‘denting’ via SMS. I can text Twitter at 24242 to update my status, this is a huge feature because what are you doing when at the computer? You’re at the computer. Boring.

@Wesley
This is true for some web services, but Chuck talks about this in his post. Twitter has an open API *which gives you access to your data*. In multiple formats, whenever you want it. It’s yours.

You both speak of the benefit of being able to host it yourself, that’s irrelevant to choosing identi.ca or twitter. In the case of hosting it yourself you’re choosing neither. Yes, it’s a great fact, and very useful, but to this discussion it’s extraneous.

Choosing Twitter is better for the overall open source ecosystem. Twitter makes major contributions back to open-source projects *that matter*. In the scheme of things, a microblogging application is much less significant wrt Linux adoption than say, a high performance memory cacher. By using twitter you’re supporting them, who in turn support important FOSS projects.

By: Alexandre Franke

Alexandre Franke — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:15:11 +0000

I think that when usable open alternatives exist (as for twitter and identi.ca), you should get rid of the proprietary one and switch. You can’t then follow people who only use twitter and they can’t follow you but you should convince them to do The Right Thing as well and switch just as you did.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:09:43 +0000

@Alex

The thing is if you find a web app useful having the code gives you the ability to run it yourself if you so desire. If you find a use for microblogging in a private setting such as a corporate network you can stand the software up on your own. The Linux Outlaws and Twit, among others, have done this for their podcasts already. The laconi.ca software allows them to interact not only with their own people but other public laconi.ca servers as well.

As for open vs closed desktop apps, I’d argue that if you had free access to your data there is no benefit to having the code there either for most people.

You say that twitter and identi.ca are not equal. Does twitter offer something other than popularity to give it some preference over identi.ca?

By: Drew

Drew — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:56:07 +0000

I use whatever solves my problem best, with preference to the open solution. I regularly use Windows XP and other closed software, but when given the chance, I utilize the open alternative (Pidgin, OpenOffice, Firefox). I definitely don’t blindly use the open alternative though… for instance, I use Winamp instead of Songbird on Windows, because Songbird is such a flipping memory hog.

On another point, identi.ca is better than twitter, in my opinion, but I use both. I use ping.fm to post to indenti.ca, twitter, plurk, and myspace all at once… pretty powerful, if you think about it. If I log into ping and post my message, that took about 15 seconds total. If I logged into all four of those sites individually and then pasted the same message, that would be roughly a minute or so. Brutal!

tl;dr, use ping.fm.

By: Wesley

Wesley — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:08:28 +0000

Alex:
You’re right, web services aren’t the same. I’d argue that, with regard to web services, freedom is more important. If you’re data is locked into a web service, there’s really no recourse. Most desktop apps have at least some day to take your data with you to another app. You’ve also got to understand, that while with identi.ca you aren’t running the code yourself, you are able to do that with laconi.ca, which is what powers identi.ca.

And as for identi.ca and twitter not being equal, you’re probably right. Identi.ca has more features than twitter.