@ quillie ⚡️💜
2024-08-30 21:53:53
What the hell is Nostriga you might think. Nostriga is part of the [nostr.world](https://nostr.world/) unconference series. It's a cost-free event aimed at gathering nostriches - people excited about nostr - globally to share knowledge, collaborate, network and work towards a freely accessible internet.
In case you never heard of nostr: nostr is an open protocol designed for censorship-resistant and global web publishing, fostering a value-for-value exchange. Find more information [here](https://nostr.how/en/what-is-nostr).
Now that a few days have passed, it's time to reflect on some of my main takeaways but first, I would like to thank Marce, Anna, Jack, Uncle Rockstar and everyone else involved for making this event special in several ways. I'm sharing my thoughts in no particular order and as can be expected after having heard so many inspiring talks, I will be relaying - relay, get it? - many great ideas others shared.
## nostriches are built different
To be honest, Nostriga was one of the best conference experiences I have had in a while. Great spirit, deep conversations, real & honest takes and 99% signal. Everyone who's ever been to a conference knows how draining and tiring such events can be. This time, however, something is different. I guess one of the main reasons for this are *the people behind those npubs*. Great attitude, avoiding ego shows, no simping for VIPs, down to earth and a positive vision of what might lie ahead. So in hindsight, Nostriga makes me super bullish on the upcoming months and the road ahead when it comes to the tech as well as the people behind nostr. Onwards, nostriches.
## no need for nostr marketing
With the world marching towards implementing 1984, which was not meant to serve as instruction manual god dammit, and events such as the arrest of Pavel Durov, it's evident that *nostr won't need a marketing department*. An open protocol with focus on censorship-resistance and free speech, will automatically attract the attention of just the right people. This is of course based on the assumption that the nostr community will deal with certain challenges when it comes to privacy and nostr.
## nostr (still) has privacy issues
As already pointed out by Edward Snowden, many open challenges remain to be mastered when it comes to privacy, so that people having to rely on safe and private messaging don't have to rule out nostr. Protecting identities, location and leaking as little metadata as possible are crucial here. Keep in mind, a three letter agency once said that they kill people based on metadata. In this regard, nostr DMs are one of the biggest pain points for the time being, though several nips exist to overcome issues such as IP leaks. See the talk of Jeff for details. We'll get there!
For thoughts on privacy, check out *saving private nostr*:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/1y7zi3t1aNM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
For privacy and DMs, check out *the past and future of messaging on nostr* (at 3h 01min 48s):
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Zv766SV840k;start=10912" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
## nostr already got a killer feature: openness
Long story short, watch this talk (starts at 1h 19min 17s) :
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/9p6mfqcP9Ic;start=4765" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
## nostr beyond social media
As demonstrated by Ben Arc, nostr can be so much more than just an attempt to mimic Twitter. IoT, web of trust, file sharing or bringing together (open) social media and AI are just a few things on the table.
## separation of client and algorithm
For many of you this might be nothing new but I can't stress the importance of Data Vending Machines (DVMs) enough. In a nutshell, DVMs are data-processing tools. You give them some data, a few sats, and they give you back some data. As anyone can spin up his own DVM without any registration or signup, there will be ruthless competition. Check out [DVMs](https://www.data-vending-machines.org/) for further information.
The basic idea behind it, which still gets me, is the potential separation of (nostr) clients and algorithms in a broader sense. Coupled with marketplaces and having insights what algorithms your friends are using, things will get interesting. Remember, to this day Twitter, Meta and so on are deciding what algorithms are being used in your app and not you. nostr will put you in the driver seat.
## web of trust
Web of trust is something people talk a lot about these days, so I will keep it short. One idea caught my attention: combining nostr and file sharing in the sense that you attach an npub to files hosted on file sharing services or torrents and so on. In order to prevent downloading or even spreading infected files, it boils down to the simple question of "can I trust that npub to host clean as well as safe files?". Reputation.
## have you seen my nutsack?
Before Nostriga, I haven't been aware of how beautifully ecash and nostr can go hand in hand. In particular, I'm still trying to find the right words to express how big of a deal the combination of Data Vending Machines and ecash can be, if implemented the right way. Check out [DVMs](https://www.data-vending-machines.org/) that [nutsack thing, ](https://www.nobsbitcoin.com/nutsack-v0-1/) and [pistachio bag](https://github.com/believethehype/pistachio).
(Talk starts at 55min 41s)
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Zv766SV840k;start=3359" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
## nostr is not another Bitcoiner circle jerk
On the second day of Nostriga, I met someone at one of the food trucks, who happens to have been actively fighting to free Julian Assange. Events, protests, spreading the word, the whole thing. He or she - trying to hide as many details as I possibly can here - told me that his/her main motivation for coming to Riga was indeed nostr and that he/she had discovered Bitcoin via nostr, where it's usually the other way around. To be honest, this was not the only time I heard this at Nostriga but for sure it's the most memorable one.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with so many Bitcoiners being around on nostr and it does come with several benefits, one of them being an excellent meme game. As I sincerely believe that nostr is for anyone, it feels good to see other communities popping up and telling their stories on nostr. So delighted you're leaving those walled gardens, friends.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/iZyqVGHjDGo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
## onwards
Let me know what you think, where you agree, where you have a different point of view. Feel free to bring in your *Nostriga story*. Keep it weird, fellow nostriches, and if you have time to just watch a single talk from Nostriga, make sure it's this one:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/XUsk7cqZyKU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>