[tech] Gemini Acentred Messaging System

[Côme Chilliet]

Le mercredi 6 janvier 2021, 21:47:27 CET Alex // nytpu a ?crit :
> I see no reason why your board server couldn't use a database (or a
> non-gemtext file format) in the backend.  It would probably make it a
> lot easier when querying and parsing since you can use a custom
> structure that suits your internal data format, then just render to
> gemtext once you're done.

There is no reason other than it was what I was feeling like doing. I dislike setting up and using databases and I liked the idea of having something really simple, and as static as possible.
But of course another implementation of the same specification could be built upon a database and even be fully dynamic.

> > The board should present a threaded view of messages
> I have mixed feelings on threaded forums in general, but if you think
> it's best it it's not the end of the world.  

This is a presentation advice, but a board server may chose to list messages in an other way.

> However, it would
> /significantly/ simplify implementations if you just chronologically
> grouped messages by post tag.  You'd no longer have to query every
> single tagged post and find the first link, instead just querying the
> gemini feed page, saving lots of server time and bandwidth for both the
> board hoster's server and the post author's server.
> 
> However, this non-threaded approach creates a problem.  This is the only
> situation I've come across so far that is actually limited by the gemini
> feed's no timestamp limitation.  Since conversations can happen in the
> span of a day, it would make it hard to group them.  This would be the
> main reason I could think of for keeping the threaded design currently
> proposed.

I like the idea of replying to a specific message of the thread, as we do on mailing list.

Maybe I should add the requirement that the post link to the board thread as well as the post it?s responding to. This would ease updating because you know exactly in which thread a message goes without searching in the thread.
But I liked the simplicity of just linking to what you are anwsering.

C?me