I've had this idea for some time, and have shared it on and off. I wanted to share it here though. Basically, I've had the idea of a very minimal/lightweight, free, libre, and open source, self-hostable program that provides users with a login for imageboards. How it would work is, the user would setup a username and password, then on any clients (4chanX, KurobaEx, etc.) the user would input that username and password. Then whenever they post something, it would sync to the server, then sync to their other devices. So basically no matter which device they are on, they can keep track of their watched threads, posts, bookmarks, (You)s (replies), etc. This would be a privacy friendly way for users to sync their activity between devices to keep track of everything, instead of relying on image-board logins (which most don't have anyways). The hardest part would probably be submitting a pull request to add support for the login/sync system into clients such as KurobaEx and 4chanX. At worst it's a separate extension, or someone forks them and adds it...
>>fprog-1TOIV0D3 (OP) ...I've also suggested the additional idea, to have two separate components that works into it as a patch (to keep the base program minimal and lightweight, and secure). The first component would be an archive, so basically anything the user posts on, any threads they make, and anything they click an icon to save the thread that would be presented, it stores a local archive of that whole thread on their server. The second component would be a lightweight web interface, this would allow users to browse all their threads they bookmarked, see everything they're currently watching, and basically act as an rss feed for the program.. with the additional feature of viewing their archives if they use that feature. Personally, I am not a programmer, otherwise I'd do this. I am simply hoping to share this idea, and hope someone sees the interest in at least the base program. It seems like it should be fairly simple. Thanks.
>>fprog-1TOIV0D3 (OP) Forgot to mention, this program would support multiple imageboard platforms. So it would support fchannel instances, 4chan, endchan, lainchan, etc. etc. that's the point. Ideally anybody would be able to add support for new platforms/sites with a pull request.
>>fprog-1TOIV0D3 (OP) the whole point of imagebords imo is that everyone is anonymous and you don't need an account - the only reason to need an account is if you're a moderator or a passfag, which I don't think should be a shared status among all imageboards for obvious reasons.
>>fprog-1TOIV0D3 (OP) Anyway nice idea built on air but I can't see how to implement it. You want to federate personal user data back and forth with other instances? Where do you go as a user to keep control of your data? How do you know a federation really deleted your data if you wanted it? I'd never use it
>>fprog-6XWQ0OV7 >>fprog-SIBVJ7M1 I'm failing to understand your guys' points. Did you read my entire idea? Nothing is being stored on the imageboard servers, that's the entire point of it being self-hosted. Some imageboards DO have logins, which I dislike for the exact reasons you guys mention (anonymity). The service would be something you self-host, then it would be added as an option to "log in" on clients such as KurobaEx, or browser extensions such as 4chanX. This would of course require a pull request be submitted, then accepted. They can also be forked but the devs seem like they'd be open to such. If not, a fork of the project with this feature added is always possible too. Anyways, the server itself needs to come before any of the client side stuff. The hardest part will be getting clients to add in the login feature, although it should be reasonably simple, some devs can be annoying yk. But anyways back on point, after the user logs in, it would sync down all their watched threads, (You)s, etc. and it will be synced between each client/device they login to. Everything is stored on the server, the server which is the program that I am suggesting be made. That program will run on a server that the user self-hosts, meaning it's run entirely by them, they have full control. The program would ideally also be as minimal, lightweight as possible. And of course free, libre and open source. Nothing is being touched with the imageboards, nothing is being stored on imageboard servers besides your actual public posts to them as usual, the login system is completely self-hosted, and the login prompts are added to the end clients themselves. I don't know how I can be anymore clearer than that. But you guys obviously didn't understand the point.
>>fprog-KTOLYBDX Oh I see, you've just basically reinvented the idea of public key cryptographic authentication. You make a gpg keypair, and what you're suggesting would probably be implemented as some sort of browser plugin that can use that keypair to authenticate you cross platform. Perhaps that plugin also stores what threads you are watching and polls them for any replies. Yeah ok, I just didn't understand your idea. This could be something, but it'd be pretty niche. But possible.
>>fprog-MYSR0DXC Kinda but not really, it's basically just a service that you selfhost, and it centralizes all your watched threads and boommarks on the server you host. You login on any device and it syncs it between them all. Not reeeally a hard concept idk how I can explain it any better. If you use 4chanX, or Kuroba you know about the thread watcher right? When you post to a thread, it adds it to the watch list. You can also watch threads or posts you didn't post to. Anyways basically that list will sync to your server, then your server syncs it to any other devices logged in. The lists are merged on the server and all your devices stay up to date with one another.
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