Alternative YouTube clients having issues loading videos

T (they/she)@beehaw.org to Technology@beehaw.org – 90 points –

It seems YT started another attempt at blocking alternative clients. They changed something in their API and both SmartTube and Tubular (NewPipe fork) are completely broken. Apparently it started happening this past week, but we personally just felt it today.

Edit: SmartTube already has an update but still not working for 4K videos it seems. Tubular still not working but it might be due to the upstream (NewPipe) is still working on a fix.

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We as a collective should be figuring out how to remunerate content creators on alternative platforms in non-shady ways (aka no crypto). I think it's part of the reason content creators don't put their stuff on platforms like peertube, dtube, or whatever else exists. With no monetary incentive, it'll stay niche and we'll be reliant on youtube until that's resolved.

Anti Commercial-AI license

Peer to peer money for fans to support creators is good.

All of the non-crypto versions of this introduce an opinionated third party. Pateron etc

What would be an unopinionated party? 🤔 And at some point a bank does come into play. Even if peertube had the possibility to transfer funds directly between banks, that would still be a third party. Or would you consider that an unopinionated third party?

Maybe I'm getting hung up on "opinionated third party". Don't quite understand that point.

Anti Commercial-AI license

If you pass the street musician, and you throw quarter into their hat. There's no third party. Nobody is validating the customer, nobody is validating the performer. The transaction is not inspectable. It is a pure transfer supporting the artist

That's the purest form of money we have as humans

A lot of these online systems, want to make things convenient, but still inject third party opinions into the transactions. Oh this person is sanctioned, this money is for something we don't approve of, this person's been canceled, we can't validate who the performer is. This performer is from Gaza, can't give them money. That's a lot of interference between the performer and the audience.

For all of the faults that digital cash have, and there are many, being the most democratic means for an audience to support our performer is one of its amazing highlights. https://www.privacyguides.org/en/cryptocurrency/

Dogmatic rejection of any technology, should always be followed with a thorough introspection of the trade-offs. If people want to say direct money is bad, they need to be thoughtful about it.

Don't understand why crypto is regarded as "shady". It works great for exactly this purpose. The solution is literally staring you in the face lol

The biggest problem with crypto is converting it to a fiat currency, because otherwise it's useless to the average person since they cannot pay for goods and the value fluctuates too much. Or are there easy and secure ways to convert to fiat currency?

Anti Commercial-AI license

If your a individual you can use a CEX for one offs, if your a recurring revenue business you can use one of the payment -> fiat gateway services for ongoing conversion. https://www.getmonero.org/resources/tools/#payment-gateways

obviously there is a ton of flexibility here, but these are just the common paths.

And therein lies the problem: you need an additional service, that also takes its cut, to convert from crypto to fiat. That is the exact extra step the majority will not take. It's not transparent, it's not easy, and has no immediate gain.

Due to regulations, a CEX requires you to identify yourself and provide multiple pieces of identification. Then once you have crypto in a wallet on peertube, it has to be deposited into the CEX - that is if the CEX has that particular cryptocurrency. Should it not, then a DEX is required, which means more steps. Finally, on the CEX it has to be converted into fiat, which is most likely a market order, not a limit order - also terrible.

Crypto as a tech is amazing, as a user experience it's terrible and that's why it's not used much besides for investments.

If you believe I'm mistaken, can you describe an easier path than what I wrote?

Anti Commercial-AI license

Then once you have crypto in a wallet on peertube, it has to be deposited into the CEX - that is if the CEX has that particular cryptocurrency. Should it not, then a DEX is required, which means more steps.

That's one of the pain points with Odysee.

The crypto that they pay out with is not directly able to be converted to fiat . You have to go through an intermediary crypto coin first, then convert to something you can buy food with.

For all of its faults, I haven't seen a better system that gives absolute authority to the resource holder.

Someone could use a CEX if they're comfortable with that, if they want more freedom, they can use a DEX.. and depending on their situation, they could go straight to barter. If they have issues with the normal banking system, they have absolute freedom to figure something out for themselves. Because it's ultimately distributed to the resource holder, there's an unlimited number of possibilities people can use to solve the last mile problem

Just using Patreon as the counter example, if it works for you it's great, if you live in a country they don't support sucks to be you, if you can't identify yourself sufficiently for them sucks to be you, if your content is isn't of the type they approve of sucks to be you..

It's left as an exercise, what you value more, convenience or freedom. But people on peer tube I believe have demonstrated they value freedom more

Not to mention, off the top of my head, at least 3 billion people, do not have access to a " Western Banking ".. they are not even able to participate in the other systems available. That's almost half the human population that exists right now. Crypto can work for them. Crypto can work for every human. Western banking, as convenient as it is, if you're willing to accept all the trade-offs, simply isn't available to half the population of the Earth.

For all of its faults, I haven’t seen a better system that gives absolute authority to the resource holder.

The majority doesn't want "absolute authority". They want to have a system that "just works" and allows them to pay for bread and butter without jumping through hoops. That's the problem with crypto: it's not easy - far from it.

Crypto can work for them. Crypto can work for every human. Western banking, as convenient as it is, if you’re willing to accept all the trade-offs, simply isn’t available to half the population of the Earth.

Crypto isn't available in a lot of countries right now. There are multiple factors: bad and unstable infrastructure (internet, electricity), bad hardware, lacking regulation, and most importantly lack of legal options. Crypto exchanges are straight up banned in many countries. I'd love to send my money directly to charities or other orgs and people outside of the Western banking system, but they can't even create a wallet, much less convert it to fiat, which brings us back to the same problem I've brought up.

Anti Commercial-AI license

Can't create a wallet?

Solar generator and a cell phone can make a wallet, it's just math. Its as democratic as algebra.

Like Nebula? I really enjoy it!

I do wish there were more services like nebula one yearly fee no baked in ads or ads at all and more creators are willing to join them.

The thing that sucks with youtube premium is you still have creators dumping 1 min long sponsors ruining the experience. Additionally often only way these creators allow you to go add free is via patreon, floatplane, etc which can get quite expensive if you follow 30-50 channels. The only other viable route is sponsorblock which works great but requires modified youtube clients/browser extensions and with youtubes new video adinjection could potentially be broken.

The only part I do wonder with nebula is how well it works for larger creators.

Linus Media group revenue break down

https://youtu.be/-zt57TWkTF4?t=532

I wish we wouldn't love under capitalism and creative people could just be creative for the greater good...

Same, and so many others I know share this sentiment. We're working on it by advocating for a just, equitable, and overall better world. Keep spreading this message!