Update from Lemmy after the Reddit blackout (From the Lemmy Developer)

HTTP_404_NotFound@lemmyonline.com to Lemmy.World Announcements@lemmy.world – 558 points –
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Good read, gives me a lot of hope for this project.

I look forward to an exciting future with all of you.

(Also- hopefully this wasn't posted already)

https://join-lemmy.org/news/2023-06-17_-_Update_from_Lemmy_after_the_Reddit_blackout

This was written by the Lemmy devs.

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Update 2: My conclusion

Update: So I dug around a little deeper, and found that

On another topic, there are rumors circulating that we are fascists or supported genocide. These claims are completely false, and like most viral twitter threads, are coming from a single Mastodon user on a personal vendetta who didn’t provide any sources. Such slander doesn’t deserve any response and is best left ignored.

Update: More info about @dessalines@lemmy.ml

It's definitely good to have people like you investigating the backgrounds of key developers, as there might be ulterior motives behind them developing open platforms that compete with established Western companies outside of loving the free web and open source. Thank you!

However, I wonder how many opinions we disagree with would be unearthed by doing this kind of research on every core developer of Chrome, Windows, MacOS, Google or whatever. I think you would find a lot if you get people to air their honest opinions. In today's climate, if these people were open about certain opinions they might hold (not saying they do, but statistically it's likely some do) they would just be fired, so it's easy for large corporations to shake damage to their reputation from having certain staff members. For OSS it is a bit harder, since although developers can be pushed out, and software can be forked, it's all open and it's harder to understate the contribution to the source code etc. that such a person could have contributed.

It does kind of suck when you hear that developers working on software you like have wildly different worldviews to your own, but sometimes you have to put things in perspective. Having said that, if this guy is the only developer I might feel less than happy about using Lemmy instead of Reddit.

Personally, I'd rather my open source, decentralized software be developed by a nearly fanatical communist than a slimy entrepreneur/capitalist. Either could try to pull the rug out from under you, but at least one is internally consistent until then...

but at least one is internally consistent until then…

Having to do the mental gymnastics required to make China not commit genocide does not suggest internal consistency...

I’d rather have open source, decentralized software be developed by none of those groups/slimy individual. Doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive.

I mean you're more than free to start contributing to Lemmy and / or offer to be on the core team. You can fork it and start your own version of it not owned by them. The nice thing about having a communist (or at least an anticapitalist) developing it instead of a capitalist is that you have the freedom to do that. You cannot do that with Twitter, or with Reddit, or with Facebook, or with Instagram.

Capitalists will not voluntarily do that because it is unprofitable to them. Companies that do end up floundering or dead.

Idk to me there's a very real difference between the two and I'd rather have a tankie developing a platform than someone like Elon Musk making it go to shit.

Wow...thanks. I had no idea this was ongoing. As someone living in Asia and seeing these issues from up close, these ring close to home. I'll be paying attention for any of these...moderations.

If you are not on lemmy.ml or lemmingrad there is nothing to look out for because these people have no influence on your content.

How about Lemmy.world? Whichgroupss will they influence mostly?

They moderste lemmy.ml and lemmingrad. Apart from those, in which they are admins, they have zero influence or power anywhere else... Lemmy world and other indtances have completely different people in charge.

The Lemmy.world server is owned by the same guy that owns Mastodon.world. Nothing to do with the Lemmy devs. Just mainstream general interest servers.

@dessalines@lemmy.ml is /u/parentis_shotgun on Reddit. Source: https://archive.is/Ky9vd

  1. There is nothing that links to @dessalines@lemmy.ml there.

  2. Ask yourself: what is this person gaining from spreading misinformation and trying to make people to hate Lemmy developers?

Since you didn't notice that in that post /u/parentis_shotgun claims to have made Jerboa and links to it - which links to github.com/dessalines/jerboa - you're not very observant so I'll provide you with some alternative posts as evidence.

Step 1) Visit /u/parentis_shotgun's profile

Step 2) Old PgDn to load some posts. Find the one that says nothing but "Yes" on it. This post specifically.

Step 3) Click Context to see which question it is answering

Step 4) Read the question: "Wait a second, are you the same dessalines that narrated my The State and Revolution by Lenin and Fascism: What it is and how to fight it by Trotsky?"

Step 5) See /u/parentis_shotgun's response: "Yes."

"Misinformation".

What exactly do you get out of defending Tankies?

E:

Alternative route #1: Find parentis_shotgun's post about creating thumb-key - a privacy-conscious Android keyboard made for your thumbs. Notice it links to a Github profile for dessalines.

Alternative route #2: Find this post where they keep their "communist 101s" on dessalines.github.io/essays/

thank you for the research & informing us

@dessalines@lemmy.ml is /u/parentis_shotgun on Reddit. Source: https://archive.is/Ky9vd

  1. There is nothing that links to @dessalines@lemmy.ml there.

  2. Ask yourself: what is this person gaining from spreading misinformation and trying to make people to hate Lemmy developers?

Since you didn't notice that in that post /u/parentis_shotgun claims to have made Jerboa and links to it - which links to github.com/dessalines/jerboa - you're not very observant so I'll provide you with some alternative posts as evidence.

Step 1) Visit /u/parentis_shotgun's profile

Step 2) Old PgDn to load some posts. Find the one that says nothing but "Yes" on it. This post specifically.

Step 3) Click Context to see which question it is answering

Step 4) Read the question: "Wait a second, are you the same dessalines that narrated my The State and Revolution by Lenin and Fascism: What it is and how to fight it by Trotsky?"

Step 5) See /u/parentis_shotgun's response: "Yes."

"Misinformation".

Ask yourself: What exactly do you get out of defending Tankies?

Alternative route #1: Find parentis_shotgun's post about creating thumb-key - a privacy-conscious Android keyboard made for your thumbs. Notice it links to a Github profile for dessalines.

Alternative route #2: Find this post where they keep their "communist 101s" on dessalines.github.io/essays/

Why are you taking a personal vendetta against the devs? LOL

I dislike genocide apologists about as much as I dislike liars and people who spread misinformation. It's trivially easy to confirm who /u/parentis_shotgun is - so calling it misinformation is blatantly lying especially when their first point is blatantly wrong.

People can be OK with the dev being a Tankie ("separate the art from the artist" which is a terrible philosophy in its own right but people are welcome to believe in it this more of a philosophical difference) but denying that the dev is a Tankie is where I cross the line. The dev is a Tankie. Do with that information what you will but there is no denying it.

This is so weird to me lol, maybe I'm just odd but it's so weird seeing McCarthyism still rearing it's ugly head after what... 5 decades? I am by no means an ML (can't stand them as an anarchist) but this is wildly blowing out of proportion what @dessalines@lemmy.ml has said and done.

I mean like why link a 'Socialist FAQ' that's literally just a ton of links to education on socialism and the different schools of thought it has? Not all communists are tankies (not even most) lol. Just generally shows a lack of familiarity with actual leftists / anticapitalists.

I think it's more like 7 decades and I thought the same. Reds-under-the-bed is still a thing!

@dessalines@lemmy.ml is /u/parentis_shotgun on Reddit. Source: https://archive.is/Ky9vd

  1. There is nothing that links to @dessalines@lemmy.ml there.

  2. Ask yourself: what is this person gaining from spreading misinformation and trying to make people to hate Lemmy developers?

Please stop spamming this in the thread, it's annoying af.

Sometimes people just like spreading drama. Other times they just have weird or different beliefs. Accusing someone of having ulterior motives isn't useful or helpful unless you can demonstrate that this person isn't just having an internet debate that they feel strongly about.

Accusing someone of having ulterior motives isn’t useful

@spirit is making claims out of his ass though and taking lots of upvotes. I don't agree with spamming but there is no proof the reddit user is Dessalines.

Okay, what I'm saying is a vast majority of the time people just say stupid shit online. And that's it. This is a good way to say it, not 'what does this person have to gain by doing the thing that internet users have done for forever to earn imaginary internet points? Are they trying to destroy Lemmy?'

You are amazing! Thanks for the time spent on OSINT

@dessalines@lemmy.ml is /u/parentis_shotgun on Reddit. Source: https://archive.is/Ky9vd

  1. There is nothing that links to @dessalines@lemmy.ml there.

  2. Ask yourself: what is this person gaining from spreading misinformation and trying to make people to hate Lemmy developers?

Seeing as you're spamming this reply - I'll go ahead and spam my response to it.

Since you didn't notice that in that post /u/parentis_shotgun claims to have made Jerboa and links to it - which links to github.com/dessalines/jerboa - you're not very observant so I'll provide you with some alternative posts as evidence.

Step 1) Visit /u/parentis_shotgun's profile

Step 2) Old PgDn to load some posts. Find the one that says nothing but "Yes" on it. This post specifically.

Step 3) Click Context to see which question it is answering

Step 4) Read the question: "Wait a second, are you the same dessalines that narrated my The State and Revolution by Lenin and Fascism: What it is and how to fight it by Trotsky?"

Step 5) See /u/parentis_shotgun's response: "Yes."

"Misinformation".

Ask yourself: What exactly do you get out of defending Tankies?

Alternative route #1: Find parentis_shotgun's post about creating thumb-key - a privacy-conscious Android keyboard made for your thumbs. Notice it links to a Github profile for dessalines.

Alternative route #2: Find this post where they keep their "communist 101s" on dessalines.github.io/essays/

Wow, this is a lot to digest. Thank you for putting this all together.

@dessalines@lemmy.ml is /u/parentis_shotgun on Reddit. Source: https://archive.is/Ky9vd

  1. There is nothing that links to @dessalines@lemmy.ml there.

  2. Ask yourself: what is this person gaining from spreading misinformation and trying to make people to hate Lemmy developers?

Seeing as you're spamming this reply - I'll go ahead and spam my response to it.

Since you didn't notice that in that post /u/parentis_shotgun claims to have made Jerboa and links to it - which links to github.com/dessalines/jerboa - you're not very observant so I'll provide you with some alternative posts as evidence.

Step 1) Visit /u/parentis_shotgun's profile

Step 2) Old PgDn to load some posts. Find the one that says nothing but "Yes" on it. This post specifically.

Step 3) Click Context to see which question it is answering

Step 4) Read the question: "Wait a second, are you the same dessalines that narrated my The State and Revolution by Lenin and Fascism: What it is and how to fight it by Trotsky?"

Step 5) See /u/parentis_shotgun's response: "Yes."

"Misinformation".

Ask yourself: What exactly do you get out of defending Tankies?

Alternative route #1: Find parentis_shotgun's post about creating thumb-key - a privacy-conscious Android keyboard made for your thumbs. Notice it links to a Github profile for dessalines.

Alternative route #2: Find this post where they keep their "communist 101s" on dessalines.github.io/essays/

(lemmygrad.ml) "funded by the NED"

Must have been stated as sarcasm if Ned is : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Endowment_for_Democracy
since they are fighting specifically against this kind of United States's actions.

I mean regardless of the devs' opinions they are forwarding the democratization of information by working on this project

Yeah, honestly, these NED guys seem really cool based on the wikipedia article. It's nice to find out my tax dollars are actually supporting something positive every now and again :)

I agree with you yet I was not completely clear : I meant to say that lemmygrad.ml are fighting USA's stance

I believe those people saying lemmy is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy were being sarcastic.

@dessalines@lemmy.ml is /u/parentis_shotgun on Reddit. Source: https://archive.is/Ky9vd

  1. There is nothing that links to @dessalines@lemmy.ml there.

  2. Ask yourself: what is this person gaining from spreading misinformation and trying to make people to hate Lemmy developers?

Seeing as you're spamming this reply - I'll go ahead and spam my response to it.

Since you didn't notice that in that post /u/parentis_shotgun claims to have made Jerboa and links to it - which links to github.com/dessalines/jerboa - you're not very observant so I'll provide you with some alternative posts as evidence.

Step 1) Visit /u/parentis_shotgun's profile

Step 2) Old PgDn to load some posts. Find the one that says nothing but "Yes" on it. This post specifically.

Step 3) Click Context to see which question it is answering

Step 4) Read the question: "Wait a second, are you the same dessalines that narrated my The State and Revolution by Lenin and Fascism: What it is and how to fight it by Trotsky?"

Step 5) See /u/parentis_shotgun's response: "Yes."

"Misinformation".

Ask yourself: What exactly do you get out of defending Tankies?

Alternative route #1: Find parentis_shotgun's post about creating thumb-key - a privacy-conscious Android keyboard made for your thumbs. Notice it links to a Github profile for dessalines.

Alternative route #2: Find this post where they keep their "communist 101s" on dessalines.github.io/essays/

Jesus christ, what a dumpster fire that comments section was.

@dessalines@lemmy.ml is /u/parentis_shotgun on Reddit. Source: https://archive.is/Ky9vd

  1. There is nothing that links to @dessalines@lemmy.ml there.

  2. Ask yourself: what is this person gaining from spreading misinformation and trying to make people to hate Lemmy developers?

Seeing as you're spamming this reply - I'll go ahead and spam my response to it.

Since you didn't notice that in that post /u/parentis_shotgun claims to have made Jerboa and links to it - which links to github.com/dessalines/jerboa - you're not very observant so I'll provide you with some alternative posts as evidence.

Step 1) Visit /u/parentis_shotgun's profile

Step 2) Old PgDn to load some posts. Find the one that says nothing but "Yes" on it. This post specifically.

Step 3) Click Context to see which question it is answering

Step 4) Read the question: "Wait a second, are you the same dessalines that narrated my The State and Revolution by Lenin and Fascism: What it is and how to fight it by Trotsky?"

Step 5) See /u/parentis_shotgun's response: "Yes."

"Misinformation".

Ask yourself: What exactly do you get out of defending Tankies?

Alternative route #1: Find parentis_shotgun's post about creating thumb-key - a privacy-conscious Android keyboard made for your thumbs. Notice it links to a Github profile for dessalines.

Alternative route #2: Find this post where they keep their "communist 101s" on dessalines.github.io/essays/

I never said anything about that person, your copy/paste comment is not relevant to what I said. I don't hate the devs, I said the comments section of the post that was linked to is a dumpster fire of tankies and genocide apologists.

You mean to say : except for that excellent comment you replied to ?

I'm referring to the comments section on the post he linked to, where half the comments are tankies trying to defend the actions of the admins who were banning users and calling them racist for criticizing the CCP/Kremlin.