It’s really surprising to me that the #fediverse hasn’t agreed on a standardized way to open cross-instance #activitypub objects and instead relies on links that open in the browser.
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I think the biggest difference with pdfs, mp4 in your example and an activity is that I most likely want to interact with an activitypub object: either follow, repost/announce, etc for this to work I need to be logged in. So is the solution to include an activitypub client in the browser? Use an external viewer that intercepts through browser extensions?
Now even the experience inside mastodon sometimes opens a webview
️@julian @evan @rimu @ricferrer @trwnh I think handlers like this are an older desktop paradigm, on mobile we already have share sheets, and we’re sharing a url, to an app, what happens when the app receives the url is a client concern. Get the ActivityPub representation, and carry on as you would in the fedi (actor follow, or object like share, reply)!
Desktop OS’ have already adopted this UX -
@benpate what are your thoughts on matrix? I am considering using it in a product I am working on and would love to know why you don’t like it 🧐
I’ve been testing Element X and haven’t found many issues.
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This is AMAZING, Dan, and it would be a huge win. #ThankYouThankYouThankYou!!!
@benpate @trwnh @ricferrer @evan @julian @rimu Done!
https://loops.video/.well-known/webfinger?resource=acct:dansup@loops.video · BrowserPub · A browser for exploring ActivityPub and the fediverse
Explore the open social web through the lens of ActivityPub and the fediverse.
(browser.pub)
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Here’s a question: do browsers let JavaScript introspect what custom protocol handlers are available/installed?
I’m planning a Franken-widget that works with whatever tools are available.
Activity Intents? Sure
Custom protocol? Okay, we’ll use that too.
None of the above? Sniff the server and polyfill.
We could certainly try an “AND” approach, if JavaScript will let us.
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@julian @evan @rimu @ricferrer @trwnh I think handlers like this are an older desktop paradigm, on mobile we already have share sheets, and we’re sharing a url, to an app, what happens when the app receives the url is a client concern. Get the ActivityPub representation, and carry on as you would in the fedi (actor follow, or object like share, reply)!
Desktop OS’ have already adopted this UX@django @julian @evan @rimu @ricferrer now that i'm more awake, one other big concern is that fedcm means no privacy. so a browser or os solution like an extension or a share target is privacy-preserving. i don't think it's acceptable to make people say who they are just so like and share buttons can work. your identity should not be known to the site necessarily unless there's a very good reason (like reading private posts)
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@ricferrer @evan @julian @rimu
https: is not for web pages. it's for http resources, which can be any content type. the content should be dispatched to the appropriate content handler; for example:
- html opens in an html viewer
- pdf opens in a pdf viewer
- png opens in a png viewer
- mp4 opens in an mp4 vieweractivity+json could be opened in an activity viewer. see firefox for example in pic 1:
How about we start by acknowledging that this is indeed a pain point, and it's been widely discussed that it needs a fix;
@ricferrer
> it’s horrible UX. It opens a browser where I am not logged in instead of opening my default appIn @moshidon, fediverse URLs are often (but not always) recognised as such, and opened in the app, instead of sent to a browser. Can you explain how you achieve this Lucas, and why it doesn't work with every fediverse URL?
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How about we start by acknowledging that this is indeed a pain point, and it's been widely discussed that it needs a fix;
@ricferrer
> it’s horrible UX. It opens a browser where I am not logged in instead of opening my default appIn @moshidon, fediverse URLs are often (but not always) recognised as such, and opened in the app, instead of sent to a browser. Can you explain how you achieve this Lucas, and why it doesn't work with every fediverse URL?
@strypey did we not start with exactly that? we're way past the point of acknowledging the pain point...
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This is AMAZING, Dan, and it would be a huge win. #ThankYouThankYouThankYou!!!
@benpate @trwnh @ricferrer @evan @julian @rimu So I have a working proof of concept, using the Activity Intents FEP and a polyfill for software not yet supported.
Want to work on this together?
I will be getting the webintents.net website up shortly
Web Intents (@webintents@mastodon.social)
Attached: 1 image Introducing WebIntents: A universal follow button for the fediverse. Embed or link it anywhere. Click, enter your server, follow. Works with Mastodon, Emissary, Loops & more. Powered by @benpate's amazing Activity Intents FEP*. Coming soon. Calling all fediverse devs: let's collaborate and make this better together. ✨ https://webintents.net * - https://codeberg.org/fediverse/fep/src/branch/main/fep/3b86/fep-3b86.md
Mastodon (mastodon.social)
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@benpate @trwnh @ricferrer @evan @julian @rimu So I have a working proof of concept, using the Activity Intents FEP and a polyfill for software not yet supported.
Want to work on this together?
I will be getting the webintents.net website up shortly
Web Intents (@webintents@mastodon.social)
Attached: 1 image Introducing WebIntents: A universal follow button for the fediverse. Embed or link it anywhere. Click, enter your server, follow. Works with Mastodon, Emissary, Loops & more. Powered by @benpate's amazing Activity Intents FEP*. Coming soon. Calling all fediverse devs: let's collaborate and make this better together. ✨ https://webintents.net * - https://codeberg.org/fediverse/fep/src/branch/main/fep/3b86/fep-3b86.md
Mastodon (mastodon.social)
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@benpate @trwnh @ricferrer @evan @julian @rimu So I have a working proof of concept, using the Activity Intents FEP and a polyfill for software not yet supported.
Want to work on this together?
I will be getting the webintents.net website up shortly
Web Intents (@webintents@mastodon.social)
Attached: 1 image Introducing WebIntents: A universal follow button for the fediverse. Embed or link it anywhere. Click, enter your server, follow. Works with Mastodon, Emissary, Loops & more. Powered by @benpate's amazing Activity Intents FEP*. Coming soon. Calling all fediverse devs: let's collaborate and make this better together. ✨ https://webintents.net * - https://codeberg.org/fediverse/fep/src/branch/main/fep/3b86/fep-3b86.md
Mastodon (mastodon.social)
Yes. I'm in.
I've built similar buttons for Emissary, but they require too much server-side logic. I've been wanting to migrate the whole thing to client-side JS for some time, and make an easy widget that "webmasters" can drop on their pages.
If you're interested, you're more than welcome to take the lead on this (I'm sooo full rn) and I'll do whatever you need to help out.
And if you want to chat, let's jump on a video call
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Yes. I'm in.
I've built similar buttons for Emissary, but they require too much server-side logic. I've been wanting to migrate the whole thing to client-side JS for some time, and make an easy widget that "webmasters" can drop on their pages.
If you're interested, you're more than welcome to take the lead on this (I'm sooo full rn) and I'll do whatever you need to help out.
And if you want to chat, let's jump on a video call
@benpate @trwnh @ricferrer @evan @julian @rimu @webintents
Yes, for sure! I've already built a proof of concept, that I will get setup and ready to test on a video call.
I even got the project website up: https://webintents.net
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@benpate what are your thoughts on matrix? I am considering using it in a product I am working on and would love to know why you don’t like it 🧐
I’ve been testing Element X and haven’t found many issues.
While I do have some gripes with notifications and threaded discussions in the Element client…
My loathing of Matrix is less about the technology, and more about having yet another place to follow discussions. I can only follow so many separate places to have discussions, and matrix doesn’t seem to add much value.
I’d much rather try to make discussions work better HERE, instead of moving everything over to Matrix
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While I do have some gripes with notifications and threaded discussions in the Element client…
My loathing of Matrix is less about the technology, and more about having yet another place to follow discussions. I can only follow so many separate places to have discussions, and matrix doesn’t seem to add much value.
I’d much rather try to make discussions work better HERE, instead of moving everything over to Matrix
@benpate yeah. I understand completely and I feel the same way that the space for communication tools is over saturated. But I do see a value in #matrix for private communication. Private/Direct #messenging in the fediverse is not good and I feel it would take a huge effort to fix it. At the same time there is in matrix already a separate solution that gives me hope about replacing #whatsapp #signal #telegram etc in a way that more aligns to my values and overlaps those of the fediverse.
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It’s really surprising to me that the #fediverse hasn’t agreed on a standardized way to open cross-instance #activitypub objects and instead relies on links that open in the browser. #urischeme
I found this proposal and what’s thinking… https://codeberg.org/fediverse/fep/src/branch/main/fep/07d7/fep-07d7.md Which one would be your favorite?
(If anyone has updates on the progress, feel free to point me in the right direction)
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It’s really surprising to me that the #fediverse hasn’t agreed on a standardized way to open cross-instance #activitypub objects and instead relies on links that open in the browser. #urischeme
I found this proposal and what’s thinking… https://codeberg.org/fediverse/fep/src/branch/main/fep/07d7/fep-07d7.md Which one would be your favorite?
(If anyone has updates on the progress, feel free to point me in the right direction)
The ap:// URI-scheme won.
it was my favorite anyways 
#activitypub #fediverse -
It’s really surprising to me that the #fediverse hasn’t agreed on a standardized way to open cross-instance #activitypub objects and instead relies on links that open in the browser. #urischeme
I found this proposal and what’s thinking… https://codeberg.org/fediverse/fep/src/branch/main/fep/07d7/fep-07d7.md Which one would be your favorite?
(If anyone has updates on the progress, feel free to point me in the right direction)
@ricferrer There is `acct:` for Webfinger from https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7565
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@ricferrer There is `acct:` for Webfinger from https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7565
@astro completely missed this. Will Check it out. Thanks
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@ricferrer There is `acct:` for Webfinger from https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7565
@astro just read into it and it’s not designed to be actionable on its own (clicking it won’t open a client or app). It’s also only for accounts and handles used to identify a user. What I meant that we need is something that open a client to a specific post and user profile, among others. Similar protocol handlers like itms: (Apple App Store), mailto: (e-mail), tel: (phone numbers) or magnet: (BitTorrent)
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I understand the need to link back to an app. It’s important, but I’m voting for the open web.
All the search and discovery interactions *should* start out on a website somewhere, then link back to your home website (or possibly an app) to share and like.
But, using a new URL scheme will lock out everyone who doesn’t have an app installed, and that’s a bad UX.
Plus, I think we can solve this “back to my server” issue in other ways WITHOUT needing a URL scheme, like: #FEP3b86
@benpate
> I think we can solve this “back to my server” issue in other ways WITHOUT needing a URL scheme, like: #FEP3b86The finer details of this are beyond me for now, but I know that @moshidon often seems to know that a URL leads to AP object, and opens it in-app instead of passing it to a web browser. Can you link us to any resources you used to make that magic happen Lucas?
or should I make one?
