Is it just me, or has anyone else thought about the potential for a dedicated bot platform for the Fediverse?

Think of something similar to how Discord has two completely separate apps for managing Discord bots: Bots for Discord, and Bot Designer for Discord.

Users can find, customize, and run bots in Discord servers, all in one place.

Now imagine that, but tailored for the Fediverse.

What I’m envisioning is a platform/app where mods, admins, or individuals can create, browse, and easily deploy bots across different Fediverse platforms.

For example:

• A Lemmy community could add an Automod bot to enforce rules, a "Fact of the Day" bot to post fun trivia, or even character bots (e.g., Harry Potter/Albus Dumbledore/Voldemort/etc. bots for a Harry Potter community, or Link/Zelda for a gaming-themed community, etc.).
• A Pixelfed bot could automatically feature stunning images or run photo contests.
• A Mastodon bot could post breaking news updates or even serve as a Q&A bot for a popular hashtag.
• Peertube bots could promote trending videos or notify communities of shared uploads.
• A Bookwyrm bot could suggest popular books or create fun reading challenges.
• A bot for Calendar-based events, like reminding communities about upcoming holidays or events based on their interests.
• A bot for gamified engagement, such as awarding badges for engagement or posting interactive polls.
• A bot for memes and humour, generating community-specific memes using AI.
• A translation bot to help users bridge discussions across different languages in a multilingual community.
• A bot for feeds, pulling external data (e.g., weather, stock updates, or sports scores) into relevant communities.
• A welcome bot to greet new users and help them onboard into the community.
• etc.

It could work by letting mods/admins/users select which Fediverse platform they want to use the bot on (e.g., Lemmy, Mastodon, Pixelfed, Peertube, etc.), choose their bot type, and tweak settings for functionality—all from one hub.

The potential for creative and engaging bots is huge, and it could genuinely enhance many Fediverse communities.

I’d honestly love to work on something like this, but unfortunately, I don’t have the time, energy, or knowledge to make it a reality.

So I wanted to toss the idea out here to see if anyone else has thought about something similar—or if this concept already exists and I’ve completely missed it.

What do you think?

Could something like this benefit the Fediverse and its various platforms?

Do you think Lemmy should introduce a feature allowing the head moderator of a community to transfer ownership to another moderator, similar to Discord's server ownership transfer functionality?

What advantages and challenges do you foresee with implementing such a system, and how might it impact community governance and continuity on the platform?

Would adding this feature help foster stronger community management dynamics, or could it lead to potential misuse or instability in some cases?

How might Lemmy balance flexibility for moderators with safeguards to ensure fair and consistent ownership transfers?

As many of you may know, Reddit's r/place is a popular social experiment that allows users to collaborate on a massive digital canvas by placing one pixel every few minutes. It fostered community engagement, creativity, and even some friendly competition between different groups.

Given Lemmy's focus on community-driven content and open-source principles, I'm curious about your thoughts on potentially introducing a similar feature:

Questions:

1. Do you think a Lemmy version of r/place would be beneficial for our platform? Why or why not?
2. How could such a feature be implemented in a way that aligns with Lemmy's values and decentralized structure?
3. What potential challenges or drawbacks do you foresee with introducing this type of collaborative art project?
4. If implemented, how often should such an event occur? Annually, quarterly, or as a one-time experiment?
5. What unique twists or improvements could Lemmy add to make this feature stand out from Reddit's version?

I was curious—has anyone ever thought about attempting a Fediverse-based alternative app store? Something that embraces the decentralized, federated philosophy but applies it to distributing apps.

Imagine an app store combining the best ideas of platforms like F-Droid, AltStore, Aptoide, or Aurora Store, but with the following Fediverse twist:

• Federation: App repositories could be hosted on independent servers that communicate, similar to Mastodon instances, Lemmy, or PeerTube.
• Openness: Developers could host their own apps on their servers, or join community-based app hubs.
• Community Moderation: Users could rate, review, and verify apps collectively to ensure safety and quality.
• Decentralized Privacy: No centralized tracking or data collection—apps could exist in line with the privacy values many of us in the Fediverse cherish.
• Cross-Platform Focus: Not just Android or iOS—this could support Linux desktop, custom ROMs, or a potential future Fediverse OS.

Drawing inspiration from existing app stores like:

• Aurora Store (privacy-focused),
• Aptoide (community-driven recommendations),
• AltStore/Scarlet (sideloading and modded apps),
• F-Droid (free and open-source apps with community involvement),
• or even BuildStore (subscription-based security assurance),

a federated app store could offer something revolutionary in contrast to the monopoly of Google Play/Apple App Store.

Potential Names for This Hypothetical App Store:

1. FedApps – Simple and straight to the point.
2. Appiverse – Merging "App" and "Fediverse" to highlight its federated nature.
3. DecentraStore – Emphasizing decentralization as the core concept.
4. OpenWave – Suggesting an open and free flow of apps across the Fediverse.
5. AppHaven – A safe haven for apps, rooted in community trust.
6. LibreStore – Inspired by "libre," pointing to freedom and openness.
7. FediHub – A central hub for apps, aligned with the federated ecosystem.
8. CommApps – Highlighting the community-driven aspect of the store.
9. NodeStore – Tying it to the networked nature of federated nodes.

Questions for the community:

1. Would something like this align with the ethos of the Fediverse?
2. What would the technical hurdles look like—building decentralized repositories, ensuring verification, and avoiding malicious apps?
3. How would we overcome the challenge of making this accessible to non-technical users? Could it scale to mainstream use?
4. Could such a platform serve as a foundation if the Fediverse community ever developed its own federated operating systems?
5. And just for fun: If you were to create this app store, what features or design principles would be must-haves?

I’d love to see something like this, but I unfortunately have neither the time nor the technical know-how to take it on. However, the idea of a community-driven alternative app ecosystem feels like it could be a natural evolution of the Fediverse’s decentralized ethos.

EDIT: If a federated app store DID gain traction, it could potentially plant the seeds for future Fediverse-powered devices—phones, tablets, PCs, etc. Imagine an entirely federated tech stack.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, ideas, and feedback.

I was wondering, in the Voyager App, for posts, what is the smiley face with 100% next to it.

I looked everywhere, but was unable to find any information about it

Summary:
Please add a feature to Boost for Lemmy where, if a user is logged in with multiple accounts, they receive a visual indicator (e.g., a symbol, badge, or number) on the inactive accounts when a new notification or inbox message arrives on them. This would help users quickly identify that they have notifications on other accounts without needing to manually check each one.

Problem:
For users managing multiple Lemmy accounts (e.g., for different communities or purposes), it’s easy to miss notifications or messages on inactive accounts when they’re logged into just one. Currently, users need to switch between accounts periodically to check for activity, which is both inconvenient and easy to overlook.

Proposed Solution:
Introduce a cross-account notification system where:

• When logged into Account A, and a new notification or inbox message arrives on Account B, a small indicator (like a numbered badge or icon) appears next to Account B in the account-switching menu.
• The badge could display the number of unread notifications or simply alert users that attention is needed on the other account.

Benefits:

• Improved User Experience: Users don't have to "guess" if there's activity on their other accounts.
• Increased Engagement: Notifications will ensure users are prompt in responding, especially if the other account is for managing a community.
• Time-Saving: Users can focus on one account without manually checking others unless they know there’s something pending.

Optional Features:

• Customizable Notifications: Users can toggle cross-account notifications on/off for specific accounts.
• Sound/Push Alerts: Optionally allow a subtle sound, vibration, or push notification when activity is detected on inactive accounts.

Conclusion:
This small enhancement would GREATLY improve the usability of Boost for Lemmy for individuals managing multiple accounts. It ensures no notifications go unnoticed and streamlines workflow across accounts, aligning with Boost’s goal of making Lemmy more user-friendly and efficient.

Seamless Navigation from Image Posts to Comments

Description:

When users on Lemmy tap on a post with an image on their mobile devices, it would significantly enhance the user experience if they could swipe upwards to directly navigate to the comments section of that post. This interaction would be similar to how Reddit handles navigation for image posts.

Benefits:

1. Streamlined Navigation: Users can quickly move from viewing the image to reading and engaging with comments, creating a more fluid and interactive experience.
2. User-Friendly Interface: This feature aligns with intuitive swipe gestures that are common in mobile apps, making Lemmy more accessible and user-friendly.
3. Enhanced Engagement: By simplifying the path to comments, this feature encourages more users to participate in discussions, thereby fostering a more vibrant community.

Implementation Details:

• Swipe Gesture: When a user is viewing an image post on mobile and swipes upwards, the app should transition smoothly to the comments section of the post.
• Visual Cue: Optionally, a subtle visual cue (e.g., a small upward arrow at the bottom of the screen) could be added to indicate this swipe action.
• Animation: The transition should be smooth and visually pleasing, minimizing any abrupt changes.

Impact on Existing Features:

This feature would complement existing navigation and post interaction methods without altering them, ensuring consistency across the app’s interface.

By incorporating this feature, Lemmy can improve its usability and create a more engaging experience for its users, aligning with the intuitive expectations set by other popular social media platforms.

Overview

I would like to propose adding an interactive user profile image feature to Voyager for Lemmy, enhancing the user experience when viewing other users' profiles.

Detailed Functionality

1. Tappable Profile Image Section

   • When users tap on a username and navigate to the profile page, add a dedicated section for the profile image.
   • This section should be prominently displayed and easily accessible.

2. Expandable Image View

   • Implement a feature allowing users to click/tap on the profile image to expand it to a larger view.
   • The expanded view should occupy a significant portion of the screen for better visibility.

3. Mobile Zoom Functionality

   • On mobile devices, enable pinch-to-zoom functionality for the expanded profile image.
   • This allows users to examine profile pictures in greater detail.

4. Desktop Zoom Controls

   • For desktop users, add a dedicated zoom control bar.
   • Include buttons or a slider for zooming in and out of the profile image.

User Experience Benefits

• Improved user engagement with profile content
• Enhanced ability to view and appreciate user avatars and profile pictures
• Consistent functionality across mobile and desktop platforms

Implementation Considerations

• Ensure smooth transitions when expanding/collapsing images
• Optimize image loading to maintain performance
• Consider privacy settings that might affect image visibility

I personally believe that this feature would significantly enhance user interaction and personalization within the Voyager for Lemmy platform.

Perhaps something like this:

(Source: Summit for Lemny)

In the "Summit for Lemmy" app, if you go to a community that you moderate, click on the three dots in the bottom right corner:

then when the Community options pops up:

tap on "Community Info":

Which will give you the "Unsubscribe" / "Instance Info" options, as well as the community Header/Profile Image, Description, Stats, etc.

If you then tap the three dots in the bottom right corner, you end up with the option to edit /delete the community.

PLEASE add a feature similar to the Community Edit/Delete for Voyager.

In the "Thunder for Lemmy" app, when you share a Community/User/Comment, when you tap / click on the share button, a pop-up appears, asking you whether you wish to share via:

https,

via Community Link,

via Home Instance (if applicable),

share Post Image (if applicable),

share Post Media Link (if Applicable),

an Advanced Option (if Applicable),

(Advanced Sharing)

etc.

PLEASE PLEASE incorporate a similar feature into Voyager.

It would make sharing a hell of a lot easier.

I have been attempting to help Reddit Subreddits migrate over to Lemmy, and so far, it has been pretty good.

But one of the of the Subreddits is Religion Based and when I went to JoinLemmy, and clicked on "Join a Server", there is no Religion option.

There is a Religion tab, and you can choose what language, but, after that, it just shows that there are no Religion based Servers, regardless of the language that is chosen.

EDIT: OpenChristian is now up.

Hello everyone,

Has anyone ever considered potentially building or launching a platform similar to the Internet Archive but using ActivityPub?

This could serve as a decentralized network to document, preserve, and protect online content from loss, censorship, and other threats, ensuring its availability for future generations.

For those unfamiliar, the Internet Archive is a non-profit that has been preserving digital media and promoting universal access to knowledge since 1996.

It’s famous for services like the Wayback Machine and Archive-It.

Given the importance of preserving digital heritage, especially in the context of censorship and data loss, a Fediverse-based equivalent could fill a crucial role.

The decentralized nature of ActivityPub could provide a robust alternative to centralized solutions.

I'd love to see this kind of project come to life, but, unfortunately, I lack the motivation, time, and energy to take it on alone.

Has anyone else ever considered something similar?

Are there any existing projects that might be interested in this direction?

Internet Archive Wikipedia