Only 1 in 50 Gemini Capsules Uses Let's Encrypt, the Certificate Authority That's Falsely Presented as 'Free'
Solving yet another problem with the Web
LATELY we've been tracking the rapid retreat from the Linux Foundation's Certificate Authority, Let's Encrypt, at least in Geminispace. As of today, based on Lupa statistics: "2550 (90.0 %) capsules are self-signed, 56 (2.0 %) use the Certificate Authority Let's Encrypt, 228 (8.0 %) are signed by another CA (may be not a trusted one)."
For a bit of necessary context, consider the fact that about 12% of capsules used to relay authenticity checks to Let's Encrypt. Now it's at 2%, based on Lupa at least, and it'll probably be less than that next week, judging by recent dynamics.
After much encouragement it seems like some people give Gemini a chance - even those who initially bashed it. Yesterday Daniel Cantarín, one of our early readers, explored Gemini Protocol (or Geminispace), gave it a fair a chance, and told me:
Following my own advice and reviewing the tone in my ideas, I gave gemini a chance.I hated the thing, not because of any technical feature or lack of it, but because of how important the web is for me and the gemini agenda wasn't precisely helping mine.
So I installed amfora, and went to some of the links you promote, just to take a look at it.
What I found was a humble community of sensible people saying all kinds of interesting stuff. I was sweet, welcoming, and I loved it.
I don't see myself being part of it any time soon, time will tell. But I wanted to tell you I'm very glad now knowing there's people like you caring for gemini and doing something about it.
Love from Argentina,
Daniel.
Even though Gemini does have pictures (not in amfora though; it can use external programs for images) the point of it is to focus on text and minimal cruft/distraction. The presentation in amfora is controlled by a configuration file, which can help adjust appearance and behaviour based on the user's own preferences.
Derek Taylor did a sort of introduction to amfora 3 years ago. He hasn't been publishing many videos lately (only about twice a week), but he still focuses on Free software and GNU/Linux. In a lot of ways YouTube has been rotting lately; Google (or "Alphabet" ) is desperate to make it profitable at long last, but it is mostly alienating viewers and demoralising "creators". YouTube itself - as a whole - became a giant JavaScript program rather than a Web site. █