Thimbl – A Call To Arms For The Open Web
New microblogging platform Thimbl is a statement against the hidden cost of Web 2.0: that we no longer have any ownership over our data. It plans to use a computer protocol from the 1970s, part and parcel of every Internet-capable computer server, within a potential social networking site that will highlight the alternatives to the centralised data storage that typifies social web platforms today.
Thimbl offers no way to “Sign Up.” It is up your own web host, Internet service-provider or system administrator to provide accounts.
Thimbl user’s profiles will preserve all the hallmarks of similar microblogging platforms but its decentralized nature ensures that everyone keeps control of their own data.
The political potential of Thimbl has been recognised by its nomination for Transmediale’s Open Web Award, a new initiative by the German New Media festival. Thimbl is not currently available for use, but stay tuned to their website for the platform release date.
Recent Articles By Stephen Fortune 
Stephen is a regular contributor to PSFK. He is also an interactive media practitioner engaged in artistic interventions which investigate and illuminate computational culture. His areas of expertise include open data and physical computing.
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| TOPICS: | Arts & Culture, Electronics & Gadgets, Web & Technology |
| TAGS: | Distributed, FLOSS, geek, Micro-Blogging, open source, open web, protocol, transmediale, Twitter |
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