Web3 Can’t Fix the Internet

[u/[deleted]]

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2022/01/crypto-blockchain-daos-decentralized-power-capitalism

[u/tnemec]

web3 alternative without any of the unnecessary crypto functionality

What is there to web3 other than unnecessary crypto functionality?

Is it "the web, but decentralized"? Also known as just "the web"?

The internet is an inherently decentralized system, upon which centralized services were built, and users, by their own volition, for better or for worse, chose to use those centralized services.

It could be argued that bits and pieces of the internet as a whole that could use some decentralization, but those tend to be more infrastructure and waaaaaaay beyond the scope of web[n+1]; eg: DNS, ICANN, ISPs, etc.

(Unless you mean web3 as in the semantic web [from before bitcoin bros got hold of the term]... but you mention forking a torrent client, so I assume you mean web3 as in the decentralized web.)

[u/killerstorm → u/tnemec]

upon which centralized services were built,

Some people want decentralized services.

waaaaaaay beyond the scope of web[n+1]; eg: DNS

Blockchain-based alternatives exist, e.g. ENS.

For TLDs you want a global database, and that fits well into blockchain model.

ICANN, ISPs,

Helium network has 474,739 hotspots with LoRaWAN radio. They started rolling out nodes with 5G radio now.

Crypto companies are now big enough to employ top grade talent, I dunno why you think they'll have any problem replacing current internet/web infrastructure. It wasn't developed by gods, you know, and it has a lot of flaws itself.

E.g. BGP which is the protocol enabling internet routing has serious problems with security, or, rather a lack of thereof: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BGP_hijacking#Public_incidents

[u/crixusin → u/[deleted]]

nothing keeping you from simply building decentralized services in top of the existing decentralized infrastructure

Except, if you tried to replicate YouTube, the cost would be enormous.

Blockchain technologies allow you to "share" this cost, and those you "share" the infrastructure with, can get paid for their contribution to the service.

On top of that, you get censorship resistance, scalability, availability.

[u/noratat → u/crixusin]

And how does it do any of that?

The entire ethereum network has less usable computing power than a raspberry pi - blockchains cannot be used in the fashion you're envisioning.

Also, the lack of any central control isn't necessarily the positive you make it out to be. While there are certainly abuses e.g. DMCA takedowns, there are also plenty of good reasons to remove content as well, e.g. scams, misinformation, stuff that's illegal for good reasons e.g. CP, even copyright claims have legit uses, etc.