Discord Alternatives | The Paper Pilot

The rise (and future fall) of Discord

I want to talk about Discord. Not about all the issues like privacy, accessibility, performance. No, the good things. The part where it completely revolutionized the internet. And how it will destroy it all.

Discord Alternatives, Ranked

Building an online community takes more than tools. But the right tool can make all the difference.

A bridge beyond Discord

Millions of digital communities have already made a home for themselves on Discord, and we'd rather not force them to make a binary choice between the critical mass of members they've built up on Discord and the agency afforded to them on Roomy.

Open Science Network

Reclaim scientific discourse with federated digital spaces where researchers shape their own conversations, data, and collaborations

The Astrosky Ecosystem: An independent online platform for science communication and social networking

While almost everything that astronomers study occurs in the vacuum of space, astronomy itself does not `happen in a vacuum'. Interactions between scientists, as well as outreach to members of the public, improve extensively from access to good communication tools. Social media has become a key tool for communication in astronomy, being widely used by individuals and organizations alike for networking, outreach, and more. However, traditional social media is reliant on benevolent corporations providing a free service without compromising on quality, and the recent takeover and decline of Twitter has shown how vulnerable these platforms can be. In this proceeding, we present The Astrosky Ecosystem, which is an initiative to develop open-source tools and integrations for social media, principally the Bluesky social network. We explain how our project enables the astronomy community to operate its own social media infrastructure, independent of for-profit corporations. We also discuss some of the project's technical aspects, including its use of the AT Protocol for social networking, before concluding with ideas for the future.

A few design decisions for a new chat platform

Discord has recently made a controversial decision that could be the start of long-term decline. The situation has people looking at alternatives. However, a lot of the alternatives I feel bark up the wrong tree, or are good for certain… Continue reading →

More notes on Organizing, Mutual Aid, and Activism on decentralized social networks

Part 3 of a series. See If not now, when? Mutual aid and organizing in the fediverses, the ATmosphere, and whatever comes next and Notes (and thoughts) on organizing in the fediverses and the ATmosphere for previous installments and a reading list. "Mutual aid. Organizing. Sharing, contextualizing, and making meaning

Paper Trails

A social platform for academic papers

Open Social Network Cookbook

The Open Social Network Cookbook is the collective product of the Open Social Incubator, a cohort that MEDLab hosted from Fall 2024 to Spring 2025. At the heart of our work together was the question: How can the online communities that we participate in use tools that truly reflect our values?

Join the BetterDiscord Discord Server!

BetterDiscord, the Discord enhancement project. Official Website: https://betterdiscord.app/ | 103066 members

The Researcher’s Guide to Bluesky

Faculty Engagement Manager Ned Potter offers ten tips for academics getting started on the Bluesky social network

Sensemaking Networks: Project Introduction - Cosmik Labs

Incorporating science social media into the scientific process

A space to converse and connect.

An X/Twitter Spaces alternative for Bluesky and the open web. Creating good vibes in the friendly skies.