I’ve thought about it a bit and the Fediverse has been around for a while now. There are some really cool applications being made to replace the mainstream ones, but they just aren’t taking off.
Why do you guys think that might be? Ease of use? Addiction to the mainstream platforms? Lack of marketing?
As far as I’m concerned it has taken off. I come on sites like this and there are all these active users, so people are definitely using them. The reason why other platforms are still more popular is just the network effect. People want to be on platforms where “everyone” is, and sometimes they don’t even want to be on them but have to be. Just imagine what percentage of Facebook’s user base were compelled to use it while otherwise having not interest in such things?
It’s the same story with the Internet and e-mail. Most people avoided them to years until they couldn’t avoid them anymore. Lemmy et al. are nice because the people who are here actually want to be.