This makes it possible to maintain discussions with users who connect to Usenet using a different server, since the whole discussion is propagated through the network. What this means is that if you post a message through a server, that message will be copied over every Usenet server through peering. Peering in this way allows a server to fetch messages posted to other servers, which in turn can get content from the first server. Each server peers with as many other network servers as the administrator desires, as long as the other networks allow it. It is composed of many servers, each administrated independently. Usenet is an extremely anarchistic network. On the other hand, they might sign up for a Suchat account without realizing they are actually getting an XMPP account with the Suchat provider. An interested user might find an XMPP provider's website, such as Suchat, but be confused as to whether they can sign up for the 'Suchat protocol' on the website. For example, a federated service, such as the messaging protocol XMPP, suffers from confusion about signing up for an account. However, federated services are quickly losing popularity, because the concept is harder to grasp for the end user. As an added benefit, the network becomes resistant to failure: If one service provider goes offline, the rest of the userspace is not affected too much. Email works the same way.įederated services are popular in hardcore FOSS circles, because they allow the user to choose their preferred service provider rather than being forced to use the same provider used by their contacts. If your phone provider is Vodafone, you can still phone somebody who uses a different provider. For example, your phone provider is a federated service. When you join Twitter, you are only accessing that web service, not all other web services available.Ī federated service is composed of multiple independent service providers who team up in order to build a network to allow users to interact across services. The owners of these platforms control the management of their servers and dictate the terms of service that users must accept before joining. Your average Internet user is accustomed to using web services managed by a single operator, such as Twitter and Reddit.

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