> A real barrier to a decentralised web is the difficulty of installing software on a server … Imagine if installing a server-side chat app, message board, project management app, or CMS were as easy as installing a desktop app.
If you have a desktop, you can install any server software you want. And if you have a desktop, you can leave it running as long as you want. You don't need to purchase a host somewhere; you can just use the computer you own.
Heck, you own a computer which is on 24/7 already: your cell phone. And software written well could run on that phone to serve whatever you want, at a minimal cost in CPU & hence battery.
Software written well can work that way on Android, but not on iOS which force-suspends your process and sockets all the time. The only exceptions are granted unilaterally by Apple and the chance of them allowing server-like behavior on iPhones is infinitesimally small.
That's why it's important to hold on to people owning general-purpose computers, open standards and community governance: because once you move away to centrally-controlled appliances, there won't be a platform from which to bootstrap the next, better system.
If you have a desktop, you can install any server software you want. And if you have a desktop, you can leave it running as long as you want. You don't need to purchase a host somewhere; you can just use the computer you own.
Heck, you own a computer which is on 24/7 already: your cell phone. And software written well could run on that phone to serve whatever you want, at a minimal cost in CPU & hence battery.