What is lynkmi?

Right now, it’s just a nice way to curate and discuss links, where rather than following a whole person, you follow some subset of their tags.

The topics we talk to each other about are usually shared interests, but when “following” someone online, the option is generally all or nothing. If someone mostly posts about Panamanian Tax Law but we only share their interest in Eastern European Typography, on most sites you’d either have to follow everything and endure all the Panamanian Tax Law, or follow nothing and miss out on all the Eastern European Typography.

On some sites, users have made a workaround with alt accounts, but they’re generally not an intentional feature. Most users still stick to one account, and even among those with alt accounts, it’s usually just two or three. With lynkmi it’s alts by default. We all contain multitudes, and our technology should reflect that.

None of the ideas here are particularly original. There have been many similar sites, and there are plenty of related ones around now too, but I do strongly believe there’s a need for more curation on the web, for more quiet spaces, and for more wood, brick, and candles in an increasingly glass, steel, and LED dominated environment.

I draw a lot of inspiration from the Thoughtful software links I've shared, and will endeavour for lynkmi to be considered as such. There’s a long way to go though. For example, the raggedy typesetting on this very page! Thankfully, some decisions are already made and will remain so. There are no ads, nor will there ever be (I plan to offer subscriptions at some point); there are no inscrutable algorithmic feeds—reverse chronological is sacrosanct; and it is text-first.

I like to imagine lynkmi becoming the Parisian or Viennese café of the internet—an unusually civil, kind, and interesting corner of the web. Membership will be €24/year, only €2 a month. This is quite a small—but importantly, non-zero—amount (and should help with the civility). It will always be viewable without membership, but posting, commenting, etc. will be paid.

Who is Lynkmi?

lynkmi is being made by me—Oisín Moran! Here’s my lynkmi page and here’s my personal website, but it’s generally (for now!) easiest to get in touch via Twitter—where I’ll also be posting about the process of building this! For feedback, suggestions, or anything else about lynkmi itself, please leave a comment here.