The most immediate question, though, is simply how to build a POSSE system that works. POSSE’s problems start at the very beginning: it requires owning your own website, which means buying a domain and worrying about DNS records and figuring out web hosts, and by now, you’ve already lost the vast majority of people who would rather just type a username and password into some free Meta platform.

This is easily the biggest hurdle I’ve found in looking into this. It’s like the platform problem but now you’re adding money to the mix, and how many people feel their silly random thoughts are worth spending money on a domain and host to put out there? Moreover, how many want to deal with yet another service charge to be more online?

It’s a weird situation to sort through, to be sure.