How we use Nostr
Why is Olive Grove Eggs using Nostr? Nostr is a new internet where you take your ID and your content from app to app. You aren't tracked, asked for personal details, nor served ads. There is no central controlling force able to invade your privacy or prevent you from using Nostr. The users decide what happens on this internet, not an Elon.
In the tech world Nostr is best known as a "Twitter-killer", or "the social media app built by Bitcoiners". Nostr developers have certainly nailed social media like never before, with no tracking, no ads, no algorithms, no data harvesting and a very good user experience. It is very relaxing on Nostr, really.
Later on I will show details of a couple of social media clients that I use every day, but I would be doing you a disservice not to show you first what Nostr is really all about!
Nostr apps, the big surprise.
Nostr is actually a protocol that enables the construction of a new internet. An internet many say we sorely need.
Nostr developers are releasing everything-killer apps almost daily. It is still very early, there isn't endless choice, but I am very happy to incorporate the examples listed below into my business work flow.
Take a quick tour of the sites. You cannot break anything. Try signing in to an app to start using it. It is super easy. Not so easy to work out how to keep your login details though. But if you get stuck, you will find instructions below.
Lumina
An app that displays all images that have ever been loaded on to Nostr social media. This is my paltry contribution
Memester
The name is self-explanatory. A giggle factory. Great memes to use on social media, and send to your Whatsapp groups.
Pinstr
Pinstr is...drum roll...Pinterest for Nostr. This is the Olive Grove Eggs Pinboard.
Pollstr
This does what it says on the tin, all very bare bones. There are loads of different polling apps available on Nostr.
You may have noticed in the last two screenshots that I am logged into Pinstr and Pollstr as Olive Grove Eggs. One of the magic aspects of Nostr is that it is an open network. I have a Universal ID, and when I sign in with a browser extension, Nostr opens up showing my profile. When I log out, I can sign into any another Nostr app and ditto. My account goes with me.
Mapstr
An app built with Open Maps, Mapstr identifies businesses across the world that accept Bitcoin. I now know where there's a Bitcoin ATM in Barcelona. Not that I ever go there.
Formstr
A user-friendly interface to build good-looking forms that can be embedded on any website. I prepared a super little order form without any instruction. I must admit to pressing the wrong button at the final step and instead of publishing my creation, I deleted it. My bad.
Habla.news
I write full articles on the Olive Grove Eggs website, and post sections of those articles on Habla.news. Being integrated into the Nostr network, what appears here is also picked up on my Nostr social media page. The old way was to blog on WordPress, copy some text for Twitter, and repost the article on a long form article website like Medium. That is an open v closed internet exposed.
Hope you enjoyed the short trip around those apps, a taster of what you can do on Nostr beyond social media. I use them for my business website and they work really well.
Nostr is best known as a Twitter killer, and rightly so.
Nostr is our primary, only social media platform. It's the best "Twitter"experience I have ever had, by miles. I used to avoid social media like the plague. It became a tricky environment to relax in. The algorithms on Twitter and FaceBook have become so manipulative. But Nostr is palpably different. There is no Big Brother algorithm, no tracking, no data harvesting. It's privacy focused by design.
Amethyst
I was lucky to stumble into Amethyst, my Nostr social media client of choice for mobile.
Amethyst has a very clean layout which belies its many features. But one click reveals a plethora of options that show why Nostr is so functional and pleasant to use. Check out the wording of the last option. By default nothing is ever deleted from the relays, or servers.
Satellite
This is a Nostr social media client for desktop. I find it very well organised and super fast. The emphasis is on community building. Try it out. It is also a platform for services such as file hosting 5c/GB/month. More offers in the pipeline.
There is no moderator on Nostr
Even with the reputation for being a haven for toxic Bitcoiners, haha, I can honestly say Nostr social media is miles away far from the gruesome Wild West experience some critics portray it to be. Sure, there are a lot of passionate Bitcoin enthusiasts and developers, but there's great conversation to be had on all sorts of topics. Very respectful and positive.
That may come as an even bigger surprise when you realise there is no moderator to be found on the Nostr network. No censorship or banning by a central body. Is it so surprising, though? If nobody is being wound up by algorithms, it is surprisingly easy to be our civilised, engaging and fun selves, welcoming opposing points of view so we can all grow a little.
And far from being a crypto kiddy hang-out, once I started to use Nostr hashags: #olives, #gardening, #chickens #catsr, or #asknostr, well, horizons have really opened up.
Another big difference between Nostr and the internet you use now? Zapping money to other users.
Nostr apps have Zaps built in, which in English means you can send instant almost zero-cost tips and payments in Bitcoin to anyone on Nostr via a lightning wallet.
If you don't want anything to do with Bitcoin funny money, for whatever reason, there is no obligation to use the payments option. Everything on Nostr works just the same. You are missing out though!
- Zap from 1cent to as much as you like to authors of great content
- Thank someone for their help with a zap of 100 sats (5 cents!) or more.
- Support developers' work with more substantial sums.
- Of course, you can expect to be zapped yourself, if you are the one writing the great content, providing help, or working on something that others want to support.
We are witnessing a new internet of information (Nostr) merging with the new internet of money (Bitcoin). That is the foundation for a new and rather huge circular economy online and off-line.
How to zap a micropayment in 3 clicks
- Hit the lightning icon beneath a post or photo that amuses, educates or moves you.
- Select amount of Sats (fractions of a Bitcoin) to send. Include optional note.
- 2 clicks on your lightning wallet to confirm. (Like in the Alby window below)
- Payment made.
If, after that spin around the Nostr web you are inspired to look further into Nostr, I have included sign-in instructions below.
How to sign into Nostr apps
It's really complex to sign in anonymously!
- Go to any one of the above sites or apps and click on Register
- Maybe they will ask you to provide a name. Maybe not. If they do, put any name.
- Go. That's it. You are in!
Other Nostr sites don't even ask for a name. With two clicks, no personal information handed over, you can use any Nostr site.
Need a helping hand to get set up "properly" on Nostr?
If you cannot work out how to save your key pair, set up an event signer in your browser, and set up a wallet, you will be missing out on a lot of conveniences, such as the Universal ID Sign-in, the browser-based password manager and Zapping.
If that is you, I suggest you read this guide. I wrote it for dummies, especially the Chief Dummy of the Olive Grove Egg clan, me. If my style of instruction doesn't help, google for more options.
If you have no knowledge of wallets and key pairs, Nostr can seem really hard at the start. But if you have some context, and are prepared to go for it, before you know it, you will be moving between Nostr apps, one-click signing with an encrypted event signer in your browse, and your account will be following you wherever you go. Good luck.
Want an incentive to join me on Nostr?
I will give you an extra 5% off the price of my eggs. Admittedly, on condition that you live in el Matarraña in Spain.
Or, when you are ready to receive Zaps, say hi to me on Nostr at Olive Grove Eggs and I will send you a few sats.
You can find me on Nostr by pasting my npub (public key) into the search bar of a Nostr app. My profile will be there.
npub10dpmrjay77xcu6z2sxsv7h7dfl6puzcxgyd6ssxkwh9th8sdgk3sj39zws
