Hmm, ok. I see. When clicking on the last button in a category tree, it chooses randomly an instance.

Tho for that specific category, I cannot access https://lemmy.sdf.org/. Why? I don’t know, maybe broken or regional block?

If regional block, that is an argument to warts looking at user location. Tho not sure if it would be useful for anything else.

It would also be interesting to categorize more instances. Maybe even put smaller ones to distribute the load. Tho sometimes the smaller ones may not be well prepared for a lot of users. And at the same time the local feed may not be the most active. Tho the all feed may be interesting for new users.

The instance where I am, compuverse.uk is a general tech/computer instance, but had issues with storage for example.

So when does the random instance is chosen? When the website is loaded? When the user clicks on a category?

Maybe currently there aren’t enough instances categorised on the website to get enough randomness.

Is there, or would there be, a weight in the randomness in order to chose closer instances based on the user’s location?

For example sh.itjust.works is an instance based in Canada. When the reddit exodus happened. That instance was slow due to the distance. While others closer to the western europe were faster because they where closer to me.

Tho rn, it’s about the same. So not sure.

For me, it shows 1 subscriber, 1.4k users per month.

It seems to be entirely dependent on the instance.

Amazon is as you said extremely efficient on their warehouse and shipping because of their centralization and size. They can build extremely expensive warehouse to keep being efficient and surpass the competition.

There would maybe be possible to get an “enhanced” activity pub in order to protect privacy and financial informations. There is already something similar but without activity pub : a multitude of website where it is possible to buy things.

But there still needs to be some centralization, either through the postal service for small companies, or through centralised warehouse companies, with spzcialized equipments. And both of these things are already in place.

However if the OP wants a decentralized Amazon like efficiency, it won’t happen. The costs will increase and it will take more time, because the way the shipment will work will heavily depend on the seller.

There are malls, markets, things like that. These are just the front end for the customers to buy things, the retailer.

As you said there are centralisation behind. Either through the same company managing all those different malls, or through Wholesalers working in the background selling to a lot of retailers.

I don’t know about the privacy in UK, but privacy on Lemmy is… Pretty much inexistent.

Tho maybe the email Adresses could maybe be stored privately somehow.

My instance compuverse.uk runs most of the time. Tho the servers are not giant, and there was already an issue where the storage filled up completely before an upgrade had to be made.

Tho now it would be running on a separate storage dedicated server which may allow for more storage.

Also the rules on this instance makes it pretty much compatible with every other instance and so would avoid the defederation by other instances. (please just don’t put porn or gore in the all).