[lonecom]

>A Gemini browser cabal where users have only a few choices and they are each controlled by corporations is unlikely.

This is the key point. It is like the idea that you don't need the fastest person to escape from a chasing bear, you only need to be faster than the slowest person.

A user on the conventional web, is the slowest person here. And thus the success of Gemini browser is dependent on the existence of the slower person, that is, a large number of users available for exploitation, on the regular web, so that the business will leave the Gemini users (and the likes) alone.

HN actually implements this idea by remaining minimal. But even this place got overrun by shills these days, which means such piecemeal strategies will not work. So it makes perfect sense to do all the way and use a different protocol altogether..

[CookieMon]

Many 'rules' (like one request -> one file) create limitations in Gemini that prevent it from being capable of web-style corporate behaviour, so even if business isn't content with regular web users and doesn't leave Gemini users alone, their options and the damage they can do is hampered (unless co-opting the entire movement).

I think the protocol being designed around ensuring it's difficult for sites to exploit visitors is a core goal that gets lost in the blinding document minimalism that's hits you when first encountering Gemini, OP didn't seem to get it.

[lonecom]

> if business isn't content with regular web users and doesn't leave Gemini users alone, their options and the damage they can do is hampered

I am afraid you are limiting the scope of "exploitation", as enabled by Internet, to those things done by Ad companies like Google family.

But I was mostly referring to the use of Internet for all kinds of exploitation. Think of a seller on amazon putting fake reviews in the web, or deleting actual negative reviews. They won't bother with the Gemini users because there is enough victims on the real web. But if all users are using Gemini clients, then they will be writing fake reviews in Gemini domain.

That is smaller it remains, the less penetration by big business and selfish interests, and thus the more valuable it is, for the person who wants to find real, genuine information.

This also applies to real discussion. People are going to speak freely in Gemini, because there is less chance of encountering an army of shills.

Keep an eye on sites that sell gemini identities with "reputation". Once those start popping up, you ll know its time to move on to something different.