This project was created so that we can have a *true* open web in which we can start back from web 1.0 and build what should have been, but never happened. While this idea as a whole takes on many names, we can all agree that it should be about openness and freedom.
We are doing `progressive decentralization`. This means that at this time, while the tech itself uses P2P technology and is decentralized, the products we create are semi-centralized.
**The following is an AI generated summary of these docs**
The Lume Web Protocol is an innovative approach to navigating the ever-evolving internet landscape, particularly in the transition from Web 2.0 to Web3. Lume's development was initially inspired while creating a Web3 cloud drive on Nextcloud based on Skynet. However, the focus shifted to addressing the fundamental issue of content access in the Web3 environment.
### Web 2.0 and Web3 Evolution
-**Web 1.0 and 2.0**: The early web (Web 1.0) was open and had unlimited potential, but it eventually led to centralization, especially with the rise of massive social networks around 2005. This centralization meant that users essentially became products, with their personal data monetized by these platforms.
-**Web3 Ideals**: Web3 aims to shift the focus back to the user, advocating for a creator economy and peer-to-peer interactions, with an emphasis on privacy and data ownership. Despite this, the practical implementation of Web3 has faced challenges, such as reliance on centralized storage and the influence of venture capital, which sometimes contradicts the ethos of decentralization.
-**Infrastructure Vulnerabilities**: A significant concern in the Web3 space is the centralized nature of key internet infrastructure components like AWS/Google, Cloudflare, and ICANN, which could pose risks to the stability and independence of Web3 initiatives.
-**Vision for Web3**: The ideal Web3 should be indistinguishable from Web 2.0 in terms of user experience, with an emphasis on open standards and easy access, overcoming the current accessibility barriers.
### Limitations of Web2 and the Shift to Web3
-**Protocols**: Web2 relies on protocols like HTTP, FTP, SMTP, IMAP, POP, and DNS, but these often have single points of failure and are susceptible to control by large technology companies and censorship at various levels.
-**Web3 Transformations**: Web3 aims to transform these components, with blockchain replacing traditional money ledgers, smart contracts substituting stored procedures, distributed databases taking the place of traditional SQL/NoSQL databases, and P2P networks replacing server-client models. This shift is fundamental to the Web3 architecture, focusing on decentralization and resistance to censorship.
### Lume's Role in the Web3 Landscape
-**P2P Network**: Lume functions as a P2P network using public keys, akin to BitTorrent but tailored for Web3. It's designed as a bridge to service all Web3 needs and is not based on blockchain technology.
-**Storage and Gateway**: Lume acts as a storage portal, building on Sia for private and public data storage, and serves as a gateway for users to interface with various content networks and blockchains.
-**Middleware System**: As a middleware system, Lume facilitates access to other networks through a relay network, employing technologies like Hypercore/Dat for anonymous access and providing DNS services.
-**Frontend and Content Networks**: Lume's browser technology, similar to kernel and kernel modules in Linux, supports light clients, SPV nodes, and DNS resolvers among others. It utilizes content identifiers (CIDs) and supports real-time verified streaming.
In summary, Lume is designed to address the centralization and censorship issues prevalent in Web2, offering a decentralized, user-centric platform that aligns with the ethos of Web3. It bridges traditional internet protocols with their Web3 counterparts, and through its P2P network, storage solutions, and middleware systems, Lume aims to enhance data ownership, decentralization, and accessibility in the digital space.
