fiatjaf on Nostr: Hopefully this settles all the discussions regarding "dumb relays" that I've seen ...

Hopefully this settles all the discussions regarding "dumb relays" that I've seen since I wrote that line on that initial Nostr description text:

quoting nevent1q…9md8

The dumb part is about the type of queries you send towards a relay; the point is that you should be able to ask any relay the same type of question. Or put the other way, a client (or a feature rather) should not depend on some special sauce server/relay side in order to work, because that means 'lock-in' and undermines/destroyes the whole Nostr model.

Now wether a relay cooperates (i.e. what policies it employs for accepting these simple/dumb requests/queries) is a different matter. Actually it is precisely BECAUSE the relays are supposed to be "dumb", we have this situation where relays can deploy whatever arbitrary 'censorship' without causing (fundamental) problems, because you as a user can move over to another relay.

Its the "dumb relay" idea that allows for the censorship resistance; and as a result provides freedom of association.

Hope this clarifies

nevent1q…8cc8