Key feautres, reasoning.

Competences and Aspirations

We want to start with simple matching based on "competences" and "aspirations". Both are simple lists of keywords that a person maintains.

If you have the competence "Graphic Design" and aspiration "Rust language", and someone else has competence "Rust language" aspiration "UI Design", there's a good match right there!

We're trying to find a model that might work, without waving the magic "algorithms" or "AI" wand around. And we think competences + aspirations is that.

Indeed, a good balance between "engaging" and "enthralling" is crucial. We can and should do better than "silicon valley".

For now, we want to start simple and only let you manage your own list of competences and list of aspirations. (limited in amount and length). Each keyword can be limited in visibility too (privacy).

Others can tag you though; an important feature, but one that could spin into some popularity contest or spam-feature so we must be careful.

Direct messages, chat etc:

The way we envision it, is to leave "to talk to" to other networks. we believe there most often already are established channels "to communicate", or otherwise can easily use such channels.

In any case: to not introduce yet another "stream" or "inbox".

Instead we want people to link to their channels: mastodon accounts, blog, email, facebook (...), telegram group etc.

Search within and through your network.

This is probably our most important use-case indeed.

When you look for a translator or carpenter, you search your network first. "Oh, nice! Janice from HR is French, maybe she can help". But also "I don't have any carpenters in my network, but I see ex-colleague Patrick knows four of them".

I considered this part of "To hire someone, freelance or as employee" but now think that option was phrased poorly.