Comment by mrdazm

4 months ago

I’ve got a side project going that’s a browser extension (starting with Safari + Sign in with Apple) intended to add a comment layer to the internet as a whole. I’m calling it Chaffiti (https://chaffiti.com).

The idea is to enable a comment section on any webpage, right as you’re browsing. Viewing a Zillow listing? See what people are excited about with the property. Wonder what people think about a tourist attraction? It’ll be right there. Want to leave your referral or promo code on a checkout page for others? Post it.

Not sure what the business model will look like just yet. Just the kind of thing I wish existed compared to needing to venture out to a third party (traditional social media / forums etc) to see others’ thoughts on something I’m viewing online. I welcome any feedback!

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mrdazm

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block_dagger  4 months ago

Great idea but wouldn’t you run into storage issues pretty quickly without massive budget for large database clusters? The web is a big and constantly changing place. Covering it in useful comments seems prohibitively expensive.

  • mrdazm  4 months ago

    I’ll cross that bridge if I get there! That would be a great problem to have if it sees such interest/usage.

    Keep in mind I’d only be storing comments and the references to where they’re posted. I don’t need to know the webpages ahead of time at all.

commandersaki  4 months ago

I remember an IE toolbar that let you chat on any website back in the late 90s/early 00s.

  • mrdazm  4 months ago

    Interesting. Hadn’t heard of any existing that far back. Do you know if they generated revenue at all? What was it called?

    • commandersaki  4 months ago

      Can't remember much, I asked ChatGPT but none of the things they listed reminded me of this specific toolbar software. I doubt it made any money and I didn't know their revenue model (I was just a dumb teen back then). I remember trying it though and none of the websites had anyone to chat with, which gives me the impression it didn't really have an audience.