In a spectacular pirouette worthy of a circus trapeze artist, Reddit, the digital Big Top, has decided to juggle fire while standing on a rolling log and simultaneously crank up its API pricing to laughable levels. Like a lion through a hoop, developers were sent reeling in shock, their applications potentially flaming out like a poor clown’s matchbox car.

On May 31, 2023, Reddit pulled the tablecloth from under developers’ hard work, revealing a high-wire new pricing that set off a cacophony of despair. It’s akin to their apps being tied to the railroad tracks, the Reddit Express charging straight for them, with no mustachioed hero in sight.

But wait, there’s more! Like the pie-in-the-face of an unsuspecting audience member, the changes also said “no ads for you!” in their apps. The once-golden geese are now little more than honking rubber chickens. To be fair we don’t disagree with this, as we think that ads are the worst that the internet has to offer, but it’s still worth pointing out.

These are no small apps either. Fan favorites like Apollo, Reddit is Fun, Relay for Reddit, Narwhal, BaconReader, ReddPlanet, Sync for Reddit, Infinity for Reddit, Joey for Reddit, RedReader, Pager, and Boost for Reddit are all nervously awaiting the clown car’s arrival. These new changes threaten to turn the cherished user experience into an uncontrollable three-ring circus.

NSFW Content Gets Cagey⌗

A new twist in the circus tale is the sudden chastity belt around NSFW content, now locked away from prying API eyes. Think of it like a monkey with a typewriter, except now the monkey can’t see the typewriter and also the typewriter is sexy. This move leaves our heroic moderation bots and apps twiddling their thumbs, powerless to manage or oversee the frolicking elephants in the room.

It’s not just those who revel in the risqué who are affected, though. Innocent bystanders, like art communities, chat groups for minors are all impacted.

Reddit’s explanation? Legal compliance and content control, the perennial party poopers. But we’re left scratching our heads in confusion as to why third-party apps can’t also wave those same responsibility flags. Could there be ulterior motives afoot? As the tightrope walker of Reddit’s communication past wobbles precariously above us, it’s hard to shake the feeling of deja vu.

Highlight Reel: Apollo’s Flying Trapeze Act⌗

Christian Selig, the ringmaster behind the Reddit client Apollo, expressed his shock and awe in a Reddit thread, revealing the behind-the-scenes shenanigans of the pricing circus.

Selig’s Apollo, famous for more tricks than a magician’s hat, has become a favorite among Reddit users. However, with the new API pricing model, his beloved app might be thrown to the lions. Despite Reddit’s reassurances of “reasonable and based in reality” costs, Selig found himself staring at a bill fit for a ringmaster’s ransom.

In Selig’s new reality, the API pricing model demanded a princely sum of $12,000 per 50 million requests. With Apollo racking up 7 billion requests per month, Selig found himself facing an annual fee that rivals the national debt of a small country – a cool $20 million.

The price is so absurd, Selig would need to double the price of admission for Apollo just to keep the lights on, and that’s only for the paying customers. To compare the absurdity of it all, Selig revealed that Imgur charges a measly $166 for the same service – that’s like comparing the cost of a popcorn at the cinema to buying the whole dang circus.

Moreover, the pricing scheme seems to suggest that Reddit is okay with charging third-party developers 20 times more than their native users. If that’s “reasonable”, then I’m the bearded lady.

The Vanishing Act: Communication Breakdown⌗

The show-stealing API pricing act has only added to the already simmering pot of discontent towards Reddit’s notorious communication style. It’s a running gag at this point: last-minute launches, unexpected changes, and we, the unpaid ringmasters, are left cleaning up after the elephant. While Reddit has made some strides to address these issues, the communication gap remains a significant problem, undermining the trust between moderators and Reddit’s administration.

The Grand Finale: An Appeal to the Circus Masters⌗

While we understand Reddit needs to sell popcorn and circus souvenirs to stay afloat, we must remember that the magic of Reddit, much like a circus, lies in its vibrant ecosystem of talented performers, daring innovators, and the honest-to-goodness lack of censorship.

The recent price hike threatens to send the entire circus crashing down. We urge Reddit’s ringmasters to reconsider, lest they find themselves overseeing an empty Big Top. We need a solution that encourages the juggling of APIs, protects users and moderators from being shot out of the cannon, and promotes an environment ripe for wild innovation.

By adopting a sustainable, fair, and encouraging pricing model, Reddit can ensure the magic continues. We need a price that reflects the spirit of Reddit - a wild, exhilarating, and engaging circus that captures the imagination of all who enter.

Embracing the FOSS Philosophy⌗

When the circus tent is threatened with closure and the trapeze wires are wound too tight, what does the savvy ringmaster do? Do they fold up the tent and let the elephants run wild? No! They look to the backstage heroes, the unsung talent that keeps the show alive: the bearded lady, the strongman, the magician - or in the world of Reddit, FOSS and Lemmy.

In the dimly lit backstage of the internet, Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) shines brightly. As the metaphorical bearded lady of our digital circus, FOSS is something of an oddity and yet undeniably captivating. It fosters a spirit of collaboration, transparency, and community engagement, reminiscent of the community-centric origins of Reddit.

When the ringmaster starts selling popcorn at champagne prices and the laughter from the crowd turns sour, embracing the principles of FOSS could be the much-needed jester to lift the mood. It’s a return to the true essence of Reddit: a freewheeling, uncensored, and unrestricted circus act.

Lemmy: The Strongman Lifting the Fediverse⌗

Enter Lemmy, the strongman of the fediverse. An open-source, decentralized alternative to social aggregation platforms, Lemmy’s entrance onto the stage is a force to be reckoned with. It offers a refreshing antidote to the often overpriced and overly controlled mainstream platforms, embodying the core values of the FOSS movement.

Lemmy’s strength lies in its decentralized design. Imagine a circus where each performer has the freedom to craft their show, while still being part of the larger performance. That’s what Lemmy does with its self-hosted model - communities can cultivate their unique performances, while interacting with each other through the magic of the ActivityPub protocol.

At first glance, Lemmy’s performance is familiar, a comforting echo of Reddit’s main act. Communities, posts, comments, and votes follow a similar rhythm. But this familiarity is no imitation act - it’s a strategy to ease users into a more empowering, community-led experience.

One of the striking aspects of Lemmy’s strongman routine is its commitment to privacy. Like a magician’s disappearing act, Lemmy ensures that your data remains hidden, not tracked or shared. It’s a refreshing divergence from the prying eyes of the more mainstream platforms, offering a safe space for those yearning for digital privacy.

Lemmy: A Balancing Act of Moderation⌗

On the tightrope of moderation, Lemmy has found a way to balance both freedom of speech and prevention of harm. Each community, or act, in our circus metaphor, can have its rules, like deciding what type of clown shoes are acceptable or whether the lion can join the tea party.

On a technical level, Lemmy is a master of illusion and efficiency. Built using Rust, a language known for its performance, Lemmy’s resource-efficient design enables it to run even on minimal hardware - a trick that makes even the most seasoned magician’s eyebrows raise.

Looking into the crystal ball, Lemmy is preparing an astonishing feat: end-to-end encrypted private messages. A magic trick to be sure, but one that will fortify the platform’s stand on privacy.

The Grand Finale: FOSS, Lemmy, and the Future of Reddit⌗

As the curtains draw on this particular performance, we find ourselves gazing in awe at the strength and dexterity of FOSS and Lemmy. They represent a return to form, a callback to the days when Reddit was an uncensored stage of debate, innovation, and community spirit.

In the grand circus of the internet, may the principles of FOSS and the strength of Lemmy guide us. Maybe it is time for the circus master to be replaced and a new, younger one to take its place. Maybe it is time to say goodbye to Reddit.