The Protocol
Drift Protocol
Drift Protocol is the small protocol behind Drift Radio's temporal chat spaces.
The protocol is minimalistic in design. It keeps track of the now, not the past. Chat messages received are broadcast to other drifters in the same chat space. The protocol does not retain any chat history.
The protocol keeps track of temporary nicknames. Drifters may choose to register a nickname if they plan to reuse it again. Nicknames that have not been used in over 30 days will be forgotten by the protocol's memory.
Drift Protocol Commands
Here is a simple set of protocol commands you may use. All commands start with /.
Commands
- /help
- Lists all the commands and their descriptions.
- /clear
- Clears your local chat space. It does not clear the chat for other drifters in the same chat space.
- /me <text>
- Sends an action, shown to the room as * your-nickname text.
- /nick use <nickname>
- Each drifter is assigned a random nickname with the drifter- prefix. Use this to switch to any available nickname; it only sets a temporary nickname unless you register it.
- /nick register <nickname> <secret>
- Registers a nickname with a secret if you want to keep reusing it.
- /nick identify <nickname> <secret>
- Claims your registered nickname.
- /nick update <nickname> <old-secret> <new-secret>
- Replaces the old secret with a new one.
Registered nicknames are protected by a secret. There are no accounts, emails, and no secret recovery.
The protocol remembers the nickname, you remember the secret.
Drift Protocol is new and still in development. Things may change, be added, or be removed. One principle will remain: keep the protocol minimal, and collect as little data as possible.