linklists.net: collaborative web directories as waypoints to the outer web

[ヤーナム]

Hi melonfolk! Some of you have seen this since I've posted in the Forum Revival Movement guild and in that thread about topsites, but I thought it might be time for me to share it a little more publicly.

I've been working on a tool for creating collaborative web directories! It's called linklists.net. It's a tool for people to work together to collect links on any given topic. Unlike an aggregator where links are ephemeral and are shown based on time or votes, a web directory is meant to be a slow, intentionally grown library of links. Unlike a search engine that requires you to have something in mind to search for, a web directory can be browsed leisurely and show you things you didn't think to look for. Unlike a social media algorithm that feeds you what it thinks you want, a web directory is explored with agency and curiosity.

If you want a quick example of what a linklist looks like, the most fleshed-out one so far is one that I founded and maintain:

independent internet forums

Some other cool examples:

• citypop music
• Japanese language resources
• site building resources
• websites for gaming fans
• website templates
• art studying materials
• vaporwave

Each linklist is its own separate world: the founder of the linklist is responsible for its topic and theme, inviting collaborators, setting contribution guidelines, etc. It gets its own subdomain, its own separate user accounts, it can have its own custom CSS, etc.

Some random features:

• Links are organized by tags, tags are used as filters on the index
• Link details can be fetched automatically (with caveats! bot protection blocks a lot)
• Each link has a "talk" page to help with collaborative curation
• Users can be organized into groups with different permissions, so you can have trusted collaborators help moderate if needed
• You can fully customize the CSS of your linklist to make it your own

I have so many other features planned, like making other formats available (RSS, atom, JSON, raw HTML dump, etc.), integration with the Internet Archive, and a ton of other things.

I built the app myself by hand, and I have a very strict user-focused mindset. Apart from my hosting provider I don't use any external/3rd party services and will never run ads or trackers. I did my best to make core functionality work without JavaScript and keep everything as fast and small as possible. It's a gift to the open web that I love, with the hope that it will help people rediscover the outer web. :D

Right now it's in an invite-only alpha stage while I work out a bunch of issues, get feedback, and make improvements. If you're interested in creating some linklists and want an invite, you can post here or PM me and I'll send you a code. One code lets you create as many linklists as you want.

Thanks for reading. <3

[Furbisms]

Ooh yes, I've been thinking about these a lot lately and have really wanted to see and make more of them. I'd love an invite to the alpha for sure. Collecting links that pertain to certain things I'm interested in is something I really enjoy so I'd love to share them on your service. Collaborating with others would also be soooo fun I'd super love to do that. I think this is gonna be really enjoyable. Definitely a good place to meet others and find new things too I bet. Looking foreward to seeing it grow!

[ValyceNegative]

I remember seeing your project mentioned in the Topsites thread! I'm so happy to see you've brought it to completion! I'll be following the art study list, there's quite some links I already know that are very useful to keep at hand and many that are a novelty to me!

[MrsMoe]

I probably don't know about enough obscure but helpful sites to contribute, but I really appreciate this! Link directories are one of my favorite features of Neocities/indie sites, and this seems like it'll be a complete treasure trove of cool links. I'd love it if somebody made a list of of cool stores or social media alternatives with this.

[Furbisms]

I started my first one, it's a list of Chao fansites and resources, including old defunct ones on the wayback machine! I am very slowly working through getting it filled out. I don't know how many people here are into Chao enough to be interested but I figured I'd share anyway.

It's honestly been fun going down the rabbithole of old defunct Chao fansites so I really appreciate this giving me an excuse to do that.

[Bede]

I'd love it if somebody made a list of of cool stores or social media alternatives with this.

Considering that the old directory of indie social media sites that I followed recently went under for reasons I am unaware of, I'm tempted to make a list of indie social media sites. I'll message you if I do end up making it!

[ribose]

this is a wonderful project! i'd love to contribute to some of the existing lists, and i have a few ideas rattling around for new lists i might like to make and maintain (mecha? zines? something nature-related?). could i get an invite code, please?

[Yoylecake420]

I would love to contribute to making a list, but that would require a code (at least for now).

[ヤーナム]

I would love to contribute to making a list, but that would require a code (at least for now).

I'll send you a code. :D

this is a wonderful project! i'd love to contribute to some of the existing lists, and i have a few ideas rattling around for new lists i might like to make and maintain (mecha? zines? something nature-related?). could i get an invite code, please?

ty! I'll send you a code to create your own lists, can't wait to see what you make. <3

As for contributing to existing ones, that's up to the founders of each list to send you an invite. Since each list is its own separate world you need the admin of each list to invite you. Which ones were you interested in? I'd be happy to have contributors on some of mine! I need to test how the collaboration features work, hehe.

Considering that the old directory of indie social media sites that I followed recently went under for reasons I am unaware of, I'm tempted to make a list of indie social media sites. I'll message you if I do end up making it!

I love the lists you've made so far! I love hitting the "Random" button on yours and seeing where I end up. :) Thank you for making them!

I started my first one, it's a list of Chao fansites and resources, including old defunct ones on the wayback machine! I am very slowly working through getting it filled out. I don't know how many people here are into Chao enough to be interested but I figured I'd share anyway.

It's honestly been fun going down the rabbithole of old defunct Chao fansites so I really appreciate this giving me an excuse to do that.

Oooo these were so fun to browse. I love Chao, Sonic Adventure 2 is one of my favorite games. I noticed you didn't add any favicons to yours, is that because the fetch feature didn't find them?

[Furbisms]

Oooo these were so fun to browse. I love Chao, Sonic Adventure 2 is one of my favorite games. I noticed you didn't add any favicons to yours, is that because the fetch feature didn't find them?

Thanks! There's still a lot more I want to add but I haven't gotten the time to go looking for them all yet. And I hadn't taken the time to really look imto adding the favicons, I didn't know there was a fetch feature. Does it just automatically add the site's favicon? I need to figure it out but just didn't mess with it at all.

[ヤーナム]

Thanks! There's still a lot more I want to add but I haven't gotten the time to go looking for them all yet. And I hadn't taken the time to really look imto adding the favicons, I didn't know there was a fetch feature. Does it just automatically add the site's favicon? I need to figure it out but just didn't mess with it at all.

There's a "Fetch Details" button right by the field you put the URL into. It pulls the HTML from the page and tries to find a good title, description, and favicon to auto-fill the form. It doesn't always work though, usually because most websites have to run bot protections these days to thwart abusive AI bots. :(

You can also manually upload an icon by clicking on the icon field. I admit that UI interaction isn't the most obvious and could use some work haha.

[ribose]

i'm back with my first linklist: mecha, for fans of giant robots
the goal is to make a directory of all the independent mecha fansites/pages online, both in general and for specific mecha series. (maybe it could expand to wayback links if there are too few online ones...) 37 links so far! mostly fanlistings because those are easy to find in one place. the categories are a work in progress, because i'm not quite sure how i want to classify different kinds of sites, especially some of the older/larger ones that aren't necessarily 'wikis' but tried to include all possible information about their topics... if you have ideas, let me know! and if there are any mecha fans here who want to contribute links, ask me for an invite!

Which ones were you interested in? I'd be happy to have contributors on some of mine!

i know of a few forums that are missing from indieforums.linklists.net that i can add! one invite, please!