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We’ve said that SLAM IN is a social network, but… will it be the fun kind where everyone throws stuff at each other like in a food fight? Or the elitist kind, where only the “best” people smile and look down on the rest of the peasants? Or maybe the kind that’s nice but ultimately forgettable, the one you use for a while and then abandon—only to reminisce about it 10 years later with someone who loved it too, spending the night saying, “Ah, those were the good old days” (yes, I’m looking at you, Google Wave).

Well, obviously, we hope it will be the useful and fun kind (with less food waste). More importantly, we will fight as much as we can against elitism, segregation, or any kind of discrimination—on this platform and in real life.

So, let’s dive into what SLAM IN can do for you and what we hope it will become in the “near” future (and trust us, “near” is a very loose concept when you don’t have funding and want to develop software).

The Core of SLAM IN: Events

The main focus of the platform is creating and managing events. Once you sign up as a Creator, you’ll be able to (you guessed it!) create your own events and share them on other social media platforms. Your events will also appear on a world map, making them easy for everyone to find. (There will still be people asking, “What’s the address of the venue?” but worry not! With SLAM IN, you’ll be able to answer with a single click.)

There will also be:

• A public calendar, where everyone can discover events and add them to their wishlist.
• A personal calendar, located in your dashboard, where you can view the events you’ve created, the ones where you’re performing, and those you’ve saved to your wishlist.

Think of it as an open buffet for the world, but with your personal plate where you can pick only the dishes you like.

Professionalizing the scene: Gigs

One of the coolest features we’re working on aims to help building a stronger community and make networking much easier than it was until now. Let’s say you need someone—a poet, musician, or MC/host—for your event. We’ve got you covered! Simply post the details and your request will appear in the Gigs section, where performers can apply for the role.

Of course, there will be a messaging system to help you connect with the best candidates—or politely decline those who just don’t vibe with you.

Other exciting features include:

• Posting unlimited poems.
• Having your own blog. If your articles gain traction, we’ll translate them into seven languages and feature them on the homepage.
• Creating and participating in groups, forums, and even courses! We’ll help talented teachers connect with eager students worldwide.
• Showing off your talent and get an instant ego boost. You’ll be able to upload pictures and videos to your profile for everyone to enjoy, whether it’s a live performance or a videopoem.

Upcoming Features

The next big feature we’re working on and will, of course, be ready in the “near” future is a way to export a list of your events, so you can proudly announce “your tour” to the world (again, little ego boost).

Will SLAM IN be free?

Here’s the big question: will it be free? And are there limitations?
(Brace yourself for a tiny anti-capitalist rant.)

The internet was born free (just like art), and open-source software strives to preserve that freedom. We encourage you to explore open-source alternatives to proprietary apps, operating systems, and social networks.

We aim to keep SLAM IN as free as possible, using as much open-source software as we can. But, since we live in a capitalist society, compromises are inevitable. For instance, we could have hosted your videos on YouTube—it’s cheaper and easier—but we know that Google would own your content and use your data for commercial purposes. (“If there’s no product, then YOU are the product.”)

Instead, we’ve chosen to use PeerTube, an open-source and distributed alternative to YouTube. Your videos will be managed under a Creative Commons license, so YOU remain the sole owner of your work. That said, hosting PeerTube comes with costs, which is why we’re limiting free video uploads to three per user; but think of this as an opportunity to choose your personal Top 3 and share it with the World (don’t worry, you’ll always have the chance to change them).

Why does SLAM IN exist?

If something frees and inspires you the way poetry has done for us, the need to give something back is strong and natural. Our original plan was to develop this platform entirely from scratch, with custom features built by friends or affordable developers. But—capitalism again!—we had to “settle” for WordPress (which, honestly, is a great platform and made this project possible) and after purchasing countless plugins, we’re proud to say that SLAM IN is now (well… will “soon” be) something everyone can enjoy—for free!

Published: Dec 11 – 2024