(posting on an alt b/c I'm probably gonna end up doxing myself and i don't want my banger memes tainted by my being a fed irl)
Hi!
I made a lil webapp that I'm looking to get early feedback on.
Basic idea is to have a library of things made up of stuff that individuals are willing to lend out.
Alternatively, it's like craigslist/fb marketplace but for borrowing stuff.
This was inspired by my local org managing the same concept in a spreadsheet, and I thought that a UI on top would make it more usable (and hopefully prompt more folks to join in).
General concepts:
- Users add things they're willing to lend
- Users join groups and share things with folks in that group
- View and request things that other folks have shared
Goals:
- Help folks save money and (hopefully) build community
- Easy to start new group (can start with immediate neighbors or friends)
- Easy to add folks to existing groups (e.g. new members in an org)
- Visibility controls for different levels of trust (lend your jewelry to friends but not strangers)
How to test:
- Link: https://mutual-aid-library.vercel.app/
- For the security conscious w/o a VPN, this web proxy is free.
- Create an account
- There's no email verification, so feel free to just use a made up email address
- To add things, you'll need to go to 'my profile' and add name & contact info, then 'add new thing'
- If you don't want to create an account, you can log in with email
hexbear@hexbear.net, passwordpigpoopballs
- idk poke around. Create a group. Join a group. Add a thing.
- Please don't do malicious stuff. It'll probably work, and I'll be sad.
Feedback requested:
- If nothing else, just a thumbs up/down would be nice
- Is there something like this already?
- Is working on this more a waste of time?
- Would this be something useful to you personally?
- Do you think others would use it?
- What should be added/removed/changed?
Some of the best feedback I could get is "don't continue this for reason," or "direct your energy to project instead."
I'm fully expecting this to go nowhere outside of my org, so don't worry about hurting my feelings.
Actually, worry a little bit. Like don't call me stupid or something. But you can criticize the app. Constructively.
Thank you!
Known issues
- Many! The app is pretty shit atm
- UI is dumb
- Inefficient as all hell
- Group admins can leave groups w/o a succession plan
- Group admins can't kick group members
- A single 'contact info' field isn't right
- Likely full of security holes
- Location stuff needs work - searching, fuzzing, filtering, etc
- Vibe coded. I don't like it either, but I don't know how to do fronted stuff and it's just for a proof of concept.
I think i've heard of similar stuff, but anyway, maybe add requests for stuff, so turn it into kinda fulfillment thingy (maybe as a separate negative-donation mutual help, or call it darkside of the moon switch between requests and availability), people may not be super familiar with needs or have something they can lend they forgot about.
(and i think map should be fuzzed to cities or towns by geographical center, just remove precise location, let people talk it out)
Thanks so much for taking a look & responding!
Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean. Could you say more about the logic?
It worked when I just tried it, but I'll dig more into this and see if there's something messed up
If you have pointers, I'd love to check out similar projects!
GREAT point - a nonprofit nearby was looking for plastic grocery bags and I doubt folks would think to add those to the app.
I'll be adding 'requests' next!
Agree, I've been stuck mulling over how to actually implement this.
I really like the idea of just letting folks talk it out, and I'm now leaning towards moving location off users and onto groups.
e.g. there's a 'downtown' group, with a pin (+ radius?) on the map, users join based on proximity, then they can figure out more precise location between themselves.
I think I'm actually gonna go with this - thank you for helping get me unstuck!!!!!
Mm, the way i see it, it’s kinda vulnerable to malicious actors (people spamming groups or items, for example) maybe make it invite only for a time?. Where the data is stored?
admins being main heads for no reason is the point, I guess, than some quasi democratic kick out, where group growth is controlled by the group themselves. Friend group doesn’t operate in head honcho way, why should mutual aid group be centralized (by admin). Now, I couldn’t give you exact structure how to do it nicely with backend logic without some hidden scores or group votes, probably some horizontalists has a developed idea