I've thought about this in the past. If we model each user as a perfectly rational agent, the user will migrate once the perceived subjective value of the new p

I've thought about this in the past. If we model each user as a perfectly rational agent, the user will migrate once the perceived subjective value of the new platform is higher than the one from Reddit. Since the network effect (the author calls it "feedback loop") itself adds value, you need to offer value that more than compensates the network effect, through: user interface, features, a better community (the Reddit community is disingenuous, petty, and worse - stupid), so goes on. However at the moment at most those sites have a better community to offer. (It's rather surprising to post in Beehaw or Kbin, and see that users there are... rational people???). The interface however still sucks major balls, and the features are actually worse than in Reddit. Good news for everyone though: Reddit will only become worse and worse after the IPO. Before it, too, but specially after the IPO. >So, these “alternative” companies need to adopt protocols instead of building their own private garden. Unity is the only way they can fight against a giant like Reddit. That is THE idea behind the Lemmyverse. (And the Fediverse as a whole). Its underlying protocol is even used by alternatives not in the Lemmyverse, like Kbin.