The million dollar question: is BBS decentralised?

Introduction

I've thought about this for quite some time. The question about whether BBS is decentralised a very important one. Like most things in life, the answer is not black or white: it is nuanced. 

To answer the question "Is BBS Decentralised?", we must first define our terms. 

Definitions 

BBS. To help us understand what BBS actually is, the map-territory analogy is useful.

BBS territory (blockchain)  is essentially like a giant excel spreadsheet with all the different activities recorded on it. Instead of one person writing it, though,  loads of different computers constantly update their own copy of the sheet. It contains all the post and comments on BBS. So this post, for example,  is stored on a giant excel sheet with all the other posts, on loads of different computers who agree that this post happened.  There isn't one authority who decides what is or is not on this sheet. What's on is decided by everyone, and as such can never really be removed. 

A map is a representation of territory. BBS maps (user interfaces) are representations of the giant excel sheet described above. A giant excel sheet would be really confusing and messy to look at. So, the BBS UI presents it in a readable format. There is  currently one main map, and you're using it right now: BBS.market. 

BBS is a bunch of interconnected computers. Some of them all work on storing the territory together. Others look at that territory, and independently represent it as they want to, in the form of a map.  BBS is the map and the territory, which are connected. 

Decentralised.  If something is decentralised, it means there is not one central authority that controls what happens. In the case of a social media platform, this might mean that no one central authority can censor or change things on the platform. 

So, is BBS decentralised?

This is an extremely difficult question to answer. It really depends if we refer to the map, or the territory. 

BBS territory is very decentralised. It utilizes blockchain technology. As previously mentioned, a giant excel spreadsheet is stored on a bunch of different computers. Every single post is checked by all of them, and no one body can change what's on that sheet. It's decentralised. 

BBS maps on their own are centralised. One person can decide what parts of the territory to include on the map. Maybe they don't like a certain post or a certain user. 

The genius of the BBS architecture is that anyone can create a map, because everyone can look at the territory. Currently, there is only one main map, on BBS.market. But anyone can look at the territory and represent it how they like on a map for others to use. 

The more maps, the more decentralised BBS is because there are loads of different maps to choose from. This is totally different from Reddit because with Reddit there is no public territory. All posts are controlled by one central body. If you don't like the map, you can't do anything. It's the only one there is. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion: yes, BBS is decentralised. There is no central authority that controls the content, because the data is on a public database (territory). 

Let's hope that with time there are more BBS maps, to ensure the BBS experience is a more decentralised one. 

The more choices of maps we have to view the territory in different ways, the less BBS maps are  controlled by one body. But BBS's fundamental data-store will always be a decentralised blockchain. 

BBS is decentralised.