I think the reason diaspora hasn't caught on is because micropayments aren't easy for the average user yet. If you want me to use bandwidth and keep a machine running in my house connected to some decentralized p2p facebook thingee, sure some might do it for free but if everyone who used your node tossed you 1/10th of penny or something like that per use maybe it would have a lower barrier to entry.

Not to mention that it needs to be much easier to setup a server securely for the average person, and have a digital wallet to store their micropayments. (I love bitcoin but asking your average facebook user to setup a wallet securely is still too difficult)

This article correctly called out the advertising incentive of today's big companies as not being in the average users' best interest. I wish it had also talked more about what kind of incentives that are missing to get people to become a part of p2p networks. Great article though, I like how the author tied in the slowing rate of discoveries/progress into the problem.