the dev.to platform is incredible, it creates a Twitter like atmosphere that's way more sophisticated and generally has more moderation, so there's more people who know what they're talking about, it's easier to find help, and it's more in-depth than a subreddit. Idk why I'm selling you on the platform you're currently using, but here we are.
What if the platform was available for other careers/hobbies/etc.
So, for instance, let's say it's writing/authors/etc. I don't know what the domain name would be, but for now, write.to (actually...). It uses the dev.to framework, but it's clearly for writers, authors, poets, novelists, etc. They can have various sections/tags to follow, and it can allow for people high up in the field to give advice to those not as high, to allow for good discussion across the board, etc.
Essentially, like how stack overflow now has various branch offs because the system worked well.
Kind of putting it out there for dev.to staff, I figure that the logistical hurdles are probably great, as well as the fact that it is YOURS, and thus, how would it be to have another team using it for a different purpose. But, if the code base is on a paid level, it could work.
Essentially, this platform makes it so that people can have "blogs" on a given subject without having 60000 blog pages all geared to the same subject. There's something incredibly powerful about that possibility.
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Makes sense and is probably a direction dev.to team will take it one day.
However, currently the experience is meant for developers. Markdown might scare off non-technical folks. They would have a easier time in medium.
The code is all ready to roll in Github, but you probably knew that :)
IMO what makes dev.to work is the way the community formed and is carefully tended / moderated, which needs the right humans with enough time and excellent empathy.
Until recently I operated / helped moderate a family forum for many years, and that was a similar experience, starting small, existing for the users, not as a funding vehicle for the creators, having a niche topic (larger families).. technically we have now moved to a private Facebook channel 'cause the forum software was seriously old/dead, but the community remains.