Hello, systems of Tumblr.
In the aftermath of SimplyPlural and Octocon announcing their impending shutdowns, and myself personally noticing a lack of suggested alternatives (like Ampersand) for iOS users, I have found a recently released/updated alternative that is free on the App Store: an app called Plural Log. It requires no account sign-up and no internet connection.
It is quite simple aesthetically, and the base member fields are limited (image, name, colour, pronouns, role, description, profile), but you can create your own custom fields, and add subsystems to members. You can add headspace(s), and add members to those, as well. There are several ways to sort members (A-Z, Z-A, newest/oldest first, fronting frequency highest/lowest, or by role), folders and polls. You can also name your system.
There is a chat tab with separate channels (similar to how a Discord server's would appear), the ability to distinguish main front from co-front as well as front/switch notes, member-specific journal entries with some basic feeling tabs (happy, neutral, sad, anxious, angry, and dissociated), insights to track fronting and mood trends, and a homepage tracker for number of members, daily switches, and journal entries.
There are three font settings including OpenDyslexic, a font scale slider, a high contrast colour theme as well as standard light/dark mode, the option to passcode lock the app, encryption and export options, and toggleable features (like the insights, or mood tracking in journals). There are also links to support services.
The only missing feature, from what I can tell, is the ability to add friends within the app itself. I believe this is for two reasons; data is stored locally on the user's device, and it is intended as purely a self-management tool. However, from my understanding of reading the app's description and website, the developer(s?) intend to release a companion app soon (Plural Log Friend) for sharing your system info with those you trust. This is a feature I am willing to wait for, given how clean and organised the app is, but it is also understandable that it may be a dealbreaker for some who wish to find another option sooner.
I had hoped my first post to be more... lighthearted? Than this? But it was an issue I was both experiencing myself, and noticed other people were experiencing as well.
So, all that being said, I hope this can help even one other system.
Thank you for reading :)
- Teevee [it/they]
regarding some questions that have popped up from some people i've told this about, i wanted to share my answers/perspective!!
also like. i'm not sponsored or anything lmao i'm just impressed with the app tbh
AI Use
to my knowledge, AI has not been used by PluralLog in any capacity and as far as i know, they have no plans to use it in the future :)
Server Shutdown Concerns
PluralLog uses something called a "federated" model of operation. some quotes from their explanation of this: "...there's no single company controlling your data. Instead of every user connecting to one central server, anyone can run their own relay...", "...more sustainable model for an independent app with a community that deserves better than a single point of failure", "If you prefer to keep everything local, you never have to connect to anything", "...no PluralLog server [that] can be compelled, breached, or shut down. Every relay is independent". i find this opt-in model quite appealing for privacy's sake, and personally appreciate the failsafe against one singular person being the dependent factor in the app's functioning :D
uhhh that is lowkey all i can think of off the top of my head, but happy to answer further questions!! /gen
- Darcy [they/it]