Social site alternatives: Difference between revisions
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...and this interest may be 'shitposting like on twitter', and large common instances may work out that way, | ...and this interest may be 'shitposting like on twitter', and large common instances may work out that way, | ||
yet on instances that are more specific, this may get called off topic. | yet on instances that are more specific, this may get called off topic. | ||
===Mastodon=== | |||
'''Accounts on instances''' | |||
An instance is particular server. | |||
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You are part of a single instance. | You are part of a single instance. | ||
Each mastodon server has a list of others it knows about. | Your account belongs on that instance. | ||
You and you can | You log in on that instance. | ||
That account does not exist on other instances. | |||
You are free to make distinct accounts on distinct instances, in case that is useful to you, | |||
though will need separate client/browser instances. | |||
Since you probably do this mainly for distinct identities, that seems good behaviour. | |||
Each mastodon server has a list of others it knows about - and federates with. | |||
Federation means yo can search all instances it federates with. | |||
References within a federated network work out something like email, | |||
mentioning a user name on a specific instance name. | |||
If you're mentioning someone on a different instance, you have to type the whole thing (although the toot input box will help you auto-complete the username if it's a name the instance knows already). | |||
'''Use''' | |||
Most people use mastodon to write and receive short updates, up to 500 characters at a time. | |||
#hashtags are browseable, and more recently, followable. | |||
Mentioning someone on your instances is @username, mentioning someone elsewhere is @username@instancename | |||
feeds | |||
* local timeline is everything on your own instance (minus replies) | |||
* federated timeline is everything on all federated instances that is useful to at least one user on ''this'' instance. | |||
Why can't I search for contents? | |||
: Anti-harassment. This is meant for social connection, not networked shittery. | |||
Why can't I quote-toot? | |||
: anti-hellsite/harassment measure, arguably. You get to ''reply'' to it with the consequences of such, or move on with your life. | |||
: sure you can screencap, but communities tend to frown on you just doing that to shit | |||
Post types: | |||
* Stand-alone posts stand alone or are the head of a chain of posts | |||
* self-replies | |||
:: basically a reply to your own stand-alone post, or a sequence of such | |||
:: mostly matters because these can be easily considered part of a coherent whole - when showing them in timelines | |||
* Replies are someone else replying (to standalone/self-reply) | |||
Privacy: | |||
* Public | |||
:: everyone can read, it appears on your list of posts, and follower's home timelines, on local and federated timelines, mentions of anyone you mention by username. | |||
:: specifically, stand-alone and self-replies | |||
* Unlisted - everyone can read, but won't appear on local or federated timelines (but will in most | |||
* Followers-Only - only viewable by followers, and the people you mention (and will show up in just their home timeline) | |||
:: for followers, these look the same as unlisted | |||
Mute - don't show in any of your feeds | |||
* will not notify that user | |||
Block | |||
* will not notify that user, but if they followed you, they no longer will, and they can still view public posts on your profile | |||
'''Practicalities and nerdery you ''might'' care about up front''' | |||
'''What are the rules''' | |||
The rules vary with the instance you're on. | |||
A lot of instances agree on basic etiquette, though there are cases instances may refuse to federate with others. | |||
'''How about verifying identity?''' | |||
Mastodon has taken the practical approach. | |||
Probably the best way to check for you (or for the instance admin you contact when someone is impersonating you), | |||
is to have a mastodon profile link to a webpage that links back to your mastodon. | |||
(this in part because sites have generally proven it is either intractible or not socially meaningful to try to do more or, in the case of Twitter/X, ''both'') | |||
'''Can I move accounts?''' | |||
You can redirect your account, which seems to mean | |||
: someone viewing your account will be told where else to go. | |||
: you can't post from it | |||
: your posts will not be migrated | |||
You can migrate your account, | |||
: which seems like a redirect, plus your address will be updated in your follower's list. | |||
: Posts, follows, lists, blocks, mutes, domain blocks will ''not'' be copied. | |||