199,430 is the number of new users across different Mastodon servers since October 27, along with 437 new servers. This bring last day's total to 608,837 active users, which is without precedent the highest it's ever been for Mastodon and the fediverse.
@Gargron sorry but as one of those new users, I do not understand much about this platform and its application to my life and can’t seem to engage anyone in addressing my needs.

@NDennis @Gargron

Take a look at https://tommi.space/fediverse, and feel free to get in touch if you have any doubts or questions!

Various Fediverse information, tips, and accounts worth following.

Various Fediverse information, tips, and accounts worth following.

Tommi’s mind
@NDennis what are those needs that you wish addressed? Maybe the community can help, if you explain yours?
@berkes starting with the basics: where and how to start; knowing it’s better to start by listening, how best to do that; where and how best to rant; what happens at each of the navigation icons?

@NDennis

About the "listening" part, one thing to get your "home" to fill up, is by starting to follow people. https://fedi.tips/how-to-use-mastodon-and-the-fediverse-basic-tips/#HowDoIFindPeopleToFollow has some great tips on finding people to follow.

the other tabs are "explore", "local" and "federated". More on that, here https://fedi.tips/how-to-use-mastodon-and-the-fediverse-basic-tips/#WhatIsTheLocalTimeline
Somehwat higher up on that page a good explanation of the "explore" is given.

How to rant? Just write toots, and hold SHIFT WITH YOUR PINKY, I guess ;) Mastodon hasa a CW/content warning feature: try it!

How To Use Mastodon and the Fediverse: Basic Tips | Fedi.Tips – An Unofficial Guide to Mastodon and the Fediverse

An unofficial guide to using Mastodon and the Fediverse