Taylor Lorenz
Feel like I'm starting from behind can someone catch me up on the Mastodon lore?? Like what's the big stuff going down on her? Who are the main characters of Mastodon? 👀 #technology #tech #twitter #TwitterTakeover #twitterefugee #twittermi #journalist #media #news
Nov 5, 2022 at 5:09amWeb
Show threadMichael Downey Nov 5, 2022

@taylorlorenz from the archives

https://mashable.com/article/eugen-rochko-mastodon-interview

Show threadMichael Downey Nov 5, 2022

@taylorlorenz this was another watershed moment

https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/29/22752850/mastodon-trump-truth-social-network-open-source-gab-legal-notice

Show threadEsther Lim Nov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz I am new but I know there is an instance that only lets you post the letter ‘e’.🐬
Show threadMichael Downey Nov 5, 2022

@estherlimtf

That's https://dolphin.town/about

@taylorlorenz

Show threadClive ThompsonNov 5, 2022
@downey @estherlimtf @taylorlorenz I think I am going to join that instance and post only there and never post anywhere else ever again for the rest of my life
Show threadMichael Downey Nov 5, 2022
@clive that would be quite the vowel movement
Show threadflorianbuschNov 5, 2022
@downey @clive George Perecs worst nightmare
Show threadArtur WeigandtNov 5, 2022
@downey @estherlimtf @taylorlorenz
I really hoped that you are joking, but... 😂
Show threadMiimii's PetsNov 5, 2022
@estherlimtf @taylorlorenz 😂
Show thread[old] stefan 🙌Nov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz this video is a decent overview of the history of the technology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnciCz83t70
Show threadScott Hanselman ✅👸🏽🐝🌮Nov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz the kerfuffle with countersocial is significant
Show threadJamie GaskinsNov 5, 2022
@shanselman @taylorlorenz There was a kerfuffle? I seem to have missed this.
Show threadScott Hanselman ✅👸🏽🐝🌮Nov 5, 2022
@jamie @taylorlorenz https://mastodon.xyz/@status/99128426570677955
Show threadScott Hanselman ✅👸🏽🐝🌮Nov 5, 2022
@jamie @taylorlorenz and the other side https://countersocial.documize.com/s/c30dhakp0nhtab60utag/countersocial-blog/d/c5piofvuaqg133k3is90/the-short-history-of-countersocial-and-mastodon at this point counter social is pretty wacky and is an island (and company) that is un-federated and alone.
Show threadJamie GaskinsNov 5, 2022
@shanselman @taylorlorenz Whoa, TIL! Didn't even realize it was based on Mastodon!
Show threadScott Hanselman ✅👸🏽🐝🌮Nov 5, 2022
@jamie @taylorlorenz ya they broke up, forked, argued about licenses and they were removed from the federation. Now CS is pretty newsy and blingy and the interface is pretty out there
Show threadJared 🇦🇺🏳️‍🌈⚧️👽Nov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz main characters are such a bird-site mindset.. this is much more finding your folks; sharing good content and #JoyScrolling (as it tends to be a much more positive experience). It's not twitter here - and that's a good thing.
Show threadJared 🇦🇺🏳️‍🌈⚧️👽Nov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz here it's much more common to do #introductions and #recommendations within your network to get organic discovery of quality content!
Show threadOmonarc Nov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz I'd start with the #Fediverse Wikipedia page, since that gets you going on how this all started and should get you (relatively) caught up: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fediverse
Show threadScott StedmanNov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz me
Show threadVictoria Fierce Nov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz hi Taylor glad you are here I am the main character. nice to meet you
Show threadAdnanNov 5, 2022

@taylorlorenz The hopeful point of the simple algorithm of Mastadon is that there shouldn't be main characters that dominate conversations.

Each server (you're on mastadon.social) is its own local community which people can interact with.

There exists numerous servers with all kinds of interests. You should check them out!

https://joinmastodon.org/servers

Show threadTaylor LorenzNov 5, 2022
@Decad3nce oh cool! Wait maybe dumb question but can you join other servers with one account? Or do I have to make separate accts for each?
Show threadAdnanNov 5, 2022

@taylorlorenz Realistically if the messages are public, they'll end up on the federated feed and you'll see them. The only case you wont see a message is if it has reduced visibilty as chosen by the author or unless your instance/server is blocking those instances where the message is coming from.
(Note: there are numerous bad parts of the internet likely blocked by your instance already)

So you really don't need to create multiple accounts, and you cannot join multiple with the same account.

If you do want to migrate to a different instance which aligns more with your wants/needs, then you can check out https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2019/06/how-to-migrate-from-one-server-to-another/

Show threadMike McHargueNov 5, 2022

@taylorlorenz I see lots of good replies about the lore, but what's most wonderful about Mastodon to many (most?) of us is there is no "big stuff," and no "main characters."

It's a community of communities, and there is no engagement engine artificially inflating the stakes of a given conversation.

I had ~70,000 followers on the bird site--bot a lot more than 70x the headache and heartache.

Show threadSigrid NeuhauserNov 5, 2022
@mike @taylorlorenz what I find a bit confusing is that bilingual timelines are a bit difficult to maintain. I am actually considering getting two accounts for that purpose.
Also non of the three apps I try atm has a good translate feature - so international news shrink again to your primary languages. But maybe someone reading here has suggestions about that?
Show threadJared 🇦🇺🏳️‍🌈⚧️👽Nov 5, 2022
@sigrid @mike @taylorlorenz I'm using two #fediverse accounts so far one #mastodon one #pixelfed (insta like), but you can follow across platforms not just instances... @[email protected] is my pixelfed.
Show threadRich TongNov 5, 2022
@jared @sigrid @mike @taylorlorenz @[email protected] Got to try #pixelfed, #fediverse all the way!
Show threadClive ThompsonNov 5, 2022

@sigrid @mike @taylorlorenz One option for translating is to log in using Chrome on one’s phone

Mobile chrome has auto translate built in — when I see a post on Mastodon in another language I can click to have chrome translate it

And for what it’s worth, I find Mastodon more usable in a mobile browser than in any of the mobile apps I’ve tried!

Show threadSigrid NeuhauserNov 5, 2022
@clive @mike @taylorlorenz thanks for that info! I will try this at my Computer to start with. This site already has so many layers to explore...
Show threadClive ThompsonNov 5, 2022
@sigrid @mike @taylorlorenz 🤘🏻🤖
Show threadPseudo NymNov 5, 2022
@sigrid @mike @taylorlorenz please let me know if you find a good translation solution. I don't have one
Show thread@krisnelsonNov 5, 2022
@mike @sigrid @taylorlorenz Yes, I’m struggling to establish a multilingual timeline—it’s not going well—I set up another account elsewhere (on an instance where English is not the primary language) to see if that works. Any tips from anyone on connecting across languages would be appreciated!
Show threadBrar PieningNov 5, 2022
@krisnelson @mike @sigrid @taylorlorenz FWIW, I've been posting in English and German on Twitter and I plan to continue this here.
I realized that the Web UI has a language dropdown below the input field for posts but I have yet to find out what it does. It doesn't appear in the #Tusky app so it's either new and unsupported there or not really important. At some point better language/translation support will probably help the Fediverse.
Show threadskryNov 5, 2022

@brar @krisnelson @mike @sigrid @taylorlorenz

I see DeepL "translate" links (on the web) for about a third of the posts in this reply thread, but those posts are all in English, and the posters may be bilingual.

I don't see translate links for the folks posting elsewhere in Japanese, though, so it's confusing.

Show threadcliff1976Nov 5, 2022
@sigrid @mike @taylorlorenz Auf der Webseite kann man die Sprache des Tröts festlegen, in the hope that it helps those readers who filter content by indicated language, pero usuarioas son perezosos y mis piensas son frecuentamente de idiomas mezclados. Und außerdem I haven't found the language option in either of the two iOS clients I've tried.
Show threadNicolai von NeudeckNov 5, 2022
@mike @sigrid @taylorlorenz if you are just struggling with a few words, selecting them gives a “translate” button on iPhones.
Show threadSigrid NeuhauserNov 5, 2022
@nicolai @mike @taylorlorenz thanks, but it is more full translations making accounts accessible which mainly tweet in a language I do not speak. But tweet about a topic I like (in my case fungi was such a topic on the bird site where a lot of japanese accounts post great things. An I do not do any japanese at all)
Show threadNicolai von NeudeckNov 5, 2022
@sigrid deepl has a very good desktop app for that. just mark the text and press c twice while holding cmd.
Show threadSigrid NeuhauserNov 5, 2022
@nicolai thanks.
Show threadMrs Mouse at workNov 5, 2022
@sigrid @mike @taylorlorenz lists are good for this too
Show threadTaylor LorenzNov 5, 2022
@mike I love that!! And yeah the bigger u are on twitter the worse the experience. It’s nice to start fresh on here for sure
Show threadConrad Hackett Nov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz I'm wondering why the *most* shared post of 2021 was shared fewer than 3k times. Seems low, even given Mastodon's small size (and other most popular posts didn't break 1k shares) https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2021/12/mastodon-recap-2021/.
Show threadgrantNov 5, 2022
@conradhackett @taylorlorenz I’ve been wondering the same thing — it seems as though it’s harder for posts to spread on mastodon, one reason possibly being that “faving” a post doesn’t make it show up in your friends’ timelines and allow them to see it.
Show threadNick GiordanoNov 5, 2022

@conradhackett @taylorlorenz

Pre-migration customs, if you gained too many shares on a post, you were deemed a threat to the state and ostracized.

Show threadJames SlezakNov 5, 2022
@conradhackett @taylorlorenz this post seems to have a relevant explanation https://toot.cat/@zkat/109287521995502282
Show threadstill aetios anywayNov 5, 2022
@conradhackett @taylorlorenz That is because there is no algorithm that pushes popular Posts to the top of people's timelines. I've not seen most of these posts apart from on this page, and I'm probably one of the more active users on the platform (on some of my other accounts I used to average like 80-100 posts a day)
Show threadConrad Hackett Nov 5, 2022
@aetios @taylorlorenz Lack of algorithmic feed or trending page does distinguish this site from others but posts went incredibly viral on Twitter before those features were introduced. I wonder if the explanation might be less diverse following networks here. Could it be that here people are more siloed either by mingling in their instance or in small, fairly homogeneous networks clustered around similar interests? Or maybe the absence of journalists breaking news?
Show threadsagaNov 5, 2022

@conradhackett @aetios @taylorlorenz mastodon is designed with a "viral dampening effect" in mind. It's part of the nature of federation. This might change if organizations were to start hosting their own instances as a means of verification. However the dominant perspective on Mastodon is one that opposes the concept of virality. This post is a good example

https://toot.cat/@zkat/109287521995502282

Show threadPearl FreierNov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz I’m new on here too (I’ve been referred to as a peasant on Twitter) and it’s hard to figure out who to follow here because you can’t see who a friend follows unless everyone is on the same server. I ‘m a fan of your work and then saw your name come up here
Show threadNumbCat9 💜s trans folx 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 5, 2022
@PearlF @taylorlorenz Pearl you should absolutely be able to just click on over to that person's profile, then load their followers, regardless of what server they're on.
Show threadTaylor LorenzNov 5, 2022
@PearlF thank u!! And yeah I wish there was better discovery
Show threadAdenNov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz does anyone know if there is a better android client to use?
Show threadMike Masnick ✅Nov 5, 2022
@aden @taylorlorenz i used tusky on android and find it works wonderfully.
Show threadAdenNov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz I found some and tusky looks good. I will keep looking.
Show threadblackknight95857669Nov 5, 2022

@taylorlorenz As others have mentioned, there really aren't main characters here. However, those looking for interesting people to follow should start with this account:
@FediFollows

They also have a directory website:
https://fedi.directory/

Show threadRoxana Daneshjou, MD/PhDNov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz I thought we came on here to get away from the main characters.
Show threadTaylor LorenzNov 5, 2022
@roxanadaneshjou haha fair! I meant more in the sense of good accounts to follow, but good point 😅
Show threadchalker7Nov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz I just joined a few hours ago too and am learning things at a quick pace! Knowing your journalistic interests, one account you may want to follow is @[email protected]
Show threadTim ChambersNov 5, 2022
@taylorlorenz It launched in 2016, here is a 2017 article in Wired Magazine about where it was then and how it started: https://www.wired.com/2017/04/like-twitter-hate-trolls-try-mastodon/