PMPN8EZNov 5, 2022
Andrew Couts

Pros of Mastodon after 9 days:

• rebuilding my follow list got me out of whatever morass I was in on Twitter

• compared to Twitter, there's *way* higher engagement with people overall

• almost everyone's been chill

• there's a learning curve and the capability to build, which is more interesting than numb consumption

• the #brands have yet to arrive

Nov 5, 2022 at 5:33amWeb
Show threadJared 🇦🇺🏳️‍🌈⚧️👽Nov 5, 2022
@couts when the brands arrive they'll be on their own instances, it'll be a very very different arrival. If anything we'll see brands doing support here like they used to on twitter in 2010
Show threadmalevolent dictator for lifeNov 5, 2022
@jared @couts looking forward to the brand blocklists
Show threadJared 🇦🇺🏳️‍🌈⚧️👽Nov 5, 2022
@astrid @couts having to work for rather than pay for an audience is perfect for keeping balance.
Show threadInfiniteOneNov 5, 2022
@astrid @couts @jared Please send the lists my way, ASAP. 🙏🏻
Show threadPedroNov 5, 2022
@jared @couts Let's hope they really go down that path so that I can mute entire instances 
Show threadAlbert CardonaNov 5, 2022
@jared @couts There’s been already a case of a Spanish sports newspaper requesting to join an instance run on an old laptop in someone’s home. Was turned down AFAIK.
Show threadAlbert CardonaNov 5, 2022
@jared @couts For completion, the reference to the mastodon server admin telling us about it: https://masto.nobigtech.es/@niko/109286193226038828
Show threadelf™Nov 5, 2022

@couts

As long as Miracle Whip is banned, im good.....we have....a history and not a pretty one. I think its the Devil's Lube.

Show threadInfiniteOneNov 5, 2022
@couts Please no #brands #influencers🙏🏻
Show threadNick GiordanoNov 5, 2022
@couts the Ryanair social media team is in the war room right now scheming up their first toot
Show threadPatrick deHahnNov 5, 2022
@couts last one 😬
Show threadJoshua WoodNov 5, 2022
@couts seriously, the engagement is CRAZY compared to Twitter.
Show threadAndrew CoutsNov 5, 2022
@wood right?!
Show threadJustin CauchonNov 5, 2022
@couts Feels like early Twitter days. I like it.
Show threadSt. Paul Nov 5, 2022
@couts my favorite is the “Brands” have yet to arrive. It makes this entire platform feel squeaky clean. 🧼
Show threadJenMitchNov 5, 2022
@couts I’m a marketer and I want to keep the brands out of this pure space. Don’t tell my boss. Haha. Actually, go ahead.
Show threadNat Weaver 🏳‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️Nov 5, 2022
@couts
Show threadRoxana Daneshjou, MD/PhDNov 5, 2022
@couts I’m still figuring out how engagement works around here.
Show threadMayank GuptaNov 5, 2022
@couts no ads!
Show threadAaron Bieber (no relation)Nov 5, 2022

@couts my favorite thing so far is not having to scroll past a promoted video post every five toots.

It's really gotten saturated over there, the desperation for cash is palpable.

Show threadtobyNov 5, 2022
@couts it’s nice the brands aren’t here to ruin it yet. At least you don’t have to follow them and they won’t show up in ads. So refreshing!
Show threadmahemoffNov 5, 2022
@couts I noticed the engagement too. Twitter algo started going heavy on recommending power user tweets and lowered engagement for everyone else among their circles. That’s why I feel like I don’t have that much to lose by spending less time there.
Show threadFernby FilmsNov 5, 2022
@couts Hypothetically, were the brands to start moving in, what could be done to thwart their encroachment into actual engagement with living people and not soulless corporate entities?
Show threadBobinFloboNov 5, 2022
@fernby @couts put them all on their own server where I never have to see them
Show threadMiimii's PetsNov 5, 2022
@couts not even a full day here, I concur 😁
Show threadMadeline T. MorcelleNov 5, 2022
@couts that’s lovely to hear!
Show threadJohn Weeks Nov 5, 2022

@couts Trying to think of a server that would host a brand, or who here would follow them

This is the PBS of social media

They will have to self-host, and hope people follow them

Show threadJaime CardenasNov 5, 2022
@couts “the brand have yet to arrive” I felt that to my core! And I love that as well. I just signed up today so thank you for this summary.
Show threadb_wildered2Nov 5, 2022
@couts I’m 30 minutes in and it all seems very familiar. You’re up for a long service award.
Show threadTaz WakeNov 5, 2022

@couts I think you've hit the nail on the head here.

Engagement is orders of magnitude greater.

Show threadRevK Nov 5, 2022
@couts Yes, I was pondering the #brands. It needs companies making single user instances on their domain to effectively be #verified. We'll see that I am sure.
Show threadStudio 8502 Nov 5, 2022
@couts The admins of various instances, or so I'm told, have a big list of toxic instances to which they tend not to federate their own instances. That really helps keep the signal-to-noise ratio at a sane level.
Show threadAceCouturaNov 6, 2022
@mos_8502 @couts dumb question but are stars the same thing as likes? I see almost no stars on any post so I am like hmmmm maybe I should t star so many 😅😅😅😅😅😅
Show threadLes OrchardNov 5, 2022
@couts yeah, I don't think "the brands" will land here in any way famliar to other social media experiences. There's no ad sales department here and small instance admins will probably just go "lol baleeted"
Show threadChris McQuillanNov 5, 2022

@couts It’s interesting that engagement is higher. Particularly as one of the benefits of a centralised network would in theory be a wider sphere of engagement.

Why are we thinking this is?

Show threadDave WakemanNov 5, 2022

@couts

I'm new here, but:

* I am embracing the chance to create a whole new community around the things I like.

* I think seeing the platform so early, you can see how much of a negative impact that the algorithms that are needed to power the ads really are for people. They aren't blind or dumb.

Show threadDave WakemanNov 5, 2022
@couts Also, since you like dogs! Enjoy Penny the Bulldog in her element.
Show threadFall4everNov 5, 2022
@couts super true I just signed up already enjoying this platform !
Show threadlizzieNov 5, 2022
@couts Good to know.
been here 9 minutes - so far so good!
Show threadChoctawNov 5, 2022
@couts I can’t see people to follow. Just the same very small group. Can anyone help?
Show threadjomNov 5, 2022
@couts it feels like Twitter in the early 2010s when interacting with people felt easy instead of like a chore
Show threadasaloneNov 5, 2022
@couts I truly hope this stays brand-free. Let’s keep this space for honest interaction and for creatives and hobbyists to show their work in an environment of people that will actually engage instead of bots doing all the work
Show threadhungryishNov 5, 2022
@couts A symptom of a relatively small community and a young platform. It really does feel like early social media.
Show threadRavnosNov 5, 2022
@couts drama is quite low.
Show threadallybfrazierNov 6, 2022
@couts “almost everyone has been chill” is THE one. More than one person said ‘Thank You’ to me today and I don’t even know how to act tbh 😂
Show threadAceCouturaNov 6, 2022
@couts it basically feels like oldschool twitter 🤩
Show threadKarbunkle GodfreyNov 6, 2022
@couts more interesting than numb is everything
Show threadKathy ManelisNov 6, 2022
@couts I’m finding the learning curve to be challenging but people seem to be very helpful giving suggestions and encouragement. #mastodon #learningCurve
Show threadMurphysicalNov 9, 2022

@couts that learning curve though...

Needs smoothing for users.