Nick @ The Linux ExperimentNov 8, 2022

Mastodon is insanely more rewarding for me than Twitter. With about a 10th of the followers, it draws almost as many views to my videos as Twitter. The platform is really, really good.

I also love the feeling of using an #opensource platform to communicate with people.

Show threadNick @ The Linux Experiment
It feels like the internet I grew up with. Not heavily controlled, no pressure, just plain old fun and constant improvement. I get massive good vibes here!
Nov 8, 2022 at 9:24amMastodon for iOS
Show threadTim McNamaraNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP I hope that it's not just because it's small, but I get that impression also and it's giving me hope that it's possible that a better web is viable.
Show threadNiceMicroNov 9, 2022
@timClicks @thelinuxEXP this was my first thought, too. Maybe with less people to follow, users pay attention more to their individual follows.
Show threadRui CarmoNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP yeah, except we don’t have to do dial-up anymore.
(Great videos, btw, I like your even-handed take on things)
Show threadNick @ The Linux ExperimentNov 8, 2022

@rcarmo Hahah yeah, that’s a noticeable improvement!

Thanks for the kind words!

Show threadgetimiskon   Nov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP yes, it really feels to be more fun than any other social media platform. Instead of having a massive amount of users, being in smaller communities feels more "natural" for anything on the internet, as it should be.
Also, we all "speak" with the same protocol, regardless of the instance and server software we use. Decentralized services are great!
Show threadFrank 🦆Nov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP massively so! It’s what the internet felt like before our every action was dissected, poked and prodded by algorithms 😅 It’s such a weird nostalgic feeling ✨
Show threadTom WatsonNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP it feels like early 2000s internet and I love it
Show threadClément CGNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP I have the exact same feeling. Really remind me of my first years on the internet.
By the way, thanks for your videos, thanks to you I moved to Ubuntu. I still a little bit puzzled but it's an interesting experience.
Show threadMatt FantinelNov 8, 2022

@thelinuxEXP I just miss the organization of threads so much 😭

Like it's a bit confusing to see this toot as a continuation of the previous one because it appears BEFORE the previous one, with no indication they're related at all

Show threadNick @ The Linux ExperimentNov 8, 2022
@fantinel true, there are some UX issues here and there!
Show threadMatt FantinelNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP on the other hand, it's definitely improved A LOT since last I've been here! Especially the iOS app.
Show threadNick @ The Linux ExperimentNov 8, 2022
@fantinel Oh yeah. The apps have improved by leaps and bounds
Show threadgroundjetNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP Well this is not an unbiased view since you are a chill dude and giving you anything other than good vibes feels just, wrong ☺️
Show threadmotang 🇮🇳🇺🇲Nov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP I loved Google+ as it was my place for free and open source software news and chatter. I was hoping for similar vibes here, but was sparse till last week. 😏
Show threadlostprototypeNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP This is how I've been explaining it to others.
Show threadMatthewNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP It feels so refreshing after leaving Twitter, miss my friends I made on there but christ was that site toxic and a dumpster fire
Show threadDarius KruythoffNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP happy to see you here, Nick. Fan of your channel here. 🙋🏻
Show threadNick @ The Linux ExperimentNov 8, 2022
@dkruythoff Thanks 😊
Show threadphil0x2eNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP that sums it up perfectly. And it works like a charm even though it's not centralised.
Show threadMajor LuzerNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP Completely. It gives me huge 2000s internet vibes and I feel great
Show threadMike Nov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP yessss!!! So glad you're here too. I honestly feel zero pull to go back to twitter
Show threadRussellNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP It's because advertisements have yet to ruin it. Given enough popularity, the advertisements will come.
Show threadNick @ The Linux ExperimentNov 8, 2022
@viciousnarwhal I’m not sure about that. The project would have to develop and ad network, or integrate with one, which would lead to a fork, and all instances would have to use the ad enabled version, which I doubt most would.
Show threadRussellNov 8, 2022
@thelinuxEXP What prevents major news outlets from selling ad posts in their stream? You could try to avoid streams with ads, but if it becomes profitable then it could become common. Just like selling ads in youtube streams.
Show threadNick @ The Linux ExperimentNov 8, 2022
@viciousnarwhal And then they’ll lose their following, and trafic to their content, as people stop following ;) It might happen, but I highly doubt it would fly here
Show threadNiceMicroNov 9, 2022
@thelinuxEXP @viciousnarwhal Interesting. I guess it depends on what the ads are. I mean, if you run a Linux-related profile, and a Linux-adjacent company pays you to boost some of their posts, it wouldn't be the end of the world. All in all, we listen to podcasts with ad reads in it, too.
Show threadNiceMicroNov 9, 2022
@thelinuxEXP @viciousnarwhal But I think in general, with the influx of so many people, it might be the instance admins, who will have to look for commercial sponsors one way or the other.
I wonder if the Mastodon software could do something like that? And in that case, if you don't like the ad model, you can still just not use ad-sponsored instances.
Show threadRussellNov 9, 2022
@nicemicro @thelinuxEXP The problem is low control systems is that they often devolve to sex ads. I think this is a wonderful platform but any level of success will start to show holes in the concept.
Show threadNiceMicroNov 9, 2022
@viciousnarwhal @thelinuxEXP sure, but at least instead of having to trust one single central entity's conscience about "ethical ads", now you have many small instance admins, and hopefully that would provide some selection pressure and incentives to find some balanced approach.
Show threadRayGervaisNov 9, 2022
@thelinuxEXP absolutely, in some ways it feels like the open forums and ability to discover something new on your own vs being told what you can and cannot do
Show threadiceCatNov 9, 2022
@thelinuxEXP It's sort of a "web 1.5" hehe
Show threadxrobertcmxNov 15, 2022
@thelinuxEXP so, back in my last year of highschool we signed up for Prodigy. Unlimited minutes, walled garden, 30 free emails a month. Nationwide dial up BBS. It was amazing to 17 year old me. In '97 I got home from playing Army and everything had changed. Windows 95 happened, everyone has a website, my new job had a T1 installed. I watched sci-fi happen.