Just a reminder to all the new arrivals here:

These instances are NOT commercial entities like #Twitter ... someone is paying the bills for servers and networking, and the massive influx of people like us are raising those costs enormously.

Be a good citizen, checkout the "About this server" link, and if you can, make a donation towards costs.

@rmappleby thanks for highlighting this. Contribution setup.
@rmappleby where can I find the “about this server” link on iOS? TIA to anyone who can point me in the right direction
@rmappleby good shout. I immediately became patron after signing up.
@rmappleby we don't except donations, but it helps when people share our recipes.
@WhiteSmokeBBQ
Will certainly come and check them out!
@rmappleby I tried to donate but the server admin said they were fine at the moment. Can’t there be a system to suggest diverting offered donations to other servers? Like a Mastodon food bank!

@richardireland Great idea, but I don't know how that could be set up.

Maybe just set a bit aside in case your admin needs some help in the future, or make a donation to the mastodon devs at https://patreon.com/mastodon instead?

Get more from Mastodon on Patreon

Creating Mastodon

Patreon
@rmappleby Thanks for the reminder. Signed in and added this space to my patreon account.

@rmappleby
Not that I'm trying to make fun of anyone or anything like that, £/$/€ 8 seems like a nice amount to start with.

Just a suggestion!

@rmappleby how do I know which server I’m on?!

@rmappleby @GladyGlo it’s after your name. You are username GladyGlo on the server mastodon app.uk.

I am simple on the server social.jacobandersen.dev.

@GladyGlo @rmappleby a @ tag after your account handle indicates what instance you are on. I am on , therefore I have the same name in my account handle
@rmappleby I signed up $10/month on the Mastodon Patreon. I'd much rather put 10 dollars a month towards a site that deserves every penny than 8 dollars a month for phony verification and the inability to change my name.
@rmappleby ok, newbie question. Where’s the ‘About this server’ access?
@DaveHopper
If you’re logged in via the web, then on your Home pane it will usually be one of the links towards the bottom left of the webpage. However, your admin can customise the layouts, so things may be slightly different.
You can also go to https://mstdn.social/about and you’ll find information there about supporting your admin. You may need to logout before you can get to that page though
Mastodon 🐘

A general-purpose Mastodon server with a 500 character limit. All languages are welcome.

Mastodon hosted on mstdn.social
@rmappleby Thanks.r Right mow I’m on my phone but I’ll hop on my Mac later.
Thanks,
Dave
@DaveHopper Good luck. Toot at me again if you’re still stuck, and I’ll see if I can help you further.
@rmappleby where is the “about this server” link located? Sorry, newbi here
@Pat_H
If you’re using the web interface it’s normally on the lower left of your Mastodon home page, often grouped with several others. However, your instance seems to be quite heavily customised, so might be easiest to just message your admin to ask how you can donate. That’s @[email protected]
@rmappleby will do, thanks
@Pat_H
Sorry, typo’d his address … should be @[email protected] … but I guess you realised that!
@rmappleby I don't even know how to find that link 😬

@magicwanda Your server admin says that he doesn’t accept donations, and asks that donations be made to the main mastodon developers via https://www.patreon.com/mastodon

You can see the message at https://home.social/about

Get more from Mastodon on Patreon

Creating Mastodon

Patreon
@rmappleby Thanks for the heads up! so easy to support - https://www.patreon.com/mastodon
Get more from Mastodon on Patreon

Creating Mastodon

Patreon
@rmappleby This is really good to know. I didn't realize. Everyone can probably afford to pay at least a little, which will add up to a lot.
@rmappleby first thing I did was buy a year subscription to this server's Patreon. Easy decision.
@rmappleby the problem is knowing the right places to donate to.

@Juliefaithmcmurrayart
Agreed. The first place should be the server/instance that your account is on. That's normally mentioned on the "About this server" webpage.

For your server, that can be found at https://mastodonapp.uk/about/more

Sometimes the admin of an instance won't take donations towards their running costs, but will ask for donations to be made to the mastodon developers instead, who build and maintain the software.

You can do that at https://www.patreon.com/mastodon

Hope that helps

Mastodon App UK

UK Hosted and Managed Mastodon Instance. General communal space for discussion, everyone welcome!

Mastodon hosted on mastodonapp.uk
@rmappleby thank you so much, that is very helpful. Xx
@rmappleby what exactly is an instance?

@jg22 @rmappleby

Instances are also called servers. (So I've read.)

@SparkleTea @rmappleby also what’s the main difference between a server (which I recognize this platform is) vs. twitter.

@jg22 @rmappleby Servers are the computers that host the data. The software allows for the computers to have their users all interact in the same cyberspace.

I think. (So far that is.)

Twitter has it all centralized.

@jg22 @SparkleTea
Perhaps the easiest way to think about it is that Twitter is like a VERY large single Mastodon instance.
Or alternatively that Mastodon is made up of many small Twitters, all connected together and talking to one another.
@jg22
An "instance" is a single instance of the Mastodon software, that will normally run on several computers (or servers) and be accessed via a web server on the internet (for example, in your case, mstdn.jp).
For simplicity, "instance" and "server" are used pretty interchangeably when talking about Mastodon, and refer to the web address that you use to access your Mastodon account (mstdn.jp for you)
@rmappleby *whispers* where do I find about this server?
Mastodon 🐘

A general-purpose Mastodon server with a 500 character limit. All languages are welcome.

Mastodon hosted on mstdn.social
@DoIAveTo thank you
@EmmaKennedy new here too so not sure about much ;) but I've been visiting the about and explore on the different servers to see what they're chatting about and been finding the different community interests fascinating.. though time consuming!
@rmappleby thanks for this prompt. I've just set up a regular contribution to the host of oldbytes.space
@rmappleby Yes, very valid point! :) Thanks!
@rmappleby First thing I did but a good thing to point out for anyone who doesn't realize. 👍

@CMDR_Royal_Mons
A lot of people are joining that just have no experience of a community built and funded IT system.

No-one here is selling our data or paying to advertise to us, but that means no money coming in. And without some funding to pay for the servers and networking, the system would collapse.

@rmappleby where on the screen is the about this server link? i can't see the wood for the trees....

@helsmels
The first place to try to donate should be the server/instance that your account is on. That's normally mentioned on the "About this server" webpage.

For your server, that can be found at https://mastodon.online/about

Sometimes the admin of an instance won't take donations towards their running costs, but will ask for donations to be made to the mastodon developers instead, who build and maintain the software.

You can do that at https://www.patreon.com/mastodon

Hope that helps

Mastodon

A newer server operated by the Mastodon gGmbH non-profit

Mastodon hosted on mastodon.online
@rmappleby really does, thanks for the link.
@rmappleby Thanks for the prompt! I've just set-up a monthly Ko-Fi payment of £8 for the server I'm using. Seems an appropriate amount!
@rmappleby I don’t see a way to donate to newsie.social. ?

@Jeffkart
Neither do I 😂

It looks like it's run by some sort of industry body for the Fourth Estate. It may be that they don't accept donations but depend on subscriptions / professional fees? Or you could reach out directly to the administrator, @jeff and ask?

@rmappleby thx for reminder! I'm supporting my instance now