Broad MandateNov 12, 2022
Robbie Cargill

Came across this excellent #Firefox add-on which removes one of the main aspects of clunkiness about Mastodon's #federation presently - it lets you follow someone from a different Mastodon server _without_ having to type in your full username and server and get redirected first!
(it automatically handles the redirection for you so you just need to click "follow")

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/mastodon-simplified-federation

Mastodon – Simplified Federation! – Get this Extension for 🦊 Firefox (en-GB)

Download Mastodon – Simplified Federation! for Firefox. Simplifies following or interacting with other users on remote Mastodon instances in the Fediverse. It skips the “Enter your Mastodon handle” popup and takes you to your own “home” instance, without entering your Mastodon handle on remote instances.

Nov 8, 2022 at 9:04pmWeb
Show threadRobbie CargillNov 8, 2022

This is one of my main annoyances with Mastodon normally that I've been wondering if it could be solvable in a feasible and secure manner, and this plugin just does it in such a simple way!

Makes me wonder if an official Mastodon browser plugin which set your default server and redirected follow requests etc back to it (basically what this plugin does, but maybe could go further) could make a big difference to user experience and particularly reducing barriers for new users..

Show threadRobbie CargillNov 8, 2022
Ugh one issue - it doesn't seem to currently work with Mastodon v4, though hopefully the devs are working on it and won't be an issue by time it's out of RC and most servers are using it anyway 🤞 (https://github.com/rugk/mastodon-simplified-federation/issues/77)
Support for Mastodon v4 · Issue #77 · rugk/mastodon-simplified-federation

Background Mastodon removed links to interact remotely and now asks you to just copy the link to the search box (which in my opinion greatly discourages decentralization). Proposed solution Inject ...

GitHub
Show threadSunflower Björnskalle 🌻Nov 12, 2022
@r0bbie nooooooooooOOoOooooOOoooooooooooOoooooooOOoooooooo! you got my hopes up
Show threadRobbie CargillNov 12, 2022
@apodoxus ah it's only an issue with v4 RC and hopefully by the time v4 is actually released they'll have fixed it anyway :) 🤞
Show threadSunflower Björnskalle 🌻Nov 12, 2022
@r0bbie I'm on a v4.0.0rc3 instance but it seems to work... :)
Show threadRobbie CargillNov 12, 2022
@apodoxus Ah sorry so to clarify it's only (currently) a problem if the server you're attempting redirection from (i.e. where you hit the "follow" button, rather than your own server it would redirect you to) is on v4 :)
Show threadSunflower Björnskalle 🌻Nov 12, 2022
@r0bbie Makes sense.
Show threadRobbie CargillNov 13, 2022

Worth adding - this Firefox add-on also works if you go to boost, favourite, or reply to someone post on a remote #federated instance!

So cool.

And there's further discussion here on how this might be possible in future at the browser-level without the need for an add-on https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/issues/20296#issuecomment-1309860982

Redirect users directly to (web)application · Issue #20296 · mastodon/mastodon

Pitch Email services provide this, in which there is a protocol for the following link to open in an email client. Thus, the proposal of something similar for Mastodon links. Such as `mastodon://``...

GitHub
Show threadsimoneNov 8, 2022
@r0bbie urgh perfect thank you - this was v clunky (also it has failed at least once for me so far lol but tbf idk what I'm doing)
Show threadZZ BottomNov 12, 2022
@r0bbie Tks so much for the tip❤️
Show threadUseYourIndoorVoiceNov 12, 2022
@r0bbie Thank you for posting this! Haven't tried it (yet) but if it works then it solves one of my biggest issues with using Mastodon. Much appreciated 👍
Show threadSunflower Björnskalle 🌻Nov 12, 2022
@r0bbie Hey thanks... but why do we even need this. If we can automate it with an addon, can't they just automate it client side (I'm assuming they can't server side or else they would...)
Show threadRobbie CargillNov 12, 2022

@apodoxus The Firefox plugin works as you tell the plugin on your local machine where your primary Mastodon account is hosted / location of your default server, and so it knows where to redirect you to when it intercepts "follow" actions (performed when browsing an account on another server).

When interacting in browser directly with other servers they don't know what other servers you may be logged into, where your own account is hosted, so where to redirect you to..

Show threadSunflower Björnskalle 🌻Nov 12, 2022
@r0bbie Hmmm, yeah, I see...
Show threadMike's Corner of MundanityNov 12, 2022
@r0bbie any good add-ons for chrome/edge or better android app?
Show threadRobbie CargillNov 13, 2022

@tazz602 Didn't seem to be any comparable plugin on Chrome when I had a look sadly! Since both Firefox and Chrome extensions use WebExtensions I guess it might be cross-compatible, but no idea if it is, sorry!

On Android I mainly use Tusky, but do fall back to the official app sometimes.. Both annoyingly support some features the other lacks.

Taken a look at some other apps people often recommend too like Fedilab, but the UI being so poor in comparison is a non-starter for me

Show threadMike's Corner of MundanityNov 13, 2022
@r0bbie Yeah - I'm playing with Fedlab now - might try Tusky next - just gotta see what works best for me.
Show threadtheblazehenNov 12, 2022
@r0bbie this is great! My only point of friction that I experienced personally
Show threadDaniel (CactiChameleon9)Nov 12, 2022
@r0bbie You do know you can just search someone’s username and then follow it from there (at least for me). Works for usernames I have never heard of too
Show threadDaniel (CactiChameleon9)Nov 12, 2022
@r0bbie *your instance has never heard of
Show threadRobbie CargillNov 12, 2022
@daniel I do know that, yes! People are lazy and having the "follow" button simply work as you'd intuitively expect, rather than having to move over to your own instance and manually type or copy/paste their username or profile URL to search, then select, and follow, removes a significant barrier and enhances UX. All routes are valid and good people know they're there, though!
Show threadDaniel (CactiChameleon9)Nov 12, 2022
@r0bbie Fair enough then, just making sure 😅
Show threadJoana MoraisNov 13, 2022
@r0bbie thanks so much, this is a great save time and clicks