krzNov 15, 2022
KuJoe 💞

So many people are having a bad first experience with Mastodon because they're using the official app which is lacking features, doesn't allow image uploads randomly, has random slowness, and doesn't give you easy access to the two most active feeds where you can find people (Local and Federated).

Please switch to Metatext, Tusky, or Tooot for a better mobile experience (or even use a browser).

Out of the >15k users that joined this week, over 11k are on the official apps.

Nov 14, 2022 at 7:16amWeb
Show threadKuJoe 💞Nov 14, 2022
It is worth mentioning that the Mastodon team now has 2 people dedicated to fixing the iOS app which is extremely promising, but for now please avoid the official apps if possible, at least until you get a better understanding of the platform so you don't make things harder on yourself while you learn.
Show threadAli Nov 14, 2022

@KuJoe This app is amazing. I know there are a few better apps, i have actually tried them but the native UI of the official app is much better. Only thing missing is the local and fed feed plus the DMs. If the devs can work around that, then is a go go.

#mastadon

Show threadKuJoe 💞Nov 14, 2022
@hearthborn It's great if you just want to stick to the Home timeline and you've been using Mastodon for a few days, but for a new user who's Home timeline is completely empty the Local and Federated timelines are pretty important to find people to connect with.
Show threadAli Nov 14, 2022
@KuJoe Yeah exactly so if those are implemented in this app then it ticks all the rught boxes. 
Show threadKevin AnsfieldNov 14, 2022
@hearthborn @KuJoe Local timeline is there just not very discoverable. It's called "Community", found under the search section
Show threadJoNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe @hearthborn thank you! I’m using the official ios app and have been bewilderedly hunting for the federated feed for days😂
Show threadTarkusNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe @hearthborn As far as I can tell, the official Android app doesn't support bookmarks either, which kind of sucks.
Show threadYaasmin_BNov 14, 2022
@Tarkus @KuJoe @hearthborn yes, I used the App and could not bookmark things (but I didn' t knew I can). And uploading pictures had a 50/50 chance that it would not work. I'm not shure why, I tried different sizes and formates.
Show threadTarkusNov 14, 2022
@YasminGalaxygir @KuJoe @hearthborn The Tusky app supports bookmarks, but I'm leaning toward sticking with the PWA, especially since it provides a consistent interface on desktop and phone. Tusky is way better than the official app, though.
Show threadGail_Allison 🍁Nov 17, 2022
@Tarkus @KuJoe I've been using bookmarks in the Mastodon App, on Android, for the mstdn.ca instance.
Show threadTarkusNov 17, 2022
@GailWheeler @KuJoe I see no bookmark option here.
Show threadGail_Allison 🍁Nov 17, 2022
@Tarkus This is screenprint from Mastodon app on Android. The bookmarking is highlighted red and bookmark tab is on side bar. Maybe I'm misunderstanding something but I was using the bookmark a lot today. Cheers.
Show threadTarkusNov 17, 2022
@GailWheeler That looks like the UWP app to me, which is what I'm currently using. It looks nothing like the official Android app I downloaded from the Google Play Store.
Show threadGoldfishNov 15, 2022
@KuJoe @hearthborn Also worth mentioning: Social Media is for most people a „smartphone first“ experience and browser maybe second or even never experience. My phone is always with me. The laptop is always at home or in a backpack when i am not in „work mode“. I usually have mastodon open in the browser, too. But i rarely use it and most people i know are happy with the condensed UI only a touch interface can provide. It’s more personal, immediate and always present.
Show threadAnne ClearyNov 14, 2022
@hearthborn @KuJoe agree, that is what I am missing
Show threadGrrsly Adams Family VacationNov 14, 2022
@hearthborn @KuJoe @crazynanabernadette also, the ability to pin and edit posts. For some unknown reason, #MetatextApp doesn’t have an edit function but it does offer delete and redraft. That way I can add the CW I forgot.
Show threadroodNov 14, 2022
@hearthborn @KuJoe community = local, am I right?
Show threadDiana Poudel🇪🇪Nov 14, 2022
@KuJoe What apps do you suggest for IOS and Android?
Show threadKuJoe 💞Nov 14, 2022
@diana For iOS I use Metatext, for Android I'm using Tusky.
Show threadSally BridgeNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe @diana thank you for this information I will now use Tusky.
Show threadPyrielNov 14, 2022

@KuJoe @diana +1 for Tusky.

Faultless so far.

Show threadatomixNov 16, 2022
@Pyriel @KuJoe @diana Agreed. Tusky is much better than the official app.
Show threadJack KroossNov 15, 2022
@KuJoe @diana
How is Tusky better than the browser? Seems to run great in the browser.
Show threadDaigoro Toyama Nov 15, 2022
@jackkrooss @KuJoe @diana Tusky (or Yuito, a fork of Tusky, in my case) supports multiple accounts, and switching between them is very easy.
Show threadDaigoro Toyama Nov 15, 2022
@KuJoe @diana I use Yuito on my Android phone. It is a fork of Tusky and supports quoting when the server supports it. Works gerat.
Show threadundead enby of the apocalypseNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe @diana Metatext is a really good one for iOS
Show threadDiana Poudel🇪🇪Nov 14, 2022

@enby_of_the_apocalypse @KuJoe I'm currently testing Metatext on iPad and Tootle on iPhone and both are good... Only Tootle has a strange bug with the ' character - it writes it in the code

But both lack the feature to change the language, and that's annoying, because some of my toots are in 🇬🇧 and some are in 🇪🇪 and default for posts is Estonian language.

Show threadundead enby of the apocalypseNov 14, 2022
@diana @KuJoe ye I really wish it had that feature, I have the same problem since I post both in English and German
Show threadEaterOfSnacksNov 14, 2022
@diana @KuJoe Tusky is good on Android.
Show threadJack KroossNov 15, 2022
@diana @KuJoe
All I know is that it runs just fine on my Android device in the browser. On my PC I run it in Chrome and it works great.
Show threadLeonard Simon KlarNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe Can recommend #Tusky, which I find pretty stable on my Android phone and fully featured, apart from not being able to follow hashtags, but that might be a server issue.
#MastoTips
Show threadNino KadicNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe what about the Android app?
Show threadArmy Men Around the HouseNov 15, 2022
@KuJoe it seems to be working fine for me on the official app for android. I'm not sure what I'm missing but I don't have anything negative to say about the experience either.
Show threadHikerNov 15, 2022
@KuJoe If the PR department needs the word "official" - which doesn't really exist in the #Fediverse - then that's what happens.
Show threadBruce UmbaughNov 17, 2022
@KuJoe thanks. Pointer to guidance Re: alternatives? Some of the advice I’ve seen on the Web is really outdated. Other is too unselective. Appreciate it.
Show threadWildflowerNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe
I can recommend just using the website. I've had no problems at all!
Show threadAde Malsasa AkbarNov 14, 2022
@Wildflower I also recommend this one and yes it's true three years using Mastodon without problem at all until now. @KuJoe
Show threadMartin G.Nov 14, 2022

@Wildflower @KuJoe To be fair, until very recently, #Mastodon was mostly used by #geeks via desktop browsers, and #smartphone #apps were an additional gimmick.

Now we have an enormous influx from the "technological mainstream" who do everything with their smartphones and, most importantly, believe that an app for a service is always named the same as the service itself.

These people wouldn't even take into consideration that there are alternative apps for anything unless you tell them.

Show threadDr. Eric J. Fielding, PhDNov 14, 2022
@MartinG @Wildflower @KuJoe I use the browser version when I am on my computer, but the iOS Mastodon app on my iPhone and i Pad. I don't do everything on mobile, but it is convenient.
Show threadWildflowerNov 14, 2022
@EricFielding @MartinG @KuJoe
I haven't been in here so long, and so far only from my phone.
I have this little weblink on my primary screen to mindly.social (with a heart on it ♥️😃), so that is super easy.
Show threadYaasmin_BNov 14, 2022
@MartinG @Wildflower @KuJoe hi, I'm one of the new people on here. You are right, even though I did a little bit research, I still used the Mastodon App to sign in. It helped me pick out my current server and with nothing else to compare it to, it worked for me for the first day. After beeing here and reading some posts from long time users, I changed to tusky now and use this when I'm on my phone
Show threadGregor KalinkatNov 17, 2022
@Wildflower @KuJoe same here. Been using it on the iphone via safari browser and everything works well
Show threadRhetoric commentNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe Fair point I'm on day 2 and couldnt work out how to find anyone until I installed Sengi on laptop. Now I'm begining to see so many more possibilities. Will try other apps on phone too.
Show threadZergling_manNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe lol, natural filtering at work
Show threadsplaNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe official apps have local timeline, tap on magnifier glass, it's right there as "Community"
Show threadKuJoe 💞Nov 14, 2022
@spla That's not very intuitive for new users who don't know there's a Local or Federated timeline to look for. The apps are much more suited for experienced users who already know the platform. New users greeted with an empty Home timeline with the first post of "why is nobody here?" is adding a lot of extra work for people trying to help out new users.
Show threadsplaNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe no, it's not intuitive but it is on Explore section, makes sense to me.
Show threadKuJoe 💞Nov 14, 2022

@spla You've also been here since 2017. If you didn't know there was a Local or Federated timeline and you were coming straight over from Twitter where the home timeline is populated all the time by an algorithm, you'd probably assume nobody else was using Mastodon if your Home timeline was empty.

That's the point I'm getting at, the official apps are useable by people who are familiar with the platform, it's not usable by people who came over here from Twitter and just made an account.

Show threadsplaNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe you are right, many users asking "is there anybody here?". A lot of work telling them please, go to the magnifier glass and check out all tabs.
Good thing about official apps is they make so easy the sign up process. Most of new users around here are signing up with an official app, around 65%.
Show threadKuJoe 💞Nov 14, 2022
@spla I have heard the signup process with the official apps is very simple and I'm glad they have that worked out. I'll just be much happier when the new devs are able to fix the UI issues that new users are experiencing. I am very hopeful for the future of the apps and I fully expect the updates to make them better and better over time.
Show threadsplaNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe they will improve for sure. In example, two new developers are already working to improve the iOS one.
Show threadSabineNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe I learned from your tips! And found out that I can change to the browser from the official app by pushing the three points on the right beside every posting. And suddenly it becomes what I expected when opened in the browser. Quick solution!
Show threadOddibleNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe The reason these new visitors won't stick is the onboarding is non existent for all the apps. Tusky is a dead end for new users from the first screen for instance.
Show threadkyrlNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe so far found the browser on a laptop the best experience by far maybe the apps will improve
Show thread𝕳𝖊𝖑𝖊𝖓 𝕯𝖊𝖂𝖆𝖑𝖙Nov 14, 2022
@KuJoe As a new user I can totally agree. I've switched to Metatext which is great. But during the day I'm using the website as I'm on my pc anyway.
Show threadBrian RobinsonNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe Yep, that echoes my experiences too. I would add that I couldn’t pin a toot using Mastodon app but can with Metatext.
Show threadDavid FisherNov 14, 2022
@KuJoe +1 for simply using the browser. In Android at least, it pastes itself to your home screen and acts just like an app. Perfectly happy so far! (This may be instance-dependent, not sure)