🇳𝗮ꜟ𝖼𝘩

A quick explainer about the Mastodon like (called "favourite" - it's the star). It is a personal message to the writer of the post that you liked it, and it doesn't show on anyone's time line.

If you want to spread the post, that's the boost button. The equivalent of a Twitter like is to do both a favourite and a boost.

If you think this post is useful to you click "favourite". If you think it would be useful for others too, click "boost" as well.

Edited for accuracy.

Nov 18, 2022 at 3:32pmWeb
Show thread🇳𝗮ꜟ𝖼𝘩Nov 18, 2022
Apparently some people automatically delete older posts if they don't get enough likes, so they are a multi purpose thing. There's probably other subtleties that I'm not aware of too. A messaging network set up by geeks is going to be quite clever!
Show threadTroed SångbergNov 18, 2022
@Naich Yeah this ircs me a bit. I am lacking a way of telling my followers about things I find interesting that's _not_ spamming their feed as much as a boost does.
Show threadRigmorNov 18, 2022
@Naich - thank you! I’m not sure which button is which 😆
Show threadKizzyDazeNov 18, 2022

@FruLond @Naich @dagmar

The star is your 'like', the two arrows next to the star are your boost or 'RT'.

Show threaddagmarNov 19, 2022
@KizzyDaze @FruLond @Naich i didn’t get that boost meant RT… learning fast!
Show threadKizzyDazeNov 19, 2022

@dagmar @FruLond @Naich

Boosting and hashtags are the key to it all. Unlike Twitter, Mastadon doesn't use algorithms. You are the algorithm, so it all relies upon you boosting posts and using hashtags (I'm very forgetful of this last!).

"Liking" a post, will only be seen by you and the person who created the post, unlike Twitter where your "like" gets pushed onto the TL's of your followers regardless.

So, in order to keep the conversation going, you need to boost almost everything!

Show threadhush404Nov 21, 2022
Thank you for this. Learning slowly. Threads like this help.
Show thread453289Nov 21, 2022
@dagmar @KizzyDaze @FruLond @Naich ditto!
Show thread453289Nov 21, 2022
@KizzyDaze @FruLond @Naich @dagmar ahhhhh ok thanks.
Show thread453289Nov 21, 2022
@FruLond @Naich yeah where is the boost?
Show threaddagmarNov 18, 2022
@Naich which one is the boost button?
Show threadJonas Hellö Pr.D.Nov 19, 2022
@dagmar @Naich Hover over any button and you'll se what it is in text. Boost is the one directly to the left of the star.
Show threadJohn SandströmNov 19, 2022
@jonashello @dagmar @Naich Hover implies desktop use and has no meaning for touch devices.
Show threaddagmarNov 19, 2022
@cubexpert @jonashello @Naich ok, I only use it on app…
Show threadAxeDameNov 21, 2022

@dagmar
You may want to check out the web version....most apps are missing some features. I started with the Mastodon app and was shocked when I tried the web version ~ because it illuminated *how* lacking the app is.

@cubexpert @jonashello @Naich

Show thread453289Nov 21, 2022
@jonashello @dagmar @Naich the hover doesn’t work in the app so the tags are visible
Show threadTattie (old account)Nov 18, 2022
@Naich uh, where's the "like"? I see a "favourite", is that the same?
Show thread🇳𝗮ꜟ𝖼𝘩Nov 19, 2022

@Tattie Yes they are the same. I wasn't sure whether to use Twitter or Mastodon lingo and ended up mixing them.

Like = Favourite
Retweet = Boost
There is no quote tweet.

Show threadTattie (old account)Nov 19, 2022
@Naich thanks. I'm in the weird position of having just joined Mastodon but *not* being a Twitter user for many years, so I'm doubly confused by many things.
Show thread🚀 🧠 yeraldNov 18, 2022

@Naich

You /can/ see who favorited a toot if you go to the detailed view of the toot and click on the star that has numbers next to it, so it’s not 100% private, but there’s not a central list of all your liked posts that anyone else can see AFAIK.

Show thread🇳𝗮ꜟ𝖼𝘩Nov 18, 2022
@yerald Yes, that's true. I was thinking in terms of the timeline / notifications, and the way they only appear on the author's.
Show threadiucounuNov 18, 2022
@Naich something that I'm only just realising is that a lot of people on Twitter used the algorithmic timeline, and so got shown each others' likes, and instead of instantly disabling that stuff as soon as it was implemented.. didn't realise it was a thing they could disable. What you're describing is exactly how I've always used Twitter.
Show threadthe war on cars, not drugsNov 20, 2022
@iucounu @Naich Right, I never used the algorithmic timeline on twitter and had no idea that liking a tweet put it on follower's timelines. Mastodon works how I always thought Twitter worked.
Show threadErica NeustadtNov 18, 2022
@Naich Is 'like' the star button?
Show thread🇳𝗮ꜟ𝖼𝘩Nov 19, 2022
@EricaNeustadt yes, also called "favourite".
Show threadDan SanguinetiNov 19, 2022
@Naich i’m 1 day old on here. Is boost and reblog the same thing? It seems like it, but just want to be sure.
I’m aware that Publish use to say Toot.
Show threadJoyfulllNov 19, 2022
@Naich thank you.
Show threadwe are brendiesNov 19, 2022
@Naich so if boost is equivalent to RT what is equivalent to QRT?
Show thread🇳𝗮ꜟ𝖼𝘩Nov 19, 2022
@brendan_keith_ There is no equivalent. This is by design to avoid pile ons and reposting of awful crap with a comment saying "look at this awful crap". You can post a link to a post, but someone has to click on it to see it.
Show threadwe are brendiesNov 19, 2022
@Naich reminds me of the early days of twitter then, back around 2010. which is not a bad thing at all
Show threadbityzNov 19, 2022
@Naich I found this post helpful, but I only saw it because @MarvTh3_Martian boosted it. If I like it, will @MarvTh3_Martian see the like as well? Part of what I want to communicate is my thanks to the booster for sharing the op with me.
Show thread🇳𝗮ꜟ𝖼𝘩Nov 19, 2022
@bityz @MarvTh3_Martian liking something does not make it appear on anyone's time line, but the author will see it in their notifications and the number of likes is shown under the post.
Show threadMarv-stadonNov 19, 2022
@bityz @Naich well, I can't see the like, but did see your reply... And you're welcome! Good OP
Show threadStandard JabberwockyNov 19, 2022

@Naich I liked and boosted this post.

I feel this is a good system, likes are less for vanity and more of a way for people to give you a quieter thumbs up.

And the way boosts work, the people we follow (or the home peeps, in that time space) are the algorithm.

Show threadOssi-AussieNov 19, 2022
@Naich finally someone explained this in a way I understand. I was wondering why I was the only one liking a post...
Show threadEl Gato De CheshireNov 19, 2022
@Naich oh thank you, had no idea!!!
Show threadJohnInKalbarriNov 19, 2022
@Naich it would be helpful if you indicated what the actual Boost and Like buttons were!
Show thread🇳𝗮ꜟ𝖼𝘩Nov 19, 2022
@jrk36 Star is like (also called favourite) and forward and back arrows is boost. Arrows pointing left is reply.
Show thread86RadianNov 23, 2022
@Naich @jrk36 actually on my phone app reply is on the left side and it looks like 2 talking bubbles. Not sure what the square with the arrow on the right is though...
Show threadRebeccaNov 19, 2022
@Naich @jrk36 this is the Boost symbol. It turns green when you click it.
Show threadExogenNov 19, 2022
@Naich Very helpful, thank you!
Show threadduxkukNov 19, 2022
@Naich thanks! Useful to know 👍🏻
Show threadRalph BrookerNov 19, 2022
@Naich I have no idea of how that is implemented. I see no ‘Boost’ button. I want to be constructive but I find Mastodon very limiting and dull. I have no idea how to select much less change server. I cannot get a backdrop image for my bio. If you’re not a Mastodon worker then I apologise.
Show threadbecausepithyNov 19, 2022
@RalphBrooker
the boost button looks like a retweet button., but you’re not on Twitter so it won’t be exactly the same.
You don’t need to change server, as this toot thread says, you’ve chosen a street in the mastodon neighbourhood, but you can access all the other streets.
Maybe there’s software issues with headers, but it doesn’t stop you tooting, so 🤷‍♂️.
Show threadRalph BrookerNov 19, 2022
@becausepithy thank you. Will take some time. Which is normal. :)
Show threadRalph BrookerNov 19, 2022
@becausepithy Thanks. :)
Show threadPennyNov 19, 2022
@Naich I’m confused (easily done) as I *can* see who has liked a post by clicking on the bold bits below. I though what you said here meant you couldn’t see who had liked a post. Or do you mean you cannot go to a person and see their likes? #newbie
Show thread@[email protected]Nov 21, 2022

@pennyblogs

@Naich

im not a twitter person, but i assume twitter inserts likes into some sort of timeline. people are (inaccurately/incompletely) sounding like favouriting is private only to the author, which you saw isn't the case. the info about the number of boosts and favorites stays on the post itself, not some other timeline. you've got this!

Show threadCbassolsNov 19, 2022
@Naich thanks. It took me a minute to start my profile so I appreciate the help.
Show threadArt BlockNov 19, 2022
@Naich what is the boost button?
Show threadRebeccaNov 19, 2022
@artblockmusic @Naich
Show threadArt BlockNov 19, 2022
@rebecca_canada @Naich I thought was like retweeting?
Show threadCerydwynNov 19, 2022
@Naich I'm new here, so newbie question. I'm clearly missing something. I don't see a Like option on posts. I see Reply, Boost, Favourite, Bookmark, and Share. Does this vary depending on the instance? Where is the Like option for those who see it?
Show threadAsh for The Clever ReferencesNov 20, 2022
@Naich thanks for this, still getting used to it all
Show threadIncluded MiddleNov 20, 2022
@Naich Who favorited a post doesn't show in the main UI, but it does seem to be exposed and shows up in at least one third party app.
Show threadSpottedNov 20, 2022
@Naich
Boost should be renamed: Trumpet (think elephantine) as in "I trumpeted her toot"
Show threadMayasDragonNov 20, 2022
@Naich Umm, what is the 'like' button/icon/whatever?
Show threadCritteRo 🇪🇺Nov 20, 2022
@Naich
Show threadNiklas VanhainenNov 20, 2022
@Naich Obviously boosting is the way to spread it, but is it really true that no one else can see a "like"? This is from your post for instance.
Show threadElDuderinoNov 20, 2022
@Naich