A few tips for newcomers, as I have learned myself since joining Mastodon (updated with edits)...

#AltText Descriptions: Please use them to add text to your images, many folks here depend upon them and have been using them for years before we all arrived. This helps people who are visually impaired, and frankly, it's fun to come up with interesting descriptions for everyone. Also, for videos: try to upload a link instead of clogging your server with the file.

#CamelCase: When you use hashtags, use Camel Case if you have more than one word: #WelcomeToMastodon is easier to read than #welcometomastodon - so do that. This makes a big difference for people who are using screen readers. Use WAAAAY more hashtags than you are used to on Twitter. Mastodon is hashtag dependent. Also, it is generally good to put hashtags at the bottom of the post (unlike this post) as it is easier for screen readers.

#ContentWarning: This is important, nuanced and controversial - therefore, important. What I wrote before was, "If you are posting something that might even in the slightest trigger another person, use the Content Warning (CW) option that you can toggle on at the bottom of the toot window. It's polite here. People can choose how they want to view and interact. Use CW more than you are used to on Twitter." I would add, people's lived experiences, whether racial, gender/sexual-identified, or of other important qualities, do not fall under this category. Former presidents of the US, yes, IMHO, they DO fall under this category. Use your judgement. Imagine you are sitting opposite someone in a cafe; would you blast them with your opinion on the subject you're broaching, or would you get a sense of the vibe of the connection first? Use a CW while you are getting to know the vibe. And if you don't want to keep doing the extra clicking to see what is under a CW when you scroll, you can go to Preferences > Appearance > Always expand posts marked with content warnings.

#Diversity: A few people have commented, "lots of white men here!" Well, ok, but you can also find each other by using hashtags like #WomenInSTEM #BlackMastodon and many more including my favorites that I started up: #Desi and #MixedDesi (i.e. me). Start your own if you don't see yourself represented, so others can find you, too. Other popular ones I've seen are #BIPOC, #BlackTwitter, #Indigenous #Trans, #TransPOC, #TransAwareness. Many more good ones.

#DMs: DMs are under the globe option in the Toot aka Publish window for privacy setting and they appear in your full list / feed of notifications (don't freak out at that). Honestly, this still freaks me out. I've started to DM people with, "DMing you here..." so that they know it's a DM. Maybe it's just me, getting to be familiar with this...

#Donations: This is all run by volunteers. Make a donation. Click on the "about this server" at the bottom of your screen (might appear in a different location than on mine) and find out who is running your server and how to make a donation. And thank them! Donating to Mastodon generally does NOT apparently filter down to your server admin, so you might do both.

#Filters: Adding this one in my edits. On your computer (and maybe some apps) you can find Filters under Preferences so that you can weed out content for yourself. Experiment with it. A tip: just add one word at time; separating with commas does not do anything.

#Introductions: Please write a friendly intro and use the hashtag #introduction so people can learn about you. Be interested in others. Grow your community through daily, friendly interaction.

#SlowMode: Ahh the ease of Slow Mode (in your Preferences settings)... you can control the feeds so that you just click "new items" at the top, giving you time to catch up.

Have fun! This is like a big global cafe with many tables to sit at, and conversations to be had. Consider how you show up for the conversations. Check your bias at the door - and it's totally fine to acknowledge you have one. We are all here together being human, figuring it out, one post at a time. No judgement from this table. Use Mastodon as an opportunity to practice self-awareness and kindness in the cafe.

Welcome!