Mark WatsonI'm very open to any or all advice from people who know how to use Mastodon. I feel like a boy at a new school not knowing any of the teachers' names, where the toilets are, whether Chris is going to beat me up or is actually angling for a friendship etc. I'm just sitting here fiddling with my pencil case (not a euphemism). But a lot of us are new so I'll share any pointers I get. Thank you!
Chris@watsoncomedian I definitely won't beat you up!
Cress 🏴 🌻@watsoncomedian I did a little 'what I've learned' post here: https://toot.wales/@lexicaleigh/109332088516127394
Covers some of the basics. Also try enabling 'advanced web interface' (in your preferences); I found that really helpful.
Lexi 🏴 🌻 (@[email protected])
So it's been 1 week on Mastodon for me. Things I've learned so far: Do an #introduction post, fill it with hashtags of interests. Have something in your bio so people can read about you Follow (& unfollow) liberally #boost makes posts more visible to others, #favourite saves them to your favourites. Use alt text on images Use #bookmark to save threads you want to follow #CW subjects like politics, sports or common triggers Replying to yourself creates a #thread #newbies #help #howto
J.M. Graham@lexicaleigh @watsoncomedian Lexi thank you for some great tips! Any advice on getting folks to follow back? Don't know if I'm glaringly unfollowable or if there's a trick to it. Might well be the former...
@CrabbyMcSlacker @watsoncomedian There's no tips; people will follow those who post interesting or helpful things! Use your hashtags liberally to connect you to people with similar interests, but it's not about the following here, it's about creating a timeline filled with things that interest you. :-)
@lexicaleigh @watsoncomedian Thanks Lexi!
Adam Gough@lexicaleigh @watsoncomedian Very useful, thank you 👍
@watsoncomedian No advice yet, same boat! Feel like I'm sitting in the school lunch room by myself trying not to feel selfconscious as I prattle a bit with no one listening. But it will get better right?
Thomas =:-)@watsoncomedian well, the toilets down at the end of the garden. Use the kitchen door and head left. Hth
Robin@watsoncomedian the first thing I did was just… watch, for a while. See how other people did things. Try to figure out the differences to what I was used to. Then go ahead and use it, trying to behave similarly to what I’d seen from others. Be liberal with “Favourites”, because you don’t need to worry about messing up any algorithm - it just shows someone you appreciate what they’ve posted, and is just between you and the poster. “Boost”, be sure it’s something you want your followers to see.
@watsoncomedian but also… don’t worry too much about getting it wrong. If you screw up accidentally, your server mods (or other friendly voices) will suggest ways to do better in future, and that will be fine. Mods and admins have ways to deal with problematic users, but that’s reserved for people who either won’t adjust their behaviour to follow their server rules, or who just don’t care. Either of those would seem out of character for you, so I don’t think you need to worry.
@watsoncomedian one thing that seems to set Mastodon apart is the underlying expectation that you will take some basic care for other users of the service - acknowledging that some people might be more sensitive to certain content, or may need assistance to access content you take for granted: image descriptions, content warnings… they sound like a chore to get right, but they’re surprisingly easy to get used to doing.
Tom Weber@watsoncomedian I've been here for about 3 weeks now and I found the account @feditips and the corresponding website https://fedi.tips/ very helpful!
People are also generally very willing to help around here, so you can always post specific questions and maybe add the hashtag #NewHere 😊
Colin Fry@watsoncomedian Chris is just bluffing, but don’t trust Elon
DougN 
😷 
@watsoncomedian I have to recommend @feditips. There is a great, easy to read guide there.
My tips:
1) Use hashtags, but keep them to the end of your post/toot so your post will be screen reader friendly. Use CamelCase.
2) Use Debirdify or one of the other Twitter scrapers to generate a list of all your followers and follows. You can then import the CSV files into your profile.
3) use Content Warnings for more than NSFW or otherwise potentially offensive posts.
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@watsoncomedian
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3) con’t. Using CWs in this way helps people who don’t want to read your post to skip by without being triggered.
4) Use the visibility setting at the bottom of the composition window to set who can see it. For general musings, public is fine. If you’re tooting a thread, make every toot in the thread after the first one unlisted, like this one. That will keep your thread from cluttering up the local timeline ⬇️.
I’m here if you want to ask about anything else!
Rachael@watsoncomedian I don’t know whether it’s how I’m using it, but I seem to have opened up different instances with different look and feel. The app is virtually unusable so I’m using the browser on my phone. But that isn’t particularly pretty. Then sometimes I’ll click on a link and it will open up another instance with a completely different look. It’s all very confusing.
Dave@Surreykiwi @watsoncomedian try different apps, there's a fair few. I've settled on Tusky on Android but there's apparently some very good alternatives on iOS too.
Chris Jack@watsoncomedian I’m nice, I promise, just very shy a bit nerdy and also worried about potential bullies
Hare@chrisjack @watsoncomedian Chris, stop bullying Mark. You monster.
SB@watsoncomedian I feel much the same. It seems quite nice and friendly so far, but I don't really know what I'm doing. I don't necessarily know what I'm doing on twitter either so doesn't feel much different for me... 😅
June LewinsHello Mark - I prefer the website to the app, as the layout is easier to understand, but I use the app to search for people I know. I've also ticked the slow mode button under settings/appearance, so you can view posts when you want by clicking on "new posts". Otherwise new posts fly by, esp on the federated timeline. Three timelines - your homepage, ie the people you follow; local timeline ie posts from everyone on your server; and federated timeline ie everyone on Mastodon.
BubbaBubbaHey@joonloons @watsoncomedian ah thank you for the slow mode tip much easier to read the local and federated
I prefer the web version too
I prefer the web version too
MikeO@watsoncomedian welcome!
Matt@watsoncomedian I’m in exactly the same boat!
Chris@watsoncomedian definitely erring on the friendship side 😘
Dave Walker@watsoncomedian This was my list of tips:
1. Server choice - bit tricky
2. Add a pic and bio
3. I prefer 'Advanced web interface'
4. And the 'Light' theme
5. Listen to long-time users
6. Tip your server admins
7. Hashtags pretty important
8. Put Alt text on pics
9. Use Content Warning if in doubt
10. Pin introduction post
11. Do some boosting
12. Follow interesting people
13. Hashtags can be followed too
14. DMs not 100% secure
15. Be respectful
16. Thank you, people who run this
Cat (is that anyone?)@watsoncomedian I'm a little bit at the hiding-in-the-library- trying-to-sneakily-eat-lunch-and-not-be-perceived stage of things. #MySchoolDays
@scary_cat_lady @watsoncomedian Oooof, too relatable.
'ingie@watsoncomedian
Don't worry Pencil Case Boy, you'll get the hang of it soon enough
*pats mark's back in encouragement, secretly attaching offensive post-it note*
Don't worry Pencil Case Boy, you'll get the hang of it soon enough
*pats mark's back in encouragement, secretly attaching offensive post-it note*
The Average Gatsby@watsoncomedian Your metaphor is cooler than mine, I think. I'm also missing the ability to quote retweets but I don't know where to fit that into my metaphor. Possibly something to do with a conga line? Might have to think about that one a bit.
fattybacon@watsoncomedian The best tip I got is the tool that copies all the people you follow on Twitter and tries to find them on here. https://fedifinder.glitch.me/
JulieTuatara@watsoncomedian on Twitter I see you’re asking for tour suggestions - Palmerston North NZ please - I’ve read Contacts, I’ve watched Taskmaster, I really feel this is all a bit one sided 😀 (love your work)
CazzaLaRouge@watsoncomedian my Pro tip is that you should follow me back.
Kimberley Rose@CazzaLaRouge (we do the eyes over here too, right? 😉😅)
@NoContextColouring they are universal. They are our calling card, our bat signal 👀
Crystalentity@watsoncomedian Here’s a great video I just watched.
Complete guide to Mastodon for beginners
SusanneYoung01@watsoncomedian Hi Mark Saw you in Darwen (your favourite venue in the North West you said)Love the badger outfit. I see you have not worked out the mast hard.It took me a while.Press the little dots in the top right and fiddle about fr a bit , I would. Thanks for the show.It was brilliant.
@watsoncomedian Not dots.Cog and then account settings
Catherine Adams@watsoncomedian try using the ‘toot’ app - it’s fun
kim@watsoncomedian just 2 say 'hi'