Mike Masnick ✅Nov 24, 2022

I've seen a few folks join Mastodon and complain that it's too difficult to follow people on other servers, with the cutting and pasting and whatnot. But @bramus has now created a neat Chrome extension (or bookmarklet, if you prefer to go that route) that let's you avoid all that hassle.

I just tested it out... by following @bramus with it!

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mastodon-view-profile-on/limifnkopacddgpihodacjeckfkpbfoe

Mastodon View Profile on My Mastodon Instance

Shows the current Mastodon Profile from your Mastodon instance

Show threadMark HarrisNov 24, 2022
@mmasnick @bramus Yeah, great, but how hard is it really? People just want to be served with a silver frakking spoon.
Show threadMike Masnick ✅Nov 24, 2022
@nzlemming @bramus I mean, it's a friction point that I've heard from *multiple* people drove them away from finding people to follow on Mastodon.
Show threadMark HarrisNov 24, 2022
@mmasnick @bramus People are lazy and stoopid.
Show threadMike Masnick ✅Nov 24, 2022
@nzlemming @bramus I kinda think helping people get past things that drive them away is useful.
Show threadMark HarrisNov 24, 2022
@mmasnick @bramus People learning how to do stuff is more useful, I would say.
Show threadMike Masnick ✅

@nzlemming @bramus eh. I mean, we can go back to everyone building their own computers, but then most people wouldn't have computers.

Not a fan of gatekeeping like that.

Let's make things work better for people.

Nov 24, 2022 at 7:41amWeb
Show threadMark HarrisNov 24, 2022
@mmasnick @bramus Not gatekeeping, but people who won't learn about the simplest things in their new environment are not likely to learn or respect the culture or mores of it either. They'll demand that it cater to them, rather than adapting to it. Maybe it's best they go to Hive or some other place.
Show threadMike Masnick ✅Nov 24, 2022
@nzlemming @bramus Ok. I'm going to disagree. I see it as a form of gatekeeping. But, I think we can end this discussion now.
Show threadtanyaNov 24, 2022
@mmasnick @nzlemming @bramus i'm neither "lazy" nor "stoopid". i have chronic repetitive strain injuries in both hands and using a keyboard is painful. mouse use and clicking even more so. i've found Mastodon a wonderful experience but an incredibly painful one, 1000 times more so than Twit. i search often for people overseas and it's a very long painful process to Favourite and Follow them one by one. those like me, or with arthritis, appreciate help.
Show threadMark HarrisNov 24, 2022
@tanya @mmasnick @bramus That's a fair point.
Show threadBramusNov 24, 2022

@nzlemming @mmasnick It's friction. This extension reduces friction. Nothing more.

Hopefully it can become obsolete over time, once https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/issues/19679 gets resolved, removing that friction.

Use web-based protocol handlers to make following across instances easier · Issue #19679 · mastodon/mastodon

Pitch Use web-based protocol handlers to automatically direct follow requests to the users instance. When the User logs in to their instance for the first time, they are given an opportunity to reg...

GitHub
Show threadJonNov 24, 2022
@bramus ah nice to see solutions are being worked on. This is absolutely something that needs improvement.
Show threadTestingThisOutNov 24, 2022

@nzlemming @mmasnick @bramus
I use an extension to automate profile handlers when following user accounts, can I still appreciate Mastodon?

No

Show threadMark HarrisNov 25, 2022
@TestingThisOut @mmasnick @bramus That's on you.