PhoenicianNov 28, 2022
AnarchoNinaWrites

Noticing a lot of weekend chatter about helping new people onboard and I literally cannot stress the enough - the experience changes entirely once you follow about 200 people.

Then your home timeline fills up, and you find more people to follow/weed out some of the randos you followed at first.

This place is NOT going to get "busier" if you do not follow people; there are so many posts going on that you are not seeing.

Use "Federated" and "Local" find ppl; follow liberally. It works.

Nov 27, 2022 at 5:26pmWeb
Show threadNollowayNov 27, 2022

@AnarchoNinaWrites Agreed. I see a lot of articles saying "Mastodon is confusing" and sure for a minute it is, but spend a couple of minutes with it, and it makes more sense. I'm still no expert, but I feel like I'm getting the hang of things.

I've been rolling through local and federated, liking posts and commenting.

Show threadActiveCulturesNov 27, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites @ProgGrrl Thanks for that. That’s more or less what I’ve been doing. following liberally. Digging into following and follower lists. Looking at RT’s. Will prune later. First it needs to take root.
Show thread❄ SnowWrite ❄Nov 27, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites absolutely agree here. I didn't have a huge following on the birdsite (less than 2k since 2007 BUT here I've found that I engage more.. feel comfortable enough to respond. I'm teaching a session monday night and I will definitely bring up the community/find people aspect.
Show threadJoe Sabín Nov 27, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites Also post some things. Why follow someone if they don't participate? It's also hard to determin what they are all about without some posts.
Show threadObi-1Nov 27, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites took me about 2 weeks until I started checking Mastodon before the old site. I'm digging it.
Show threadJohn OttoNov 28, 2022
@Obi1
Do you also notice the feed just hits different? At least for me there's a distinct lack of cortisol from browsing and posting here versus that other place.
@AnarchoNinaWrites
Show threadTrisha NCNov 29, 2022
@Obi1 @AnarchoNinaWrites yep about 2 weeks
Show threadskryNov 27, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites #introductions #twittermigration Important tip for newbies. Click this and read above.
Show threadJohn LuskNov 27, 2022

@AnarchoNinaWrites

Depending on what instance you're on, with Local and Federated, your mileage may vary. Quite a bit.

Show threadmralanjohnsmithNov 27, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites wisely said! Maybe people have forgotten what their Twitter feed was like when they first started. (Related: because of your post I checked how many people I follow on Twitter and it's at the beautiful number 1234!)
Show threadAngry CentristNov 28, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites along those lines... I find i needed a mental adjustment toward follows between the birdsite and here. On the birdsite I'd look into someone's timeline who followed me and often choose not to follow (seemed spammy, seemed crazy, etc.) Thus far here I haven't found red flags on follows and to date have only unfollowed one account, and that just due to the volume of posts rather than content of them.
Show threadRDS (shawphd on Twitter)Nov 28, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites @dkbgeek Something that’s useful is temporarily muting someone who’s taking up your feed, and seeing if you miss them.
Show threadDavid HowdonNov 28, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites I cannot see any options or settings called ‘federated’ or ‘local’ anywhere on this app (iOS). Perhaps I’m missing something obvious.
Show threadAnarchoNinaWritesNov 28, 2022

@BlotchedEmerald

Okay so I'm on desktop, they are off to the right - where you see the red box in this screenshot.

If that doesn't help, I can retoot your post and see if someone using the same app as you are knows; I literally do not have a phone on me atm.

Show threadDavid HowdonNov 28, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites perhaps it’s a website only thing.
Show threadAnarchoNinaWritesNov 28, 2022

@BlotchedEmerald I mean if I were using an app that didn't have buttons for two of my three timelines, I'd find a new app - so I'm not sure they aren't there somewhere; they literally have to be or it doesn't work.

Gimme a second I'll retweet and see if someone with a phone knows.

Show threadJohn ConwayNov 28, 2022
@BlotchedEmerald @AnarchoNinaWrites the official mastodon app really does lack these features because it is awful. People should use Metatext for iOS or Tusky for android.
Show threadAnarchoNinaWritesNov 28, 2022

@john @BlotchedEmerald Wow... that's... epic. I did not know that. I also don't understand that. Since both of those buttons are pretty key for like, I dunno, growing a feed and meeting people? That's incredible.

My apologies. I would get a different app then, sadly.

Show threadDavid HowdonNov 28, 2022
@john @AnarchoNinaWrites will need to look at that then. Must admit that having to use a third party app to access it effectively doesn’t fill me with confidence about this platform.
Show threadJohn ConwayNov 28, 2022

@BlotchedEmerald @AnarchoNinaWrites I think you should see this as a strength. The platform isn't really Mastodon, it's a protocol called ActivityPub, and having a wide variety of apps that talk to ActivityPub servers is exactly the way it's supposed to work.

In fact there was resistance to having an "official" Mastodon app for this reason. It's fairly new, it's unfinished in some ways, and they have been caught float-footed by the Twitter implosion.

Show threadLoukas (They/Them) 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 28, 2022
@BlotchedEmerald @AnarchoNinaWrites tusky for Android has those options. Do you have an Explore tab?
Show threadDavid HowdonNov 28, 2022
@Loukas @AnarchoNinaWrites there’s a search button (little magnifying glass thing)
Show thread👾🐾 |  Nov 28, 2022
@BlotchedEmerald @AnarchoNinaWrites if you go to search, can you swipe over? On the android mastodon app (not tusky) i realized my local and federated feeds were found by going to search and swiping over. idk much because it was a bad app and i moved to tusky quickly and all of this android so ymmv
Show threadDavid HowdonNov 28, 2022
@NotYourStrayDog @AnarchoNinaWrites there are various tabs but none of them contain the words federated or local.
Show thread👾🐾 |  Nov 28, 2022
@BlotchedEmerald @AnarchoNinaWrites yeah they might not be labeled, i can't remember if they were on the android app. basically, highly recommend using Metatext for iOS or Tusky on Android because the interface definitely makes more sense.
Show threadSharon Rose 🌹Nov 28, 2022

@BlotchedEmerald
In Tusky (Android) the buttons can be added, deleted and rearranged in settings (Account Preferences, Tabs). Maybe there's something like that in the app you're using?

@AnarchoNinaWrites

Show thread❄ SnowWrite ❄Nov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites I also go into settings and turn on "slow mode" under Preferences > Appearance -- first time I tried watching Federated about melted my retina it was soooo fast :D Slow mode makes it much better. #mastodontips
Show threadChannelgraceNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites @snowwrite yes, I had same experience first time on fed, almost left - so thankful to have found the slow speed
Show threadJoyce Bell 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇲🇽🇬🇱🚫🧊Nov 29, 2022
@snowwrite @AnarchoNinaWrites Me too—I closed Federated because I was getting dizzy. Thanks for the Slow Mode tip!
Show thread🇨🇦Love Canada🇨🇦Nov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites thanks for the tips. I'm following liberally and my feed is jam packed with fascinating toots. When I look back at Twitter I wonder why I ever wasted my time with the endless political drama and nastiness.
Show threadAndy McGuire 🐕Nov 29, 2022

@AnarchoNinaWrites AND -

Writing an #introduction post - with the hashtag, and a list of interests, hashtagged - so other people can find you. Then go and explore what other people are using those hashtags too.

Show thread@[email protected]Nov 29, 2022

@AnarchoNinaWrites

@morgandawn

Following and boosting both grow the federated part of the instance you're on, it's so cool it works that way!

Show thread@[email protected]Nov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites Great advice, now that I am following over 200 people, this has become a fun place. And people are super friendly and interactive. #follow #twittermigration
Show threadR8dio WifeNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites thanks for the info😉
Show threadmothraNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites a lot of people drink major load and are better off isolated in little caves around the world so be picky
Show threadTony HollingsworthNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites thank you Nina. A timely reminder to visit here every day.
Show threadToddZ has moved to [email protected]Nov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites I've also noticed my follow list is a lot more fluid here than the birdsite. Plus because of the large number of people I follow, I feel much free'er to follow/unfollow/mute etc people.
Show threadAnarchoNinaWritesNov 29, 2022

@toddzim33 yeah; I mean I think it kinda helps that it's hard to notice. Even though it's vain and stupid, I definitely notice when someone unfollows me on social media and then you start wondering why, etc.

I doubt this is WHY they did it, but not constantly seeing my own follower count means I don't even think about it; which in turn means I don't notice when someone leaves or care.

The impersonality of it weirdly encourages you to experiment more, and curate after. I kinda like it.

Show threadToddZ has moved to [email protected]Nov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites Completely agreed! Less personal - less judgmental. And you are probably right that it has to do with the de-emphasizing of user count
Show threadDerek 🌈Nov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites yes yes yes! That is what I did today... at first there was no one. I then just started to search for other users, started to follow and now the magic is happening!
Show threadJJ KrawczykNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites Following hashtags of topics that interest me has been a big help also.
Show threadRobinNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites yes, I think many people have been trained by the algorithm to be passive consumers. I’m trying to consciously follow a variety of perspectives. And I search through people I follow to then find more people to follow. And expand the fediverse around me.
Show threadLeroy BinksNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites no clue what local means, but I sure as heck hope it doesn't mean actually local, cause their ain't nobody here except me and the trees.
Show threadAnarchoNinaWritesNov 29, 2022
@leroybinks It means all the posts from people on your instance which is "Mastodon.world"
Show threadLeroy BinksNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites so what's the value in that versus the broader network of instances?
Show threadAnarchoNinaWritesNov 29, 2022

@leroybinks I don't think there necessarily is one if you're on a big broadly categorized server like world; slower information stream I guess?

But if for example you were on a smaller instance of like minded friends; either for a hobby, or profession, or ideological alignment - it would allow you to just read posts from the friends on your cozy server.

I do in fact use Local on "Social" though because it scrolls slower; I am that lady.

Show threadKelley GrahamNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites there’s no amplification without liberal following. It upends the #twitbook model.
Faf/Social

Show threadMike FraserNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites One hundred percent agree! Follow, follow, follow.. It's hard to wrap your head around indiscriminate foloowing coming from the other site but once you do it's awesome.
Show threadMargie, Esq.Nov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites I can’t figure out how to follow. Please tell me how.
Show threadAnarchoNinaWritesNov 29, 2022
@MargieRutledge Okay so click on the person's profile; you can get there by just clicking on the avatar (the picture to the left - mine's a russian lady who shot fascists from a movie) - it will bring you to a screen showing that person's account like the one I made of your account bellow - the follow button is the blue one on the right - where the red square is in this picture. Hope that helps.
Show threadTim RichardsNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites Good tip. I’ve been following anyone who looks even vaguely interesting, and I’m up to 600 or so. That’s made for a nice lively timeline.
Show threadteledyn 𓂀Nov 29, 2022

@AnarchoNinaWrites

Tip: click your own hashtags!

@indubitablyodin

Show threadstoicmikeNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites that is my plan, but 150 should do, then adding & unfollowing, because 150 seems to be the mental limit of what it's possible to attend to
Show threadAdam GrantNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites And friendly reminder you can follow hashtags! Try it on the web version if your app doesn't support it.
Show threadAbidNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites this is amazing.
Show threadNatasha BatesNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites Another way to find people is with ## of topics that interest you. Follow those with better toots on those topics.
Show threadjessehouwing Nov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites and reshare things you like to have them be broadcasted to your followers in the fediverse.
Show threadAmes  Nov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites You can also "hide boosts" under a person's profile's three-dots menu. That reduces a lot of clutter.
Show threadBrian C. Martinson, PhDNov 29, 2022
@AnarchoNinaWrites I'm actually having just the opposite challenge - too many posts to keep track of. So I've been investing time the past couple days building a bunch of lists (which I *never* used on the birb site) and "grouping" those I follow by topic. The advanced display option in V4.0 makes it VERY handy to pin and view multiple personally curated TLs this way!