Manual QTs are possible (by clicking the three-dot menu and copying the link to the post), but the platform actively discourages it to avoid becoming a place of dunking.
I never said it was identical to a QT, but the decision to avoid QTs was clearly a deliberate one. It makes things less convenient for journalists, granted, but so does a timeline that just shows posts in the order they were posted, and that was also clearly a deliberate design choice.
Do you have a substantive argument for why QTs should exist here?
@FilmWonk Just look around this thread for arguments?
And if I may ask - what's your argument for not having the feature?
Because QTs encourage talking past or about someone to your audience, rather than engaging with the conversation at hand.
Much like you're doing right now, even without that feature to encourage you.
I'm not making your argument for you. What do you think QTs are primarily used for on Twitter, and do you think that's a good feature or a bad one? Make your case. Or don't.
@FilmWonk Not exactly "talking past", as you will be notified. Just like you will be (maybe) if I copy all of your content and re-use it in my own toot.
There's this very basic principle in database design that if you can explicitly reference something that already exists, you do it. And then if you do that, you can make things super-comfortable for people if you let them see at first glance what the referenced content is. That is a QT. 🤷♂️
Mastodon is really bad at "embedding".
@FilmWonk This is really just about Usability. The whole point of people complaining is probably that Mastodon acts so poorly in providing inline content previews.
If whenever someone uses a toot-URL (or some other external URL) in a toot, a proper preview of the destination was shown, that is basically the same functionality which I think is missing.
It's really basic.
I'd say with respect to previews, I agree with you. You link to a post, some preview version of that post should appear in your post.
With respect to notifying the person, I think I'm on board with forcing that to be an active rather than a passive choice.
It's the difference between the platform saying, "Someone is talking about you", which you may or may not want to be a part of, vs. "Someone is talking to you", which you can meet with a response (even if it's a mute/block).
@FilmWonk So you're basically agreeing to my major points. And many of the other people making that same point very early on in their Mastodon experience, again and again (I also have).
Like the original author in this thread here, likely. Same reasons, I assume.
Sorry to assume you were more trolling than trying to discuss. 👍🤷♂️
I prefer a sensible argument, but Twitter (unfortunately) has kind of burned me.
But I don't think that "proper" Quote-Tooting was the reason.
@wurstsemmel Quite alright. I wasn't trolling, and there was definitely a moment there where I thought you were too :)
I'm with you that being on Twitter makes that both an easy and frequently correct assumption.
I don't think QTing is the sole cause of that sort of toxicity on Twitter, but I do tend to agree with the Mastodude that it's a nudge in that direction. Makes a few more people do it than would otherwise, and makes those so inclined able to do it more easily.
Thanks for chatting!
@FilmWonk I just believe it adds much more to the user experience than it would ever take away from the general culture.
Let me be honest: If culture ever breaks down here, it will be because of bad people - and not because of improved Usability or some very basic feature.
In terms of Usability, there is a lot to learn from (e.g.) Twitter, and folks best take that opportunity before it is lost.