CoryJan 29, 2023
Dwight Silverman

My column about apps on Mastodon appears in print today. I'm told it did very well on the web after publishing on Friday. It got MANY boosts and Favorites here on Mastodon (thank you!), so I assume that's where a lot of traffic came from. It'll be very interesting to see what kind of print-reader feedback I get via email.

This is a gift link to the story, so it should get at least some of you past the paywall if you don't have a subscription. If not, use archive.ph.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/twitter-mastadon-elon-musk-apps-migration-17746197.php?utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=copy-url-link&utm_campaign=article-share&hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaG91c3RvbmNocm9uaWNsZS5jb20vYnVzaW5lc3MvYXJ0aWNsZS90d2l0dGVyLW1hc3RhZG9uLWVsb24tbXVzay1hcHBzLW1pZ3JhdGlvbi0xNzc0NjE5Ny5waHA=&time=MTY3NTAxMzY5ODkxMg==&rid=YmE1NjU5MDMtMDM4OS00MDYwLWE1YzItNTYwNzYwZDQ2NDc5&sharecount=MQ==

As Twitter kills third-party apps, new life blooms on Mastodon

Developers who crafted now-defunct apps for Twitter can devote their attention to the network that’s become the primary bird site refuge.

Houston Chronicle
Jan 29, 2023 at 5:39pmWeb
Show threadPhilip SetnikJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman Mazel tov!
Show threadJanJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman Well done 👍
Show threadTim ChambersJan 29, 2023

@dsilverman @KevinMarks

Nice!

Show threadAgroecology LabJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman
I do wish people would use the term 'refugees' a little less frequently for people moving from Twitter. Seems kinda disrespectful to people actually fleeing war or persecution. 'Emigres' or 'migrants' would convey the same IMHO
@tchambers
Show threadloucoveyJan 29, 2023
@permagriculture @dsilverman @tchambers refugees have higher immigration priority… theoretically
Show threadAgroecology LabJan 29, 2023

@Loucovey
Right, because they've had a particularly shit time.

This is why I find it an inappropriate term for a bunch of people changing what website they use for shitposting.

@dsilverman @tchambers

Show threadloucoveyJan 29, 2023
@permagriculture @dsilverman @tchambers ???
Show threadAgroecology LabJan 29, 2023
@Loucovey in the linked article above the author uses the term 'refugees' for people moving websites. I find it mildly inappropriate.
Show threadloucoveyJan 29, 2023
@permagriculture ah. I couldn’t read the screen shot so I couldn’t get a reference
Show threadlynfoxJan 30, 2023
@permagriculture @dsilverman
Refuge means shelter. So a refugee is a person that seeks shelter, usually from war, natural disaster, or some other harmful situation.
Does ElmoLand qualify as a harmful situation? - the people who have left because of severe trolling and persecution might think so.
My wish is that we stop policing the language so fiercely in case we risk reducing it to a poor sterile shadow of its former Shakespearean self. Instead I think we should encourage people to think about the meaning behind words and each decide for ourselves how much emphasis we give to the concepts people are expressing.
Show threadAgroecology LabJan 30, 2023
@lynfox Are you policing my policing? 😄
Show threadLocksmithJan 30, 2023
@permagriculture @lynfox Who wants some coffee?
Show threadlynfoxJan 30, 2023
@permagriculture
Just a bit
Show threadAgroecology LabJan 30, 2023
@lynfox Who polices the policers doing policing, that's what I want to know.
Show threadJohn SamuelJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman Glad to read this. Somehow it means that there's a lot of interaction here on Mastodon even without the so-called "algorithm" usually seen on the birdsite.
Show threadMark Blumberg, Charity LawyerJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman I am trying out Ivory. Thanks for the suggestion. It seems to have a much cleaner look into it.
Show threadKayDeeJan 29, 2023

@dsilverman @steventdennis

Thanks for the gift link. I enjoyed the article! And… I downloaded Ivory for my iPad and I love it.

And thanks to Steven for the boost. You guys are great!

This environment is so much better than… you know.

Show threadKelley GrahamJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman I’d like to view and boost, but email address is required.
Show threadBrian HamptonJan 30, 2023
@imklg @dsilverman You can use the "Reader" view button conveniently located in the right side of the address bar in Firefox to view the article. Might also need to reload the page to see the full article once in reader view.
Show threadDwight SilvermanJan 30, 2023
@ionurchin @imklg The reader views in Safari and Edge have the same benefit.
Show threadPratik PatelJan 30, 2023
@ionurchin @imklg @dsilverman Oh and don't forget the convenient F9 key to accomplish the same thing.
Show threadKelley GrahamJan 30, 2023
@ionurchin @dsilverman I like miniflux for faf.news ‘cause I can archive and search my own private index. Also, it strips out the fluff.
Sign In - Miniflux

Show threadHtaggertJan 30, 2023
@imklg @dsilverman May I mildly suggest that you set up a “dummy email” I use one for all the email required.
Show threadKelley GrahamJan 30, 2023
@Htaggert @dsilverman I prefer not to as it skews the subscriber base. I respect their business plan, I simply don’t want to play.
Show threadJeniParsonsJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman thank you! Now using ice cubes and find it excellent
Show threadpaprikapinkJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman I love the @BGrueskin post pictured with your column. It all knits together into a perfect case for my credo to Always Choose The Road Less Billionaired
Show threadGeo BJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman I just loaded Mastonaut and - not bad! Give it a few days for sure
Show threadAndroid UserJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman Fuck Elon
Show threadsnodaJan 29, 2023

@dsilverman I'm looking forward to the Android article. I haven't seen Mastodon apps that look good in the Play Store.

There is an Ivory, but it looks unrelated to Tapbots. And the GitHub repo has been deleted.

Show threadGiselle's very old accountJan 30, 2023
@snoda @dsilverman
I use Tusky and like it. Still, looking forward to hearing about more Android apps, always good to know.
Show threadsnodaJan 30, 2023

@Giagia @dsilverman

I just started using Tusky. Thanks for the tip!

Show threadGiselle's very old accountJan 30, 2023
@snoda Oh fab! Glad you're giving it a go.
Show threadWill DennisJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman Paywalled….
Show threadErwin Rossen 🔸Jan 29, 2023
@wdennis @dsilverman this link should work: https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.houstonchronicle.com%2Fbusiness%2Farticle%2Ftwitter-mastadon-elon-musk-apps-migration-17746197.php
12ft |

Show threadChrisJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman Great column. Thank you for the link.
Show threadDwight SilvermanJan 29, 2023
@bitmappa Thank YOU.
Show threadSoulpainterJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman It was disappointing the day I tried to log into Twitter using Tweetbot, only to find that Musk had prevented 3rd party apps from working. I have been using the Mastodon app (and still have it on my mobile device), but the day Ivory hit the App Store, I was quick to purchase a sub. As with Tweetbot, no disappointments; it simply rocks. Still getting used to the community here. I don’t see much in convos and it’s hard to get a following but will continue to use it for tech info. 👍
Show threadDwight SilvermanJan 29, 2023

@Soulpainter105 As with Twitter in its early days ... it is what you make it, and it takes some work.

Use tools like movetodon.org and then https://followgraph.vercel.app/ to find interesting people your followers follow.

Followgraph for Mastodon

Find people to follow on Mastodon by expanding your follow graph.

Show threadSoulpainterJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman Thanks, Dwight!
Show threadDave ByrneJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman Using ICECUBE a week or so. Good app for Mastodon.
Show threadPaul Chambers🚧Jan 29, 2023

@dsilverman

It popped up in my rss news feed the other day and I toot posted it and it got several reactions/boosts.

https://oldfriends.live/@paul/109763649181333180

Paul Chambers :chambers: (@[email protected])

As #Twitter kills third-party #apps, new life blooms on #Mastodon #Developers who crafted now-defunct apps for Twitter can devote their attention to the network that’s become the primary bird site refuge. #ivory #dev #technology #tech https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/twitter-mastadon-elon-musk-apps-migration-17746197.php

oldfriends.live
Show threadTim RichardsJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman @the_Effekt I didn’t know tech journos could write positive articles about Mastodon, I thought you were supposed to bang on about how confusing it is. ;)
Show threadDwight SilvermanJan 30, 2023

@timrichards @the_Effekt I’ve done that, too!

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/tech/article/Twitter-alternative-Mastodon-requires-effort-17590109.php

What to know about Mastodon, the refuge from Elon Musk's Twitter

The chaos at Twitter has many users seeking an alternative, and at the moment the No. 1...

Houston Chronicle
Show threadJohnWJan 30, 2023

@dsilverman @timrichards As someone in tech for a long time, the process of figuring something out is second nature to me.

But I can understand initial reaction to something unfamiliar. "I don't get it?" changes to "I get it now, this can be fun!" after the pieces fall into place.

Show threadDj PadzenskyJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman @vmstan Nice writing, and love the shout-out to Ivory (which I’m using now)!
Show threadLisa VartyJan 29, 2023
@dsilverman These apps seem to be for apple devices only. Do you know of any apps for Android devices? Thanks 🙂
Show threadDwight SilvermanJan 30, 2023
@LiV84 I’ll be writing about that in a few weeks
Show threadLisa VartyJan 30, 2023
@dsilverman I look forward to it, please tag me when it's published🙂
Show threaddrjudystoneJan 30, 2023
@dsilverman Thank you! I'm unclear how to quote tweets on IceCube. Can you please clarify? Thx.
Show threadRDS (shawphd on Twitter)Jan 30, 2023
@drjudystone @dsilverman If you press and hold the boost icon at the bottom of a post a menu pops up with options.
Show threaddrjudystoneJan 30, 2023
@shawrd773 @dsilverman Thank you!
Show threadxRVAx Jan 30, 2023
@dsilverman https://archive.is/8O5zr #mastodon
Show threadstux⚡️Jan 30, 2023
@dsilverman awesome! Boosted 
Show threadIan ButlerJan 30, 2023
@dsilverman Nice one! And thanks for the link.
Show threadKevin SchwarzJan 30, 2023
@dsilverman It’s very helpful. Now I wanna try Ice Cubes
Show threadTalyaa 🦋Jan 30, 2023
@dsilverman thank you. I just downloaded the IceCubes app and I love it!
Show threadJohn VanderzwetJan 30, 2023
@dsilverman I am posting from Ice Cubes. Nice interface. Thanks.
Show threadAntonVonCarmoJan 30, 2023
@dsilverman TBH I can hear an echo in here. It’s got a long way to go.
Show threadPeter KrowiakJan 30, 2023
@dsilverman Thanks for the informative article! Just curious — do you know if Ice Cubes collects data? I know some Mastodon apps (like Metatext) don’t.
Show threadDwight SilvermanJan 30, 2023
@pkrowiak The App Store has that info.