Michael Downey 🧢May 1, 2023

So @Gargron be like:

"Decentralization is a big part of Mastodon’s DNA and is at the forefront of our mission. You may be asking, how a default server option furthers decentralization."

... literally no one is asking that, because it is literally the opposite of decentralization.

This is the price we pay for having an #OpenSource project with a BDFL.

  #FindABetterMobileApp #LiveYourValues #DontSellOut #Mastodon

https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2023/05/a-new-onboarding-experience-on-mastodon/

A new onboarding experience on Mastodon

Today we’re making signing up on Mastodon easier than ever before. We understand that deciding which Mastodon service provider to kick off your experience with can be confusing. We know this is a completely new concept for many people, since traditionally the platform and the service provider are one and the same. This choice is what makes Mastodon different from existing social networks, but it also presents a unique onboarding challenge. To make this step easier, we now have a default sign-up option that works with a server we operate. If you wish to leave or join a different server, you can do so at any time.

Mastodon Blog
Show threadDan NewmanMay 1, 2023

@downey @Gargron That’s true, but I do think this is likely the only way Mastodon scales to mass adoption. “Non-techie” users aren’t going to thoughtfully pick a server when they’re presented with a screen full of choices; they’re just going to bail on the entire endeavor.

I hope other providers come along with similarly opinionated options, though… it would be nice if it was *actually* similar to email, with many well-supported players offering solid experiences.

Show threadMichael Downey 🧢May 1, 2023
@CreativeNewman Stop promoting learned helplessness. People are fully capable of making simple decisions.
Show threadjordan
@downey @CreativeNewman 
May 1, 2023 at 3:28pmWeb