jax

Question about different Fediverse software

https://lemmy.cloudhub.social/post/1547

Question about different Fediverse software - CloudHub.Social

I am wondering about the different fediverse software options and what would be best for various usecases. Currently, I run a Mastodon and a Lemmy instance that is mostly just for myself, which is great for doing microblogging and link-aggregation/replacing Reddit. In the past I’ve also used various blog platforms for long-form text posts (documentation/guides), and to host some photography pics. It feels like Mastodon isn’t a good option for hosting long-form content (most instances have 500 char limits lol), nor would it be the best for trying to create a photo space akin to Instagram. What software options would you recommend for either long-form blog posts or photo hosting? I know Pixelfed is an option (that I am looking into hosting), but is there a good blog option? I think calckey can host pages and galleries, so it might be a good all-in-one solution? I’m not really sure. p.s. If I export my content from Mastodon, shut down the instance, then bring up an instance of Calckey with the same domain/username, am I going to break things?

Jun 4, 2023 at 5:52pmWeb
Show threadavidseekerJun 4, 2023

IMHO, the only future-proof format for blogs is Markdown. Write all content in .md files, and worry about nothing else. Take a look into Github pages with Jekyll. Don't like Jekyll? You can try Hugo, Eleventy, ... Don't like Github? check netlify, cloudflare pages, ... switching is as simple as copying your markdown folder to the new boilerplate. You own your data. No export/import headache.

Other options to consider:

  • https://bearblog.dev/
  • https://telegra.ph/
  • https://neocities.org
Show threadjaxJun 4, 2023

Yeah, I use GH/CF pages already for most things (except the images blog(?), that's on Medium of all places).

I guess it makes sense to keep the blog it's own thing and just link to it when I write something.

Show threadGrouchyJun 4, 2023

For long form content, Hubzilla, Streams, or Friendica all allow long posts. For photos, Pixelfed seems to be the popular option. From a ActivityPub enabled blog standpoint, try WriteFreely.

I think Calckey can also do long form posts, and has a lot of other features.

p.s. If I export my content from Mastodon, shut down the instance, then bring up an instance of Calckey with the same domain/username, am I going to break things?

I think you'd need to use a different domain name. This might help, https://calckey.org/docs/en/account-migration/

Show threadjaxJun 4, 2023
Ah, so it seems like once you've setup an instance at a domain, you've kinda burned that domain unless you use like a subdomain. That's a bit annoying, but I guess it makes sense.
Show threadGrouchyJun 4, 2023
Yep. I always use a sub domain for Fediverse applications. It's just easier to migrate when something better suited to your needs comes along.
Show threadjaxJun 4, 2023
That would have been good to know before setting this up lol. Oh well.
Show threadNutomicJun 4, 2023
I don't think this would cause any problems. Lemmy definitely doesn't care if you change the software platform on an existing domain.
Show threadhybrid havocJun 4, 2023
The software I'm aware of is https://writefreely.org/
Show threadlamentforicarusJun 7, 2023

@[email protected]

If you pay for the pro version of write.as (which is a part of this site), it comes with snap.as to host your pictures.

Show threadSeph HarrisonJun 4, 2023
@jax Friendica is an option, not sure it's the best for photos, but it certainly allows long posts
Show threadcomfyJun 5, 2023
Hi, please consider editing the post title into something more meaningful, like "Which Fediverse software would you recommend for long-form blog posts or photo hosting?". This will help people who know the answer to notice the question.
Show threadmitexleoJun 5, 2023
Use WordPress 🙂
Show threadmitexleoJun 5, 2023
For Photography Pixelfed is always recommended but it doesn't have blogging option. With WordPress you might have to spend some time to figure out how you're gonna do it. But it's totally capable of fulfilling your requirements.
Show threadmaegul (he/they)Jun 5, 2023

So, lemmy is an option for running a blog. See it mentioned in the documentation here: https://join-lemmy.org/docs/en/users/06-other-features.html?highlight=blog#lemmy-as-a-blog.

There would be a few levels of complexity to it. But if you're hosting a lemmy instance already, it shouldn't be any trouble for you ... basically make yourself the only account but allow people to federate with your instance. Add your own modified front end too if you like (as lemmy has separate backend and front end software stacks AFAIU). Interestingly, I think it would be a cool project for people to work on ... a front end suitable for hosting a single (or even multi) user blog on the fediverse.

An additional option would be microblog: https://docs.microblog.pub/. It's a single-user fediverse platform written in python and relying on sqlite (which sounds to me like a nice sweet spot for single-user instances).

Show threadjaxJun 5, 2023
Ahh, I didn't get that far in the docs, but seeing as there are no (that I can tell) post limits, running a blog on Lemmy would work pretty well with a bit of a UI change.
Show threadmaegul (he/they)Jun 5, 2023

Yep, totally, there's search, sorting, comments etc, all in one backend.

A neat blog-focused front-end would actually be super awesome IMO. Many want to be on the fediverse but interact just through blogs. A sort of blogo-verse (not sphere). Lemmy might be the best foundation to make that happen.

Show threadKaKi87Apr 6, 2024

Hi,

A neat blog-focused front-end would actually be super awesome IMO.

I so agree. Did you find any ?

At first I considered using the official Lemmy UI with custom CSS & JS injected, but versioning is still zero-based (0.y.z), which means breaking changes can happen at any time, and that can cause huge issues with customization.

Now I’m considering alternative clients, like Alexandrite, but it’s unsupported despite being maintained.

Many want to be on the fediverse but interact just through blogs. A sort of blogo-verse (not sphere).

Did anyone achieve this yet, whether using Lemmy or something else ?

Thanks

GitHub - sheodox/alexandrite: A beautiful and convenient desktop-first alternate web UI for Lemmy.

A beautiful and convenient desktop-first alternate web UI for Lemmy. - sheodox/alexandrite

GitHub
Show threadmaegul (he/they)Apr 6, 2024

Well there are blogging platforms for the fediverse (ie they federate) I forget their names but in it sure WriteFreely is one.

Beyond that, Wordpress has integrations now with the fediverse which federate as user accounts. It seems to work ok, in that I’ve seen blogs appear in mastodon. But one point of friction I think is how comments are federated. Maybe it works fine but I’m key sure they’ve made a choice to not federate comments from Wordpress to mastodon so there’s context collapse.

Otherwise, the idea I’m thinking of hasn’t been realised yet AFAICT. TBF, it would probably require more than a front end for lemmy, I suspect some backend features would be required too. Nothing too big I’d think. But alas no. Still think it’s be cool!

Show threadmaegul (he/they)Apr 6, 2024
That being said, it’s not too hard to run a blog out of lemmy. Just start dedicated communities with moderator posting only and you’re good. Front end might be lacking in someway but that alone goes pretty far.
Show threadKaKi87Apr 6, 2024

Yeah I already studied all federated blogging options, unfortunately none actually federate like true Fediverse apps.

I suspect some backend features would be required too

Hmm, there sure could be useful additions but I don’t think it’s missing anything required though, on the back-end.

The front-end, however, is far from being usable for a blog.

Front end might be lacking in someway but that alone goes pretty far.

Well, a Lemmy front-end, whether official or third-party, for a blog, makes sense for an existing Lemmy user, but for sure doesn’t for anyone not knowing what Lemmy is, that’s why customization is required on this part.

Show threadmaegul (he/they)Apr 7, 2024

Well, a Lemmy front-end, whether official or third-party, for a blog, makes sense for an existing Lemmy user, but for sure doesn’t for anyone not knowing what Lemmy is, that’s why customization is required on this part.

Hmmm, at the risk of being annoying, I’m wondering what you’re thinking of exactly. I’m guessing something that’s streamlined in a few ways, like without upvoting etc. and related sorting options? Probably a bit of a facelift too and some elements that make it clear what community/blog you’re looking at?

As I’m writing this I’m thinking that it would probably make sense to have a built in web view specifically for outsiders to see a community as a blog.

Show threadKaKi87Apr 7, 2024

I’m wondering what you’re thinking of exactly.

  • Removing Communuties, Create post, Create community from menu ;
  • Adding local communities directly to the menu, used as categories ;
  • Adding posts from a “pages community” directly to the menu, e.g. About me ;
  • Removing Trending communities and Trending/Local/All filters from the homepage ;
  • Removing Blocks, Languages, Show NSFW content, Blur NSFW content, Bot Account, Show Bot Accounts, Show Read Posts, Import/Export Settings from settings ;

without upvoting etc. and related sorting options?

No, these are useful.

Probably a bit of a facelift too and some elements that make it clear what community/blog you’re looking at?

Yes.

As I’m writing this I’m thinking that it would probably make sense to have a built in web view specifically for outsiders to see a community as a blog.

A blog-focused front-end, as you said. Either that, or customization of the official front-end (but not while unstable).

Show threadKaKi87Apr 7, 2024

I’m wondering what you’re thinking of exactly.

  • Removing Communuties, Create post, Create community from menu ;
  • Adding local communities directly to the menu, used as categories ;
  • Adding posts from a “pages community” directly to the menu, e.g. About me ;
  • Removing Trending communities and Trending/Local/All filters from the homepage ;
  • Removing Blocks, Languages, Show NSFW content, Blur NSFW content, Bot Account, Show Bot Accounts, Show Read Posts, Import/Export Settings from settings ;

without upvoting etc. and related sorting options?

No, these are useful.

Probably a bit of a facelift too and some elements that make it clear what community/blog you’re looking at?

Yes.

As I’m writing this I’m thinking that it would probably make sense to have a built in web view specifically for outsiders to see a community as a blog.

A blog-focused front-end, as you said. Either that, or customization of the official front-end (but not while unstable).