Mastodawn

I've been thinking about the difference between the #Twitter and #Reddit implosions. I was not very invested in Twitter, so I did not feel like I have been missing much. But Reddit is a different story. I went through a bad period a few years ago and, far from being a cesspool, Reddit actually helped me pull myself out of my slump. Sharing with others on things I care about was a godsend. I don't care about Twitter - but I am sad about the stuff with Reddit and the loss of communities. 1/2

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Sean Bala Jun 13, 2023

I am contemplating exploring #Lemmy or #Kbin but for now, I think I want to do more here to build up #Mastodon, and to invest in #BookWyrm and actual use my #Pixelfed account. The great thing about the #Fediverse is that so much is happening all the time - and we can follow along no matter where we are.

While I don't know how the stuff with #Reddit will end, I think some people (like me) might need some time to mourn what might be lost - and hope we can find it again.

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OwlInDaWoods Jun 13, 2023

@seanbala i feel this. I'm only on mastodon today because of the reddit blackout. I feel isolated without my communities.

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Sean Bala Jun 14, 2023

@OwlInDaWoods Hi there! Welcome to #Mastodon - it can be a really great place once you learn the ropes. How are you finding things? Feel free to ask.

Here is a great place to start:

@mastodonmigration

@FediFollows is also a great place to learn about new accounts.

I definitely recommend following people. I found I didn't have a good flow until I followed about 120 - 150 accounts.

And #followfriday is a great, community supported post to find new people.

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OwlInDaWoods Jun 14, 2023

@seanbala @mastodonmigration @FediFollows thank you so much! I appreciate the post and tips! Things are okay. Still getting used to the decentralized platform. Its not as intuitive and im not sure how to find stuff easily.

My reddit stuff was mostly political in nature. Followed r/politics and left leaning spaces. Then I had some video games and hobby groups like fallout and woodworking. Still trying to get my barings and find those here.

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Jenny Jun 14, 2023

@OwlInDaWoods @seanbala @mastodonmigration @FediFollows Welcome! It can take time to get your bearings, but it’s well worth it. For politics, may I suggest following @w7voa, @Teri_Kanefield, @GottaLaff, @uspolitics, @Popehat, @rbreich, @tristansnell, @MeidasTouch, @pbump, @chrisgeidner to get started.😁

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OwlInDaWoods Jun 14, 2023

@tiamat271 @seanbala you all are so nice. Thank you so much.

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Jenny Jun 14, 2023

@OwlInDaWoods @seanbala You’re very welcome. Most people here are very nice and wanting to help (and if they’re not, use those mute/block buttons liberally lol). A few more tips:

- you can switch to a different instance anytime you want (many people sign up with mastodon.social at first because it’s a big, general instance, but there are lots of other/smaller instances that can promote a sense of community). Take your time to look around and find the right place for you.

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Jenny Jun 14, 2023

@OwlInDaWoods @seanbala - follow lots of hashtags at first. You can always unfollow them later, but this can really help you find “your people” (based on interests, hobbies, geography, etc.). #Feditips and #FollowFriday really helped me at first. If you’re a dog or cat person: #DogsOfMastodon & #CatsOfMastodon. Try searching the #woodworking or #VideoGames hashtags, or even create a post including those hashtags and people will find you!

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Jenny Jun 14, 2023

@OwlInDaWoods @seanbala - Finally, some people give up on mastodon because they’re dissatisfied with the web or app experience, but there are many alternatives to the the default mastodon website and app. For web browsers, lots of people use #Elk (can’t say much more though because I don’t access via web). There are many Android and iOS apps available free or for purchase. Finding the right one for you really makes a huge difference in the user experience. Good luck!

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Sean Bala Jun 14, 2023

@tiamat271 @OwlInDaWoods Thanks for mentioning Hashtags! I was going to do so when I woke up in the morning. I'd just add that you might want to add variations of hashtags. For example, I follow #rabbitsofmastodon, #bunny, and #rabbit (rabbits are more my thing than dogs and cats, LOL) - that way, I get more options because not everyone uses the same hashtag. A more serious example is that I follow #climatechange, #climatecrisis, #climateemergency, and #ClimateDiary to get a range of posts.

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Laffy Jun 14, 2023

@tiamat271 Thank you Jenny! @OwlInDaWoods @seanbala @mastodonmigration @FediFollows @w7voa @Teri_Kanefield @uspolitics @Popehat @rbreich @tristansnell @MeidasTouch @pbump @chrisgeidner

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Sean Bala Jun 14, 2023

@OwlInDaWoods @mastodonmigration @FediFollows Two other tips that just came to me:

1) Don't be shy about muting people if they post too much. I follow #travel and #bookstodon but I mute people who push their own books far too often - don't mind seeing it some of the time, but it can flood my feed sometimes.

2) Once you get more of your bearings, one of the cool things about the #Fediverse is you can follow accounts on other platforms on #Mastodon and visa versa. 1/2

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Sean Bala Jun 14, 2023

@OwlInDaWoods @mastodonmigration @FediFollows

For example, if you find a real cool photographer on #Pixelfed, you can follow them here. Or if you find a topic you like on #Lemmy or #Kbin, you can follow them here. All of the #Fediverse is interoperable!

I've tested it myself between my #Mastodon and #BookWyrm accounts and it works well. Not all features work the same but I can follow myself on Bookwrym and boost my reviews here.

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