so does mastodon have/render threads in some way shape or form, or do they just show up as replies?

@acegikmo yes, in that competent clients can recognize the pattern and render it, and offer affordances so that people naturally make them.

https://elk.zone is particularly good in both ways, and also stellar at rendering "DMs" differently, and making them available under a separate top-level nav.

Elk

A nimble Mastodon web client

Elk

@mogul hmmm, I really don't like the fragmentation in the viewing experience ;-;

the medium is the message etc etc