I have nothing against #Bluesky per se and am glad some folks are finding it useful as a drop-in replacement for the site that would like to use a swastika as its logo but settled on "X" for now.
But if we want to face the challenges ahead (climate change, fascism, and the daily weaponization of hate and fear), we need to imagine and try out new ways of doing things, not just replicate old ones.
The fediverse gives us a unique opportunity to do that. Bluesky doesn't.
@eloquence Sure, but my social community will never come here because it's too hard to find folks across federated servers. It requires too much work—which goes against human nature.
I agree, federation matters—and, we also have to meet humanity where it's at. Which regrettably, is a low place of laziness and entitlement r/n.
@ninavizz
> my social community will never come here because it's too hard to find folks across federated servers. It requires too much work
Can you (or they) explain exactly what work it requires and why it's hard?
Those doing development have often been here a long time. A lot of missing stairs have been replaced, and we know intuitively where any remaining ones are, so we're biased to see things as obvious and easy.
Further improvement requires friendly but detailed feedback.
(1/3)
Kia ora fellow GenXer!
@ninavizz
> the ability to "just find someone" is exponentially easier
Again, for those of us who are comparing the experience to early versions of Diaspora and GNU social, rather than to the DataFarming platforms folks are coming in from, it can be hard to see why it isn't already easy.
Can you describe in more detail what an ideal 'finding someone' experience would look like, and what you want to be absent from it?
(2/3)
@ninavizz
> Part of it is from the robustness of search
*sigh* This is a political problem not a technical one. Lots of people have tried to build better search tools for the fediverse, and been bullied into submission. Even the modest keyword search that was added to Mastodon recently was hugely controversial.
(3/3)
There is a population within the fediverse who do the online equivalent of regularly standing on a public street corner with a bullhorn. Then freak out about their privacy being violated if anyone records it, or promote where and when they do it so people they don't know can come and watch.
It's weird and irrational, and they can't be reasoned with. But every time a well-meaning developer tries to improve search, the shrieking dogpile begins. I don't know what the solution is to this.
For a relatively non-confrontational example of the kinds of discussions we have about how accessible fediverse posts should be and to who, have a look at;
https://codeberg.org/fediverse/fediverse-ideas/issues/61
EDIT: I just looked at your profile and I see you do UX work. Please consider joining SocialHub and help us with this stuff!
(Related toot: https://social.coop/@smallcircles/111991026525404478 ) ### Background Much value is exchanged in numerous fedi discussions. If you happen to find the discussion while it is 'live' you can participate and read along with other's replies. Happening on a microblogging medium the...
I cannot, and to be fair—I'm only making guesses. My point, is that to people for whom technology is "an annoyance" vs a centerpiece of their lives, the feeling of work—something that is probably different to many folks—to connect with other humans online, is too much.
People with kids, consuming family lives, that go to church, play sports on beer leagues, etc.
All of this is evident in how different Mastodon communities look, from Threads and Facebook.
Erik Moeller
ninavizz
Strypey