now it's veronicaexplains.netFeb 5

I'm taking a break from using Mastodon. The experience here has been less-than-great the past few weeks, and I am tired of this cycle repeating.

In an effort to stay in touch, I've launched a newsletter at veronicaexplains.net. Future blog posts will go there as well.

I explain more in the inaugural post: https://veronicaexplains.net/launching-ghost-on-new-domain/

I have also turned on ActivityPub for this blog, you can follow it at @veronica.

Veronica Explains launches new website/newsletter!

My website is now using Ghost instead of WordPress, and that means you can get me in your inbox. Everyone loves emails, right?

Veronica Explains
Show threadnow it's veronicaexplains.net

I may reply to blog comments using the Ghost account, and we'll see how I like it as a gateway to ActivityPub. If it does well, I'll consider migrating away from Mastodon and to it.

So if you're interested in that experiment, go follow @veronica.

Beyond that, my plan is to spend a few months only using this account to boost my work elsewhere.

Thanks all.

Feb 5 at 5:12pmWeb
Show threadPetrichor SquirrelFeb 5
@vkc @veronica thank you, Veronica. I've learned a lot from you.
Show thread🐈‍⬛David SommersethFeb 5

@vkc

First of all, I'm getting quite p**sed off that so many people can't behave decently when stiing behind a keyboard. I get an urge to pull such people out of their bedrooms and drag them through the city, in a proper mediaeval punishment style. 👿 👿 👿 .... unfortunately, I also realise that it probably won't have the wanted effect or being appropriate in so many other levels.

That said ...

Which feature do YOU feel Mastodon is missing to properly contain, imprison and block such douchebags from making your and our lives here so poor?

Maybe the amount of efforts required to handle the classifications of users and instances will still be way too much. But maybe that could be a real use case for AI?

Show threadEdoardo TenaniFeb 5
@vkc @dazo I would suggest starting from not asking her (or the person in a similar position) what to do.
Your question may be in good faith but your putting the burden of finding solutions on her.
This is a culture problem. On the Fedi people tend to not call out wrong behaviours, so those behaviours pile up making this a very unwelcoming place. Sometimes because they can't see the replies (a quirk of federation) sometimes because we just pass by and shrug off. We don't need ai, we need humans caring for each other that understand and act on this issue.
The good news is: we can do something now, without waiting for fancy solutions. Start to call out behaviours that are wrong. Don't pass by hoping someone else or something else will fix it. There is for sure an area where more tooling is needed (es reply control) but tooling will not address the culture issue.
Show thread🐈‍⬛David SommersethFeb 5

@endorama It certainly was not intended to add more burden to anyone.

I would not call it a cultural problem. It's purely lack of decent and respectful behaviour. And it shouldn't be needed to call out such behaviours at all.

And that was what I was thinking of with my reply ... A "simple" approach to tackle such behaviour is to quickly disable the possibility for further interaction. Reporting and blocking can be tedious and with limited reach. More like, "Would you have used a button to stop this person from troubling you and your followers?" And "From your experience, what action could such a button provide which would have a chance to improve your situation?"

I have not experienced other users behaving that badly towards me, so I wouldn't know what could possibly make a real difference.

Such behaviours won't go away ignoring it, nor just blocking individual users. Blocking domains won't be a good solution either in many cases.

If we can't discuss these things, nothing will improve in the end.

@vkc

Show threadKiloku - Secretário do CaosFeb 6
@dazo One of the things that I remember Veronica express she wanted in Mastodon (and ActivityPub) is the ability to limit replies to a post, based on certain criteria (followers only, nobody, mutuals only, etc.) and I do think it'd help with most of the issues she encountered, though we have to recognize that it'd not be a *solution*, only a mitigation, because at the end of the day it's a behavior problem, not a tech problem
Show threadahimsaFeb 5

@vkc

Followed! 😁

Show threadJonFeb 5
@vkc @veronica hope your time away (permanent or temporary) works out in the best possible way for you!
Show threadErica SeydenFeb 5

@vkc @veronica

That is amazing! I’ve been looking to update my personal site more. Having a blogging platform that integrates with ActivityPub is next level. Will have to give it a try.

Show threadz3r0Feb 5
@vkc @veronica we'll miss you. See you on peertube!
Show threadshelchesFeb 5

@vkc @veronica

Woo hoo! 🎉

Thanks Veronica! Subscribed! 😄

Show threadBongmasterFeb 6
@[email protected] @vkc hope all goes well. still can't understand why a bunch of nasty people keep trying to drive you away :(