Dan DoronFeb 5
now it's veronicaexplains.net

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
Feb 5 at 5:09pmWeb
Show threadnow it's veronicaexplains.netFeb 5

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.

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 :(
Show threadJe ne suis pas gothFeb 5
@vkc a lot of us who like what you do will be there to welcome you back if/when you return. 🙂
@veronica
Show threadOwl EyesFeb 5
@vkc @veronica I'm sorry to hear you go. Do you have #RSS feeds? I appreciate your content, and would subscribe.
Show threadappzer0 - LibertadminFeb 5

@d1 @vkc @veronica I got used to search for "rss" in websites' source code, so here it is: https://veronicaexplains.net/rss/

Works as intended. About Veronica's move, it is IMO the best thing to do: get away from the bad vibes, use what works (email, RSS) and keep ActivityPub enabled.

Show threadTobias HellgrenFeb 5
@vkc :( @veronica
Show threadfloFeb 5
@vkc
I'm really sorry for the bad experiences you made here :(
Show threadwolfkinFeb 5
@vkc @veronica that's unfortunate. I lurk you. Hope to see you back eventually.
Show threadJeff Miller (orange hatband)Feb 5

@vkc @veronica

<3 I've been happy to see your posts here and appreciate your heads-up.

</3 I'm sorry that people haven't been respectful and that there's not a way to tune things to work better.

Show threadLog 🪵Feb 5
@vkc @veronica Fediversification
noun
1. The act of migrating away from the modal ActivityPub software for a given publication goal, to a lesser-used ActivityPub software.
Show threadMark ⛵️🏳️‍🌈Feb 5

@vkc @veronica subscribed!

Sorry it’s come to this but after seeing what you’ve been dealing with I don’t blame you. The last opinionated guy I challenged and reported was so tone deaf it was ridiculous. Funnily enough he blocked me when I dared to have an opinion about him 🤦🏻‍♂️

I hope you find some peace and I look forward to reading the newsletter.

Show threadyetztFeb 5
@vkc @veronica you’ll be missed. :(
Show threadTheDyslexicKitchenwitchFeb 5
@vkc @veronica sigh it doesn't let me sign up behauptet "too many sign up attempts" beim allerersten mal (not a complaint just letting you know of the glitch) take good care of yourself. this shouldn't be so hard
Show threadVeronica ExplainsFeb 5
the service was overwhelmed, you might have to try again. If you want to! RSS is right there!
Show threadTheDyslexicKitchenwitchFeb 5
@veronica oh I def will. :)
Show threadTheDyslexicKitchenwitchFeb 6
@veronica Yes, it works now. :D
Show threadŁukasz (woo-cash)Feb 5
@vkc @veronica subscribed!
Show threadChinga la migra! 🍉🌈Feb 5

@vkc @veronica I hate that this has/is/will happen(ed/ing) to you. I feel like this is a larger problem that we as a species will need to tackle.

I feel like social media is antithetical to the development (so far) of the human brains of many. I am not smart enough to fix it or even really understand it.

My theory is in no way trying to diminish your suffering, but to point our that you have done nothing wrong, and the people being rude to you are defective and/or deficient.

Show threaddisorderlyfFeb 5
@vkc While I'm sad to see you go, I get it. I came damn near close to bailing myself due to a different sort of online bullshittery. I'm also glad you linked the blog and would even be willing to directly subscribe to the blog if you decide to pull it from ActivityPub.
Show threadMikeFeb 5

@vkc @veronica Sorry to hear, the harassment became too much to deal with.

I've enjoyed some of your posts, so I definitely want to keep hearing what you're talking about.

I created an account on veronicaexplains.net, and added the RSS feed to my rss reader.

I like email, but probably not for this, I'm glad you've set up options!

Show threadJohn S RussellFeb 5
@vkc @veronica Sad to lose you, your writing is great. I’ve just added your blog to Reeder. Sorry about asshole dudes on the fedi.
Show threadEm Feb 5
@vkc @veronica Yep, just had that happened to me this morning. I can totally understand your decision. It's draining. I hope many people follow your new blog here. Thanks for sharing with us 
Show threadbbbhltzFeb 5
@veronica @vkc Sorry to see you go... Subscribed to the Ghost feed (the theme on the page is a little dark without JS turned on because of the color contrast script, but it still looks great Edit: just read to the end of the post and saw the part about default theme... Green is good, don't mind me, I don't know anything about web design stuff...)
Show threadVeronica ExplainsFeb 5
I'm working on a custom theme that shouldn't require any additional JavaScript but I'm probably weeks out from that.
Show threadEvan ProdromouFeb 5
@vkc @veronica thanks for adding AP!
Show threadRaven667Feb 5
@vkc @veronica Happy to see you take a mental health break, no one needs to get stressed out by assholes and weirdos on social media. Sending well-wishes.
Show threadRoberto AlfieriFeb 5
@veronica @vkc added to the RSS feed reader!
Show threadAcorn SquashbucklerFeb 5
@vkc @veronica Thanks for giving Mastodon a shot! It was fun having you here while it lasted. I'm sorry you couldn't say the same :( I've added your blog to my RSS aggregator 💙
Show threadarutazFeb 5
@vkc @veronica Sorry to hear. I hope this problem can be addressed somehow. 🙁
Show threadKirtai 🏳️‍⚧️Feb 5
@vkc @veronica
I'll miss your posts here but good luck!
Show threadTockFeb 5

@veronica @vkc Subbed to Ghost.

I understand, as one of my favorite Tech Writers had to do the same pivot away from social media to blogging because brigading asshats can't let someone get away with being a woman online.

I hope to hear good things happening for you as well as from you.

Show threadMitex LeoFeb 5
@vkc @veronica Followed.
Show threadmodrisFeb 5
@vkc @veronica I am sad that you’ve been having a bad experience. All the very best of luck!
Show threadTim ChambersFeb 5
@vkc @veronica Sorry it’s been bad - followed your blog account.
Show threadPete Prodoehl 🍕Feb 5
@vkc @veronica Take care, you will be missed! Hopefully you feel like returning in the future. ❤️
Show threadAlex HyettFeb 5
@vkc @veronica sorry to see you go! I followed your blog account and RSS feed. I hope there is a way in the future to make this a better place for you and everyone else.
Show threadMarcos DioneFeb 5
@vkc @veronica I'm sorry we men have failed you and so many others in your replies. We're the fsking worse. And I don't think there's really a technological solution. I hope your new place is safer.
Show threadRobert "Anaerin" JohnstonFeb 5
@vkc @veronica Take your time, and do what you need to. We will be here if and/or when you decide to come back. And I am sorry that isn't nearly as comforting as it should be.
Show threadIrenes (many)Feb 6
@vkc @veronica highly understandable. best wishes.
Show threadGuillotine Jones, FlâneurFeb 6
@vkc @veronica
I am deeply saddened that your experience on Mastodon has been so negative for you Veronica that you feel it necessary to say farewell.
You have given so much to us.
I now have a pain in the pit of my stomach.
It irks me that someone whan can contribute so much to making this a valuable place is being driven away.
This is an embarrassment and an outrage.
Show threadClaudius LinkFeb 6
@veronica @vkc
🥴💜
Show threadRichFeb 6
@vkc @veronica sorry to hear - good luck with the newsletter.