Re: Mastinator and such tools

I’ve lately seen a lot of negative remarks regarding a service / tool called mastinator.

I definitely agree it can break some features in a bad way. Most especially follower only posts.

Having said that, I think the failing is trying to have a follower only post feature in the Fediverse. My reasoning on this is pretty simple: the nature of federation is that you eventually end up trusting someone you shouldn’t - at least regarding maintaining confidentiality promises.

If it weren’t mastinator (and probably even though they exist) there would/will be other instances who collect such information and feed it to other services clandestinely (or will wait until they’re too significant to ignore size and adoption wise).

I think software systems and user interfaces should be designed to reflect the promises they can enforce and keep, instead of reflecting the hope and optimism of unenforceable agreements among a growing set of servers and admins.

I'm late to the game, but I'm coming to fully understand the power and breadth of knowledge -- and virtual creativity -- of ChatGPT.

With only a few prompts:

• Please write a few paragraphs of romance between two rural trailer-dwelling males.

• Please revise the story to incorporate skinny dipping.

• Revise the story such that instead of swimming in the nearby river, they are swimming in the community's stormwater runoff pool.

• This story is almost perfect. Add a paragraph about how swimming in the community's stormwater runoff pool infected Ray with Cholera but Jake nursed him back to health.

• Can you add to the story to incorporate the adoption of a mischievous kitten?

• Elaborate on the story, adding that Ray and Jeff must work together to illicitly manufacture and sell stimulant supplements in order to financially support their kitten.

(Oh, the "stimulant supplements" are definitely meth. ChatGPT just won't talk about meth like that.)

We arrive at the perfect Alabama trailer-park gay romance:

👇👇👇👇👇👇

As the sun set over the trailer park, Ray sat on the steps of his mobile home, staring out at the orange and pink sky. He had lived in this small community for most of his life, and he knew every inch of it like the back of his hand. But despite being so familiar with the place, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.

That's when he saw him. Jake was a new arrival to the trailer park, and he had caught Ray's eye the moment he laid eyes on him. Jake was tall and muscular, with short brown hair and piercing blue eyes. As he walked past Ray's trailer, their eyes met and something clicked.

Over the next few weeks, Ray and Jake spent every spare moment they had together. They went fishing in the nearby river, took long walks through the woods, and spent lazy afternoons just sitting on the porch and talking. As they got to know each other better, their feelings grew stronger and they knew they were meant to be together.

One hot summer evening, they decided to take a dip in the community's stormwater runoff pool to cool off. They stripped down to their underwear and jumped in, laughing and splashing around. As they swam, they couldn't resist the temptation to get closer to each other. They wrapped their arms around each other and shared a passionate kiss, their bodies pressed together in the cool water.

Unfortunately, the water in the stormwater runoff pool was contaminated with Cholera bacteria and Ray fell ill shortly after their swim. Jake, determined to take care of the man he loved, spent every waking moment by Ray's side, nursing him back to health. Ray's recovery was slow, but with Jake's love and care, he eventually made a full recovery.

As they lay in bed together, their love stronger than ever, Ray knew that he had found something truly special in Jake - a love that would last a lifetime.

One day, while out for a walk in the woods, they came across a tiny kitten mewing pitifully by the side of the road. It was clear that the kitten had been abandoned and was in need of a home. Without hesitation, Ray and Jake brought the kitten back to their trailer and decided to adopt her.

The kitten, whom they named Luna, was a mischievous little thing, always getting into trouble and causing chaos wherever she went. Ray and Jake loved her fiercely and were determined to do whatever it took to provide for her.

As they struggled to make ends meet on their meager incomes, they came up with a plan to illicitly manufacture and sell stimulant supplements. It was risky, but they were desperate and willing to do whatever it took to give Luna the life she deserved.

As the years went by, the three of them became an inseparable trio, spending their days working together to produce and sell the supplements, exploring the woods, fishing in the river, and cuddled up on the porch, watching the sunset. Despite the challenges they faced, they knew they had found something truly special - a love that would last a lifetime.