If you write about something that's in the Fediverse but not Mastodon, most Fediverse users won't know that it's in the Fediverse.
Even if you write about e.g. your Hubzilla channel or your WriteFreely blog, hardly anyone will know that they can follow you there. Yes, even when you write about your Hubzilla channel from your Hubzilla channel. Especially Mastodon users won't know what Hubzilla is, they won't know that they can follow Hubzilla channels from Mastodon, and they'll assume that you've just posted from Mastodon.
So if you want people to know that whatever you're writing about is part of the Fediverse and connected to Mastodon, you have to explicitly mention both.
#Long #LongPost #CWLong #CWLongPost #FediMeta #FediverseMeta #CWFediMeta #CWFediverseMeta #Fediverse
Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic
in reply to Jupiter Rowland • • •Sensitive content
Jupiter Rowland
in reply to Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic • • •@Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic No, it's rather because people don't know what's in the Fediverse and what isn't.
I mean, at least every other Mastodon user thinks the Fediverse equals Mastodon and only Mastodon.
Let's assume I mention my own Hubzilla channel somewhere in some context. I'll hit two obstacles. One, three out of four Fediverse users have never heard of Hubzilla, so how shall they assume that it's a Fediverse project if I don't explicitly tell them so? Two, again, many think the Fediverse is only Mastodon, so how shall they assume that Hubzilla is in the Fediverse when it's completely unimaginable to them that there could be anything else in the Fediverse that isn't Mastodon?
Also, especially on Mastodon, nobody can tell where my post is from. Next to nobody looks up any posts at their sources anyway. Mastodon doesn't show where a post came from, software-wise. And net everyone can tell from certain signs (what mentions look like, what hashtags look like) that something came from something that's very much not Mastodon. Only the very few who can be bothered to look at my post at its source will notice that it came from something that has "Hubzilla" written on top. For the majority, everything in their Mastodon timeline came from Mastodon.
#Long #LongPost #CWLong #CWLongPost #FediMeta #FediverseMeta #CWFediMeta #CWFediverseMeta #Fediverse #NotOnlyMastodon
Shiri Bailem
in reply to Jupiter Rowland • • •@Jupiter Rowland @Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic it's because Mastodon talks and acts like it's the only one here.
Like calling their posts "toots" trying to knock off Twitter's vibe... it's cute in concept but in reality only makes sense if that's the only place here.
Ringwood Unitarians Co-organis
in reply to Jupiter Rowland • • •Jupiter Rowland
in reply to Ringwood Unitarians Co-organis • • •@Ringwood Unitarians Co-organis
If one searches.
If one wants to search.
If one suspects there to be something else out there in the Fediverse.
But for many Mastodon users, the Fediverse is Mastodon and only Mastodon, and that's an absolutely undeniable fact. Set in stone. It couldn't possibly be any different. They don't even take into consideration that it could be any different. "Fediverse" is the name of the Mastodon network which is nothing but Mastodon and more Mastodon. Full stop.
Why else do so many Mastodon users use "Fediverse" and "Mastodon" mutually exchangeably or even out-right claim that the Fediverse is only Mastodon with such utter confidence?
Why else does the revelation that something that isn't Mastodon is connected to Mastodon and claims its place in the Fediverse leave so many Mastodon users deranged enough to generously dish out mutes and blocks in an attempt to make the Fediverse only Mastodon again, or at least make it feel like it's still only Mastodon?
#Long #LongPost #CWLong #CWLongPost #FediMeta #FediverseMeta #CWFediMeta #CWFediverseMeta #Fediverse #Mastodon #NotOnlyMastodon #FediverseIsNotMastodon #MastodonIsNotTheFediverse
SK
in reply to Jupiter Rowland • • •Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic
in reply to SK • • •While @FediTips is on Mastodon and mostly posts about Mastodon topics, I would not say that they contribute to the belief that the Fediverse is only Mastodon:
fedi.tips/what-is-mastodon-wha…
There's even a section called "The Fediverse beyond Mastodon" which describes various platforms.
But as @jupiter_rowland said, only those willing to look for information can find it, and most people won't.
What is Mastodon? What is the Fediverse? | Fedi.Tips – An Unofficial Guide to Mastodon and the Fediverse
fedi.tipsGeorgiana Brummell likes this.
Fedi.Tips
in reply to Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic • • •@jupiter_rowland@hub.netzgemeinde.eu
I focus on how new people enter the Fediverse, which is almost always Mastodon.
I also promote alternatives to Masto such as GoToSocial, but it's difficult because the onboarding on other Fedi platforms is not as good so new people don't use them. (For example there doesn't seem to be any public server for GTS, I tried asking but no one could suggest one.)
I also have an entire account @FediVideo and site at fedi.video to promote PeerTube.
Fedi.Video
fedi.videoDr. Daniel Dizdarevic
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •Georgiana Brummell
in reply to Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic • •Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic likes this.
Fedi.Tips
in reply to Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic • • •@jupiter_rowland@hub.netzgemeinde.eu
It's not just about having alternative software to Mastodon, alternatives also need an onboarding flow which includes:
-Friendly non-techy website that tells people how to sign up
-Human-curated list of instances that are relatively safe and reliable
-If possible, at least one app that people can install which includes this curated list of instances
I know an app shouldn't be needed, but apps are how non-technical people discover social networks at the moment.
Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •Fedi.Tips
in reply to Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic • • •I'm not a dev but I guess it wouldn't even need to be a new app? It could be a compatible app that has been branded with the name of the platform you want people to join? This could be done in co-operation with the dev of an existing compatible app, especially if it is FOSS.
I know at a technical level this makes no sense at all, but if people are using app stores as search engines for social networks then this is how to give them a way onto your platform.
Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •Georgiana Brummell
in reply to Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic • •Dr. Daniel Dizdarevic likes this.