All aboard the Mastodon! Toot toot!
Feb. 10th, 2023 12:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alias_sqbrI'm at aus.social/@sqbr, moved from the tiny server I was on previously because aus.social felt more robust. I have no specific reason to think the moderator of the tiny instance would shut it down randomly or moderate a messy situation badly, but I feel more confident that the multiple moderators at aus.social won't. And the rules and people seem ok, though I mostly lurk and haven't had much interaction with either.
Overall I like Mastodon ok, my main issue is it's like a quieter twitter and I never liked twitter much in the first place. I lurked there and I lurk here. But it has overall been more chill and friendly.
Moving was reasonably painless in terms of transferring followers/followees but all my old messages and posts are still at the old account. They're still accessible at the old account but anyone scrolling through my new account will only see the posts I've made since I moved in. Also you can't edit or delete your old posts/info after you move.
The two things I see people worrying about are (a) What server to join and (b) the slightly different posting etiquette with public posts.
Since moving is pretty easy, I think it's worth picking an ok looking server without stressing too hard and seeing how you feel about mastodon as a general experience, and then if you find another server you like, you can switch over.
If you really can't decide on a server, mastodon.social is adequate from all accounts as a place to start, though it does have poor moderation and is 'limited' by some other servers: people on those servers can follow you, but won't see your posts show up randomly via mastodon's equivalent of recommended posts. Which is a problem if you're trying to be Seen but not so bad while you find your feet and search for a permanent home.
As for etiquette, tbh I still haven't totally got the feel for it myself, asides from the fact that people get very uptight about putting upsetting material on the public timeline without a content warning. But that's fine, since if you set your posts to not show up on the public timeline, then people will only see your posts if they actively follow you or click on your profile. That way you can semi-lurk until you feel confident.
And now, more detailed further info. I'm sure some of this is wrong, and am open to correction.
What is mastodon
Mastodon is an open source social media platform, with a similar vibe to twitter, made up of connected but independently run servers (or "instances")
Here's a starting guide which covers most of the basics.
The significance of your instance/server
The instance/server of mastodon you're on is like your email server: it's where your data is stored, and the people who run the server might sometimes step in to block spam or harassment or tell you not to break their rules. But most of the time it doesn't make a huge difference, just like having a gmail or hotmail email address doesn't make a huge difference to the base experience of using email.
Like on twitter, you have a timeline of posts from people you follow, and those people can be from any server not suspended by your instance.
You can also check out hashtags etc on the wider network of people on all connected mastodon servers, which is called the 'fediverse'. (technically 'the fediverse' also includes some other related but less popular open source networks like the instagram-esque Pixelfed, but usually people just use it to mean Mastodon).
Something semi-unique to mastodon is that you can check out recent or popular posts from people on your server or instance, and you can also have them see your posts. So the right server can be a way to immediately join a community of like minded people. Servers can also have unspoken social etiquette but if you don't have your posts show up in the global server timeline you don't have to worry about it so much.
Personally I don't read anyone but the people I follow, and have my messages set up not to show up on the global timeline of my instance. But some people really enjoy this aspect of mastodon.
Every server has different rules, most are pretty basic "don't harass people" stuff but some require all public posts on certain topics to be put under a content warning, ban promoting commercial products, etc. Some have lots of active moderators keeping a lid on rules violations and harassment, while others don't.
As on basically any social media site, moderators can access your personal messages, and might randomly shut the server down, taking your data with it. So you need to have some trust in them to be reliable and trustworthy.
I feel like servers with a single moderator are more likely to have that person burn out. From all accounts, running a mastodon server is hard work that gets exponentially more difficult the more users there are and the more posts get made. Smaller servers usually have more effective moderators but also have less people to talk to in the local timeline.
Defederation
Going to be honest here, I don't totally understand this.
But basically: Each mastodon server can choose which other mastodon servers it trusts, and how much. Two servers are "federated" if they connect to each other, and "defederated" if they don't. The huge connected main network of mastodon servers is called the fediverse.
Not every server within the fediverse is connected to every other server within the fediverse.
There's two levels of disconnection/defederation: Suspending and Limiting. Suspending means blocking so completely that it's basically as if the server doesn't exist. Limiting means people can still see and follow members of the server that's been limited, but won't stumble across random posts from anyone on that server unless they seek them out specifically. I'm not sure what effect this has on private messages, probably blocks them from anyone you're not following?
So even if the server you're on defederates the server your friends are on, or vice versa, as long as it's just limited defederation you can still read each other's posts and talk to each other. It'll just be harder to connect with new people on the other server.
Afaict the main reasons servers get defederated are (a) rules that allow untagged nsfw material, or allow racism, harassment etc (b) lack of effective moderation when rule breaking behaviour is reported (c) Not defederating servers which do a or b.
Some servers limit mastodon.social for reason c. Some servers list which other servers they've defederated, but others don't.
Some servers
Here's some I'm familiar with, and my impression of them. If you click the links you'll see recent popular tweets, which will give some idea of the vibe.
mastodon.social: the biggest one, run by the people who create the mastodon software. Closest to the Twitter Experience of one popular central hub with lax moderation and a non-zero amount of nazis.
Aus.social: A popular Australian server with an active moderation team.
wandering.shop: scifi and fantasy fans and creators. Seems nice!
fandom.ink: designed by and for fans. Deletes the account of anyone who is inactive for six months or more!
hachyderm.io: progressive programmers.
mastodon.art: Art server. Deletes 'inactive' accounts after an unstated amount of time. Limits mastodon.social.
A lot of them have limits on what can be posted in the public timeline. All of them seem theoretically ok with nsfw material about adults as long as it's put under a content warning, though the specifics vary and hachyderm.io bans accounts that focus on posting nsfw.
Overall I like Mastodon ok, my main issue is it's like a quieter twitter and I never liked twitter much in the first place. I lurked there and I lurk here. But it has overall been more chill and friendly.
Moving was reasonably painless in terms of transferring followers/followees but all my old messages and posts are still at the old account. They're still accessible at the old account but anyone scrolling through my new account will only see the posts I've made since I moved in. Also you can't edit or delete your old posts/info after you move.
The two things I see people worrying about are (a) What server to join and (b) the slightly different posting etiquette with public posts.
Since moving is pretty easy, I think it's worth picking an ok looking server without stressing too hard and seeing how you feel about mastodon as a general experience, and then if you find another server you like, you can switch over.
If you really can't decide on a server, mastodon.social is adequate from all accounts as a place to start, though it does have poor moderation and is 'limited' by some other servers: people on those servers can follow you, but won't see your posts show up randomly via mastodon's equivalent of recommended posts. Which is a problem if you're trying to be Seen but not so bad while you find your feet and search for a permanent home.
As for etiquette, tbh I still haven't totally got the feel for it myself, asides from the fact that people get very uptight about putting upsetting material on the public timeline without a content warning. But that's fine, since if you set your posts to not show up on the public timeline, then people will only see your posts if they actively follow you or click on your profile. That way you can semi-lurk until you feel confident.
And now, more detailed further info. I'm sure some of this is wrong, and am open to correction.
What is mastodon
Mastodon is an open source social media platform, with a similar vibe to twitter, made up of connected but independently run servers (or "instances")
Here's a starting guide which covers most of the basics.
The significance of your instance/server
The instance/server of mastodon you're on is like your email server: it's where your data is stored, and the people who run the server might sometimes step in to block spam or harassment or tell you not to break their rules. But most of the time it doesn't make a huge difference, just like having a gmail or hotmail email address doesn't make a huge difference to the base experience of using email.
Like on twitter, you have a timeline of posts from people you follow, and those people can be from any server not suspended by your instance.
You can also check out hashtags etc on the wider network of people on all connected mastodon servers, which is called the 'fediverse'. (technically 'the fediverse' also includes some other related but less popular open source networks like the instagram-esque Pixelfed, but usually people just use it to mean Mastodon).
Something semi-unique to mastodon is that you can check out recent or popular posts from people on your server or instance, and you can also have them see your posts. So the right server can be a way to immediately join a community of like minded people. Servers can also have unspoken social etiquette but if you don't have your posts show up in the global server timeline you don't have to worry about it so much.
Personally I don't read anyone but the people I follow, and have my messages set up not to show up on the global timeline of my instance. But some people really enjoy this aspect of mastodon.
Every server has different rules, most are pretty basic "don't harass people" stuff but some require all public posts on certain topics to be put under a content warning, ban promoting commercial products, etc. Some have lots of active moderators keeping a lid on rules violations and harassment, while others don't.
As on basically any social media site, moderators can access your personal messages, and might randomly shut the server down, taking your data with it. So you need to have some trust in them to be reliable and trustworthy.
I feel like servers with a single moderator are more likely to have that person burn out. From all accounts, running a mastodon server is hard work that gets exponentially more difficult the more users there are and the more posts get made. Smaller servers usually have more effective moderators but also have less people to talk to in the local timeline.
Defederation
Going to be honest here, I don't totally understand this.
But basically: Each mastodon server can choose which other mastodon servers it trusts, and how much. Two servers are "federated" if they connect to each other, and "defederated" if they don't. The huge connected main network of mastodon servers is called the fediverse.
Not every server within the fediverse is connected to every other server within the fediverse.
There's two levels of disconnection/defederation: Suspending and Limiting. Suspending means blocking so completely that it's basically as if the server doesn't exist. Limiting means people can still see and follow members of the server that's been limited, but won't stumble across random posts from anyone on that server unless they seek them out specifically. I'm not sure what effect this has on private messages, probably blocks them from anyone you're not following?
So even if the server you're on defederates the server your friends are on, or vice versa, as long as it's just limited defederation you can still read each other's posts and talk to each other. It'll just be harder to connect with new people on the other server.
Afaict the main reasons servers get defederated are (a) rules that allow untagged nsfw material, or allow racism, harassment etc (b) lack of effective moderation when rule breaking behaviour is reported (c) Not defederating servers which do a or b.
Some servers limit mastodon.social for reason c. Some servers list which other servers they've defederated, but others don't.
Some servers
Here's some I'm familiar with, and my impression of them. If you click the links you'll see recent popular tweets, which will give some idea of the vibe.
mastodon.social: the biggest one, run by the people who create the mastodon software. Closest to the Twitter Experience of one popular central hub with lax moderation and a non-zero amount of nazis.
Aus.social: A popular Australian server with an active moderation team.
wandering.shop: scifi and fantasy fans and creators. Seems nice!
fandom.ink: designed by and for fans. Deletes the account of anyone who is inactive for six months or more!
hachyderm.io: progressive programmers.
mastodon.art: Art server. Deletes 'inactive' accounts after an unstated amount of time. Limits mastodon.social.
A lot of them have limits on what can be posted in the public timeline. All of them seem theoretically ok with nsfw material about adults as long as it's put under a content warning, though the specifics vary and hachyderm.io bans accounts that focus on posting nsfw.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-10 08:54 am (UTC)I've come to conclusion that I actually can't deal with social media. I've always found it a supremely uncomfortable medium and struggle with the nature of the one-to-many communication that's required on most social media platforms. Dreamwidth is the only site I'm still active on and even then, I haven't posted in my own journal in *checks* about nine months, and rarely manage to comment on other people's.
Some other Australian mastodon servers that others might be interested in are:
theblower.au: Similar to aus.social. One of the moderation team was the mod of the server I was on when I was on mastodon and is a good egg.
cathode.church: A server for "trans and gender-diverse makers, coders, and tinkerers", though you don't strictly have to be trans or a maker, coder, or tinkerer to join. Blocks some of the bigger mastodon servers, which cuts out some of the cruft. The moderator s0 is also one of the moderators of theblower.au.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-20 09:20 am (UTC)Thank you!
I am enough of an extrovert to enjoy one to many when it's a few hundred people in my circle etc, but am still really put off by the dynamic where The Claw of Discourse might decide to make me the main character of twitter, seen and mocked by tens of thousands. But I can see how social media isn't for everyone, good luck carving out a comfortable space for yourself in the world.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-10 08:56 am (UTC)And it was bad enough when it was just stressful to have all these different versions to choose from, but now there's even more stress of worrying if you're choosing a "bad" server that everyone is going to ban and judge you for. :p
no subject
Date: 2023-02-20 08:45 am (UTC)Yeah there's definitely some cliquish judging, reminds me a bit of old school LJ.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-11 10:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-02-17 02:34 am (UTC)You're welcome!