2w ago

An EXTREMELY Simple Guide to Mastodon

www.staygrounded.online

An EXTREMELY Simple Guide to Mastodon

I think this is the way we should communicate, when presented with the question on how to get on Mastodon:

Copy paste from the link:

How do I use Mastodon?
Download the Mastodon app from the Apple app store or Play store.
Create an account (just like Twitter or any other social media)
Follow people, and get posting.
Why do tech journalists say it’s too confusing to catch on?
I have no fucking idea.

EDIT for clarification, don't take this too seriously:

This “guide” is a bit of a joke made out of frustration. If you actually want to know more, including why I feel it has potential to free us from the dystopian hellscape that is modern social media, here is the “real” guide to Mastodon. It still uses simple language (and has lots of pictures!):

Please share widely

Fediverse @piefed.social

Snoopy @piefed.social

2w ago

An EXTREMELY Simple Guide to Mastodon

www.staygrounded.online /p/an-extremely-simple-guide-to-mastodon

24 comments

- When using the official Mastodon app (as suggested in the "guide") "instances" are not a factor at all (unless the user specifically goes out of their way). A new user could have never even heard of the term "instance" and the above steps would work fine.
  You don’t just download the app, create an account, and go.
  Actually with Mastodon this is literally how it works.
  EDIT: I should say this is how it works now, it didn't always used to be this way. The official Mastodon app used to ask the user to pick an instance, but for a number of years now it defaults every new account to mastodon.social unless they opt out. There was a big brouhah about centralization but the Mastodon devs felt it made for easier on boarding.
- exactly. and trying to downplay potential users as stupid before they've even used a social media platform isn't going to exactly make them want to stay. or even try in the first place.
  just makes mastodon look like a place where nerds reign free and normal folks won't be able to participate effectively.
  if you want to make mastodon a destination and not a niche corner to be avoided, this is not the way.
  i agree with you completely.
  edit: I should clarify, the "guide" above is the thing insulting users. the guide is inaccurate.
  
  and trying to downplay potential users as stupid
  Because they are
  When I was frickin‘ 14, I managed to grasp the Idea of an Instance and managed to find an instance I liked and register there
  And if some 25 y o goddamn Tech Journalists is dumber than a dude in 7th grade with a phone, maybe you should start thinking about if we are really all Albert Einsteins prodogy or if the bar is just set way too low for considering whats „Normal Intelligence“
- Thanks for the honesty!
  It used to blow my mind that the "omg how can the vote for Trump are they blind fanatics!n!?" would be the same "Omg how do you not see how easy this is!!?" people, but now I realize it's just people being loyal to their team, whatever it is.
- then you need to decide your instance
  Just use mastodon.social
  If you feel like you want to join a more specific community then you can

I think that's too simplified and it will create expectations that aren't true, because It's more like this:
Choose instance
Read & agree to Mastadon rules
Read & agree to (instance) privacy terms
Create account
Tap the verification link in your email
Solve the Captcha
Get a list of people/users to follow (why these people? What is it based on?)
Setup profile
Done!
- Most of those are all really simple, common things that are done when creating accounts on any service though. If Mastodon is literally the first service you've ever signed up for in your life maybe that's justified but most people have made an account somewhere before.
  And that's the point OP is trying to make. It's a very familiar process, except for step 1, which you can literally just ignore and pick the big highlighted blue button and avoid that scary and confusing "Pick another server" button if you're not up to it.
- This “guide” is a bit of a joke made out of frustration.
  
  The real guide is still either outdated or doesn't take into account that there's a lot more steps. But considering it's been 2 years, I don't hold that against the author

Well, I'm confused. And has it caught on?
Disclosure: I've tried it out on my computer, not the app. Is the app more user-friendly?
E.g. I only just realized now why I've been so confused by Mastodon; the web page shows you replies before showing you what's being replied to, without the UI making it obvious that's what it's doing and what's connected together. Does the app fix that, and is there a way to get a fix in a web browser?
- I'm not sure, but i guess that it is replicating Twitter behaviour. I got used to that quickly.
  But if you want a better experience you can easily find other front ends. I strongly suggest Phanpy that makes it really clear when a toot is part of a conversation/thread. It also does a lot of nice things like grouping boosts in horizontal carousels, collapsing long threads to avoid occpying the too many screens, and others, but it is still simple
  
  Phanpy
  First impression: "That's more like it!"
  But then: "Wait... it's still not showing me the OP followed by replies." It shows me a reply, with some faded text above. I click on the faded text above, and still don't get the OP, eventually click on a group of microavatars with mouseover text "Go to top" and an up arrow, and at last see what the hell it is people are talking about, with replies below. I try going through settings, find no way to get it simply show me the OP in the first place.
  I guess I'll have to keep trying out front-ends until I find one that works ~~in a way that is not obviously maddening~~ the way I need it to.
  I'll try Ask Lemmy. https://lemmy.ca/post/44479417
  (And wondering again if I should try Mbin or Piefed, and what the difference is.)
- i just went to bsky. mastodon was a bit too confusing for my tastes.

24 comments