Post 9vsJayUkMEdMEVFDGq by freddyym@social.privacytools.io
(DIR) More posts by freddyym@social.privacytools.io
(DIR) Post #9vsEb3aMvmukFb5sp6 by kev@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T12:59:49Z
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Is #Mastodon really all that decentralised? I'm not so sure after looking at the numbers...https://kevq.uk/centralisation-and-mastodon/#100DaysToOffload
(DIR) Post #9vsGvB2J8hHd3fsrMO by lascapi@mastodon.zaclys.com
2020-06-08T13:25:26Z
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@kev Yes !! Sure it is ! Because there are some big and a lot of little !!! Just like email, like cities, like everything ! 😎
(DIR) Post #9vsI5CSwmKcKLHggHQ by x@toot.icyphox.sh
2020-06-08T13:39:15Z
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@kev I wrote something in the same vein!https://icyphox.sh/blog/mastodon-socialProbably a little more harsher in tone, because it really annoys me, heh.
(DIR) Post #9vsIlbt4eWcdLd8AV6 by vandys@mst.vsta.org
2020-06-08T13:46:53Z
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@kev The idea was to have a reasonable first step. After you found your way, you'd then move to an instance which fit your interests and community.The tools for migrating to a new instance have improved immensely. The missing link seems to be an easy way to become aware of specific communities.
(DIR) Post #9vsJQWVNZI6qWoYZI8 by kev@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T13:54:19Z
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@x great post.
(DIR) Post #9vsJayUkMEdMEVFDGq by freddyym@social.privacytools.io
2020-06-08T13:56:11Z
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@x your post did come to mind when reading this.@kev
(DIR) Post #9vsJblanoVaoVTSF0q by Matter@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T13:56:07Z
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@kev While I'm also annoyed at Eugen's instances being so big, the fact you can move away whenever and not be cut off from everyone makes it very different from a centralised system.
(DIR) Post #9vsJtUTiBPvYdjab2W by davidoclubb@toot.wales
2020-06-08T13:59:24Z
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@freddyym @x @kev is the Japanese instance one of the ones that's closing down at the end of the month? Might exacerbate problems of conglomeration
(DIR) Post #9vsLUjB0b7yItXA2dc by kev@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T14:17:19Z
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@Matter that's true.
(DIR) Post #9vsM1bKimQgW7pNZiq by jrtashjian@talos.link
2020-06-08T14:23:02Z
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@kev great post!I agree big instances are helpful for people to get started. I started my own because I’m more technically minded, know how to manage my own servers, and was fascinated and curious about the inner workings.If we truly want to make this a better for all to use we have to think about the non-technical user. They most likely won’t spin up their own instance and instead find one to join.
(DIR) Post #9vsManXbNrUi7eBfjk by hund@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T14:29:31Z
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@kev I think part of the reason Mastodon.social being as large is because of most people probably don't understand what federation means.I consider myself to be a littlbe bit technical and when I joined the fediverse 4-5 years ago I had NO IDEA whatsoever what federation in this context meant. I joined the largest instance that I could find and you can imagine my confusing when I started seeing posts from other instances.
(DIR) Post #9vsMkWXRSCesHlkYhk by yarmo@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T14:31:19Z
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@kev While the decision to stop expanding mastodon.social was the right one, one could argue he should not have made the second one. I can’t help but feel he’s making the situation worse.A decision could have been made to either make a series of instances, run by different people, and promote those. Or, even better, invest more in promoting existing instances to better distribute the influx of users.(Copy pasted my lobste.rs reply)
(DIR) Post #9vsNhxis1iMXgKRDcm by kev@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T14:42:03Z
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@hund agreed. It was completely alien to me when I first started using it.
(DIR) Post #9vsPi3hpyrB09B82D2 by LPS@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T15:04:42Z
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@yarmo @kev I think promoting regional instances would help greatly. This would create more sense of community on the local servers while still being connected to the fediverse.
(DIR) Post #9vsQAdDdXPuUOecw9Q by matts@mstdn.social
2020-06-08T15:09:39Z
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@kev There's also the argument that when people are choosing an instance they are trying to find one that will most likely stay around. Something run by the founder of Mastodon has a good chance of staying around. Like email I think the more important thing is that the little instances are on a even playing field with the big instances.
(DIR) Post #9vsQuxaI9UWYsbJaCG by Luke@mastodon.sdf.org
2020-06-08T15:18:13Z
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@yarmo @kev (thanks for reminding me I have a Lobste.rs account.)
(DIR) Post #9vsTsZAiFKEkRsttp2 by tfidf@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T15:51:25Z
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@yarmo @kev As it turns out, "decentralized" is a system property that is more intended as a freedom for technical/admin users and that regular users just acknowledge. Just like not every user of Gimp is actually writing code for it even though they could. Most people just don't want to go through all the hassle. They just want to use the system.
(DIR) Post #9vsUfnxU3gh6UxBwZ6 by yarmo@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T16:00:20Z
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@tfidf @kev I'm not asking everyone to have their own server. The registration process is the same on the large and the small instances.
(DIR) Post #9vseiMdD7CKO9hZHLk by kev@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T17:52:35Z
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@sheogorath @yarmo yeah, that’s true. I think the convoluted nature of getting started with masto puts a lot of people off. Still though, it’s pretty great here. 😊
(DIR) Post #9vsgsAbyrKgLgGnRCq by MrManor@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T18:16:27Z
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@kev I think what scares many sysadms. like me from opening instance open for registration, is the work associated with moderation, takedown requests and such nontechnical work.I think more federation could helped by making it really easy install a "family" #mastodon server, maybe as a app on #Nextcloud or as a #docker instance. Moderating a small instance with only your friends and family seems more manageable job.
(DIR) Post #9vshWSEyjaYBwJFLA8 by andyc@mastodon.sdf.org
2020-06-08T18:23:59Z
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@kev I wonder if casual users just reading about Mastodon and dipping their toe in the water, select mastodon.social as their instance - precisely because it is the biggest and therefore should be the most reliable with the best uptime and running the latest version. So it becomes a vicious circle.
(DIR) Post #9vsjX951erDKiD33Ts by pro@mu.zaitcev.nu
2020-06-08T18:46:51.429158Z
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@sheogorath @yarmo @kev How do the same people having trouble with finding an instance select an e-mail provider? Do they ever buy a car? Or vote in any elections? Choose what socks to wear?
(DIR) Post #9vsl6EQPsRi1NYLcy8 by kev@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T19:04:13Z
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@andyc I think that probably what a lot of it is.
(DIR) Post #9vslAYznL1FWKsxfJw by kev@fosstodon.org
2020-06-08T19:05:00Z
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@MrManor yeah, totally. We have 10k users and moderation is a lot of work!
(DIR) Post #9vsmiAKzcevRezSmjg by basil@sarcasm.stream
2020-06-08T19:22:12Z
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@kev @andyc if you think this situation is suboptimal, then heck, let me tell you about laconica and identica 😅
(DIR) Post #9vsr7t94Z6GHgXPOoy by 9uqjgkkMcxGoO2B5m4.jeroen@social.franssen.xyz
2020-06-08T20:11:49.893518Z
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@kevGood article. Just wanted to add that the key to a more decentralised fediverse is easy selfhosting. @yunohost is a great example of a simple solution that contains all the #fediverse services one can need.
(DIR) Post #9vsrY7SRyRu1bUyplo by z428@social.tchncs.de
2020-06-08T20:16:26Z
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@kev Good article. Being devils advocate here for a moment, I'd bet that "truly decentralized" Mastodon (or something similar) will only happen if running "your own instance" in a safe and secure manner is as easy as installing a Mastodon client app on a smartphone is, by today. We're quite a bit from that, at the moment... 😉
(DIR) Post #9vt4gA35Fep0ZYCEG8 by abeorch@mastodon.technology
2020-06-08T22:43:26Z
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@kev seems like maybe the sign-up process could mimic #nextcloud where they randomly suggest an instance from a selection and provide that as a default option to the user. They are free to change but it gives them a #nudge.
(DIR) Post #9vtM3RnZ7h2vVGcx7o by IronMan@mstdn.social
2020-06-09T01:58:15Z
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@kevAs a newer user, .social gets written up in articles more and it's insinuated that it's exclusive, so more people probably join it or did because of that.As someone who tries to get more people to try Mastodon, that the loli instance is that big puts a lot of people off.
(DIR) Post #9vtM73maM5MKB5tKhE by IronMan@mstdn.social
2020-06-09T01:59:03Z
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@kevAs a newer user, mastodon.social gets written up in articles more and it's insinuated that it's exclusive, so more people probably join it or did because of that.As someone who tries to get more people to try Mastodon, that the loli instance is that big puts a lot of people off.
(DIR) Post #9vtXzz7aUClN906k9g by pro@mu.zaitcev.nu
2020-06-09T04:12:10.532903Z
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@utzer @sheogorath @kev @yarmo I'm running Pleroma. It uses less RAM and CPU than Mastodon for a single-user Fediverse instance. I'm only paying $3/mo to host this.
(DIR) Post #9vtfzaoRC5IelWGAXw by MrManor@fosstodon.org
2020-06-09T05:41:43Z
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@kev wow! That is a lot. Have you considered limiting new members by having applicants having to fill some sort of application form? Like What are your Foss background.. ect..
(DIR) Post #9vtpT3428L5eN5fuUq by jwildeboer@social.wildeboer.net
2020-06-09T07:27:50Z
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@kev @mike it’s federated, not decentralised. Simple IMHO.
(DIR) Post #9vtwOhLRdsqpX0gwuu by kev@fosstodon.org
2020-06-09T08:45:31Z
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@MrManor we have thought about that, but we don't want there to be a barrier to entry for legit members.
(DIR) Post #9vtx70b1QaWxyo6g4m by kev@fosstodon.org
2020-06-09T08:53:31Z
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@IronMan yeah, having a flagship instance is both a blessing and a curse.It's good that people like yourself find out about Mastodon and choose to join a different instance though.
(DIR) Post #9vuwKxnYilogYp1MkS by olenglishD@fosstodon.org
2020-06-09T20:18:38Z
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@kev I know I’m late to the punch and new to the server but this is exactly why I think a change in approach is needed.For instance, a friend of mines had an idea that instead of starting a Discord for a twitch channel that they start a Masto instance. This would get people into fedi and away from the other sites. It will also have the benefit of introducing them to the concept and good company to start with.
(DIR) Post #9vyQFxLsX9aLpLTweW by andyc@mastodon.sdf.org
2020-06-11T12:39:02Z
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@yarmo @kev This. 100%.