Partisan Quick Guide To X Alternatives

[foo_fighter@dotnet.social]

@mastodonmigration my only problem with Mastodon is that they make it very confusing to follow accounts from different servers. This is probably why Mastodon is mostly filled with Millenials (we know our way around technology) but you almost never see folks from other generations. Until they make it simple to use, Mastodon isn't going to grow.

[mastodonmigration@mastodon.online]

@foo_fighter

Not trying to argue, but what about Mastodon do you find makes following people from different servers complicated?

Would really like to understand your issue.

[pineywoozle@masto.ai]

@mastodonmigration I wish you could add the line that the other two could go and most likely will go exactly the way Twitter did & even faster once they have enough volume to do damage. Both will be used to destroy Dem alliances just as Twitter was. There is very little chance that 76 & 78 won’t be corrupt. & propagandized to the teeth. We need to build unassailable contacts now, not later. (yes I know they’re elephants. LoL I’lll fix it)#Threads #Twitter #Bluesky #TwitterMigration #USPol

[mastodonmigration@mastodon.online]

@Pineywoozle

Feel like, if you read the entire thread that point is pretty clear. This was the subtle version from yesterday. Today made an attempt at a humorous version:

Mastodon Migration (@[email protected])

FICTIONAL DATELINE November 2027: Elon Musk Completes Acquisition of Bluesky LLC Musk announced his intention to fold the upstart liberal social media network into his X Empire, shocking Democrats and the progressive social media community that moved en masse to Bluesky three years ago after the disastrous 2024 election. "No one could have seen this coming," agreed top content creators on Bluesky assuring their millions of followers, they would stay and fight to keep Bluesky blue. #Bluesky

Mastodon (mastodon.online)

But your point is spot on. Bluesky is a honey trap.

[foo_fighter@dotnet.social]

@mastodonmigration my complaint is mainly about the Mastodon web version: if I want to follow an account from a different server, I go to the account's profile page in their server, and I can't just click Follow. In fact, I don't even show up as logged in, even though it says "Mastodon" at the top. Someone who isn't very good with tech will almost instantly give up when they hit this "Follow someone from a different server" barrier.

[foo_fighter@dotnet.social]

@mastodonmigration I also saw this problem with the official Mastodon app, but I used it for the last time almost 2 years ago. Currently I use Moshidon, which is very good at letting me follow someone from another server with just one click and none of the convoluted process.

[mastodonmigration@mastodon.online]

@foo_fighter

Hmmmm... that is not the typical experience. Let’s say you see someone's address like this one: @FediTips

Simply click on it. That will take you to you local version of their profile page where you can just click on Follow.

Or does this sequence miss something about the issue you are raising?

[mastodonmigration@mastodon.online]

@foo_fighter

Glad it is working for you with the app. Really don't think that problem still exists with the web interface, but maybe not understanding exactly what you are referring to.

[pineywoozle@masto.ai]

@mastodonmigration Sorry, I’m normally more thorough. I’m a little scattered still. I can reword it in edit. 🥰

[mastodonmigration@mastodon.online]

@Pineywoozle

No problem. Happy to have the opportunity to link to the other post. We are all scattered right now. Thanks for all you do!

[feditips@social.growyourown.services]

@foo_fighter @mastodonmigration

You don't have to go to the other site to follow an account. For example I'm on a different server but you can click on my profile name and follow me without leaving your server or your server's website.

The only time there's the weirdness about not being logged in is if you visit the other server's website.

The workaround for this is to paste the web address on the other site into your own search box and it will make the profile or post appear on your server.

[feditips@social.growyourown.services]

@foo_fighter @mastodonmigration

I agree this isnt ideal, but this is a result of having many indpendent servers each with their own site. It's like email, you can't log in on GMail's website with a Yahoo Mail account even though they're both on the same email network.

But fortunately, if you just stick to following people who appear in posts on your own server's timelines, you won't have to go to other servers' websites at all.

[mastodonmigration@mastodon.online]

@FediTips @foo_fighter

Thanks FediTips for helping with this one!

Would just add that a good way to follow if you know the address, but for some reason it is not in a post you are looking at in your timeline, is to type it onto the 'Explorer' search box and hit return. Explore should find it and you can click on the result and it will bring up a local version of the profile you can follow.

[foo_fighter@dotnet.social]

@mastodonmigration here are some screenshots:
If I go to fedi.directory and click on almost any random account link (exclude the flipboard ones, those are weird), like for example, BBC Taster: /1

[foo_fighter@dotnet.social]

@mastodonmigration I am taken to their account page on their server, which as you can see, says I'm logged out on the top right, even though it says I'm on mastodon on the top left: /2

[foo_fighter@dotnet.social]

@mastodonmigration and if I click follow, then the popup window is trying to make me do some weird stuff just so I can follow the user: /3

[foo_fighter@dotnet.social]

@mastodonmigration so as you can see, what should've been a 2 click scenario (open account link, then follow) is actually a "who knows how many more clicks because I am not in my server" scenario. /4

[mastodonmigration@mastodon.online]

@foo_fighter @FediTips

Got it. Thanks for the clear description. Understand now what you are experiencing. And you are right this is an awkwardness of the Fediverse. The explanation doesn't really matter, but the thing here is that the Fedi DB is just an outside website and has no idea who you are or what server you are on. What it does when you click on the address is send you to the account's server's profile page, and then you need to do the multistage thing.

more...

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[mastodonmigration@mastodon.online]

@foo_fighter @FediTips

There is a bit of a simplification possible, but it still is suboptimal. If you copy the Fedi DB account address and the paste it into the Explore search bar in your Mastodon and hit return it will return the desired account below and you can click on it and Follow.

Thanks again for pointing this use case out, and wish there was a better answer. Hope the suggestion helps.

[michael_h@nrw.social]

@mastodonmigration I’d like to use the "Add or Remove from lists" feature with followed hashtags as well, but couldn‘t find a way to do so. Is this possible?