Tag: Fediverse

One Fediverse App to Rule Them All?

A few days ago I said, “should one build an all encompassing Activity Pub app? I don’t think so because it would end up as a big confusing hot mess. Apps optimized for individual services are still the way to go  in my opinion.”

This was in reference to the different platforms like Friendica, micro.blog, and Pixelfed. I don’t think one app should be able to cover all of the platforms because it would be a terrible app – jack of all trades master of none, thing.

However, having used Akkoma, Takahe, and Misskey, it seems that while there are platforms that serve different purposes and functions, a lot of the fediverse platforms can be considered different versions of the same thing.

Like Twitter, Pownce, Jaiku, and BrightKite (OMG, anyone remember BrightKite?), they all were meant to have the same core function but grew differently with different features because the founders each had different priorities and what they considered important. Twitter was probably the most basic of them all.

For all the platforms that share a large overlap like Mastodon, Pleroma, Akkoma, MissKey, CalcKey, etc., it might make sense for a single app like Ivory, Mammoth, or Ice Cubes, to accommodate them all or for the platforms to implement more shared API and increase interoperability. This should allow people who are on the overlapping platforms to use the same app and increase the market for the app.

Not sure about the technical requirements to have all the similar platforms be much more interoperable but it looks like it’s entirely possible.

Mastodon’s Moment of Truth

Despite the apparent mass migration of Twitter users to Mastodon in the past several weeks, I don’t feel that this network has experienced anything like the 2009 Hudson River moment when a plane landed in the water and its pilot, Captain Sully, became sort of a household name after Twitter users began sharing photos of the plane and the rescue/evacuation attempt that followed.

In Indonesia that moment was the 2009 twin bombing in Kuningan, Jakarta. It thrusted Twitter to national prominence when terrorists bombed the Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels and a survivor live tweeted the entire moment starting from the explosions near the coffee shops of both hotels.

I’ve read people describe the vibe of Mastodon being like Twitter circa 2010 but to me it still feels a little earlier than that. On the other hand maybe it doesn’t need a moment like that because people already understood how it works in general. 

Mastodon is a network that, while technically different to Twitter, serves similar functions, which means unless there are more migration level events or perceived existential threats to Twitter, the general public won’t fly the coop.

The appeal of the elephant site right now is the ability to fully isolate undesirables and to be where people like Elon Musk have no control but if you and your community aren’t affected by their shenanigans (not necessarily due to political leanings or social views but because for you it’s like looking at foreign news on TV), there’s no reason to move because everything still works just fine. Moving there means doing the same thing at a different place which has slightly different features but with more technical barriers.

Yes, the technical barriers exist and not just from the need to choose servers but things like finding out who to follow (because people’s followings are limited), posts not being carried over when moving servers, inconsistent display of metrics, having to follow accounts before you can add them to lists, etc. 

It certainly doesn’t work as a 1:1 replacement and people looking for that won’t see the appeal. Mastodon’s pull factor has to be something else and the reasons will be different from one person or community to the next. 

One thing’s for sure, both sites are about the communities, without which, they won’t survive, let alone thrive. A social network is its people, not the features or the platform. 

Mastodon’s features and platform may help support a healthier community but as long as the community leads, public figures, or thought leaders haven’t moved over, the majority of the population won’t either.

Blocking Spree

My ‘Don server admin has been on a blocking spree and a number of friends and people I follow got caught up. Like a full block, not just limited. This means zero interactions between the servers even if the accounts already follow each other.

Unfortunately this was inevitable with Mastodon growing so rapidly and with so many factors in play. Content moderation is a major thing on the Don and many of the long time admins can be quite strict on it, not to mention personal preferences on certain matters being a factor in deciding reasons for blocking ga limiting access. Unlike blocking, limiting means visibility if the accounts are connected.

I mean, their servers, their rules, no debating that and if it becomes untenable, you have an option to move or start your own.

Having said that, I’m considering running my own server eventually. Haven’t decided if it’s going to be just a personal one or open to registration among friends. Certainly not going to entertain any random person.

Verifying Identity on Mastodon

Here’s a thread on Mastodon about the debate over the use of third party verification services.

The fediverse is what they call the federated universe, the part of the Internet that’s run by multiple individuals across multiple independent servers but interconnected as a larger network. A network whose existence is not dependent on a single corporation.

Anyway, here it is. Tap on “show more” to read the posts.

Aulia Masna :verified: (@aulia@octodon.social)

Aulia Masna :verified: (@aulia@octodon.social)