Magnus Manske
and 10 others
boosted
just small circles 🕊
boosted
I think I have identified a fairly significant flaw in how the #Fediverse currently operates. Hear me out.
The Fediverse currently consists of all sorts of different systems - #Mastodon, #Friendica , #Pixelfed , #PeerTube, #BookWyrm , and so forth. And while they are all connected via the #ActivityPub protocol, they all have different functionalities and different ways of presenting themselves. Which is as it should be, because Diversity Is Our Strength(TM).
However, it is here that the ActivityPub-based interactivity hits its limits - for usually, you can either experience the relevant system as it was intended, or you can interact with it, but not both - _unless_ you have an account on the same system (though not necessarily on the same instance).
Let's say that you are a Mastodon user who looks at another person's BookWyrm page. You scroll through their books, posts, and comments. Then you see some comment you want to comment on yourself, but can you do so?
Not directly. You need to figure out the URL of their comment, and then copy and paste that comment into the search bar of your Mastodon instance. Then it will show up in the same format as a Mastodon post, and you can interact with it - boost it, like it, comment on it.
Sure, it works, but it's a whole lot of tedious effort.
Or you can search for the user account in Mastodon and scroll through all their posts and comments as if they were a Mastodon user - and thus, you will miss out on all the unique user interface features of BookWyrm.
So what is missing?
Well, Mastodon already has an "Open original page" feature when looking at someone's post. What we need is an "Open original page AND AUTHENTICATE" feature. This way, the target instance (whatever software they are using) could acknowledge the viewer as an external user who could nevertheless fully interact with the local user interface, including the ability to boost, like, and make comments.
This is something that should be theoretically possible to implement, right? #FediHelp
I think I have identified a fairly significant flaw in how the #Fediverse currently operates. Hear me out.
The Fediverse currently consists of all sorts of different systems - #Mastodon, #Friendica , #Pixelfed , #PeerTube, #BookWyrm , and so forth. And while they are all connected via the #ActivityPub protocol, they all have different functionalities and different ways of presenting themselves. Which is as it should be, because Diversity Is Our Strength(TM).
However, it is here that the ActivityPub-based interactivity hits its limits - for usually, you can either experience the relevant system as it was intended, or you can interact with it, but not both - _unless_ you have an account on the same system (though not necessarily on the same instance).
Let's say that you are a Mastodon user who looks at another person's BookWyrm page. You scroll through their books, posts, and comments. Then you see some comment you want to comment on yourself, but can you do so?
Not directly. You need to figure out the URL of their comment, and then copy and paste that comment into the search bar of your Mastodon instance. Then it will show up in the same format as a Mastodon post, and you can interact with it - boost it, like it, comment on it.
Sure, it works, but it's a whole lot of tedious effort.
Or you can search for the user account in Mastodon and scroll through all their posts and comments as if they were a Mastodon user - and thus, you will miss out on all the unique user interface features of BookWyrm.
So what is missing?
Well, Mastodon already has an "Open original page" feature when looking at someone's post. What we need is an "Open original page AND AUTHENTICATE" feature. This way, the target instance (whatever software they are using) could acknowledge the viewer as an external user who could nevertheless fully interact with the local user interface, including the ability to boost, like, and make comments.
This is something that should be theoretically possible to implement, right? #FediHelp
I think I have identified a fairly significant flaw in how the #Fediverse currently operates. Hear me out.
The Fediverse currently consists of all sorts of different systems - #Mastodon, #Friendica , #Pixelfed , #PeerTube, #BookWyrm , and so forth. And while they are all connected via the #ActivityPub protocol, they all have different functionalities and different ways of presenting themselves. Which is as it should be, because Diversity Is Our Strength(TM).
However, it is here that the ActivityPub-based interactivity hits its limits - for usually, you can either experience the relevant system as it was intended, or you can interact with it, but not both - _unless_ you have an account on the same system (though not necessarily on the same instance).
Let's say that you are a Mastodon user who looks at another person's BookWyrm page. You scroll through their books, posts, and comments. Then you see some comment you want to comment on yourself, but can you do so?
Not directly. You need to figure out the URL of their comment, and then copy and paste that comment into the search bar of your Mastodon instance. Then it will show up in the same format as a Mastodon post, and you can interact with it - boost it, like it, comment on it.
Sure, it works, but it's a whole lot of tedious effort.
Or you can search for the user account in Mastodon and scroll through all their posts and comments as if they were a Mastodon user - and thus, you will miss out on all the unique user interface features of BookWyrm.
So what is missing?
Well, Mastodon already has an "Open original page" feature when looking at someone's post. What we need is an "Open original page AND AUTHENTICATE" feature. This way, the target instance (whatever software they are using) could acknowledge the viewer as an external user who could nevertheless fully interact with the local user interface, including the ability to boost, like, and make comments.
This is something that should be theoretically possible to implement, right? #FediHelp
It can sometimes be a bit misleading when you get a lot of ideas and feature requests in a community, and the conversations become, “We definitely need feature X to grow because that’s what’s stopping people from using the platform.” While that’s true in some cases, the sad reality is that any flaw can be overlooked as long as the people you want to reach are there. And that’s why so many people are still using X, which, by the way, is an absolutely god-awful platform.
Okay, I actually agree with this.
I don't think we needed quote posts and that's why people weren't using the platform. I think it's just technical and fiddly compared to some other places where you accept the default experience, and that's why it's more popular.
Mastodon and the fediverse don't have an onboarding team. They actually don't even have a financial incentive to bring more people here. It's apples and oranges. It's DIY internet vs. a slick, corporate experience with tens of millions of dollars in investment capital. These two worlds just cannot ever exist on the same playing field, the difference in the level of exposure alone is ridiculous.
(I literally heard someone claim Mastodon had better hurry up and implement quote posts back in 2022 because otherwise Post News was gonna eat the fedi's lunch and now Post News no longer exists, so for all the claims about 'implement feature or else', I'm skeptical).
@oli
I remember the heated debates around whether to implement quote posts a while back.
If I recall Firefish had that functionality which almost nobody used. Most people seem to cope without it.
For me an important USP is the ability to create filters which I haven't come across on any other platform. I use and appreciate the filter function.
The instance I am mostly on has a 1000 character limit which is good enough for me. I occasionally feel the need for longer posts and use a #Friendica account for that. It also has mark-up capability which this Mastodon instance doesn't. Not something that bothers me.
I have come across a site that does carry #Fediverse adverts. Maybe more can be encouraged to carry them...
Martin Holland
boosted
@mho Nice to see that #friendica respresents.
Ulrike Hahn
boosted
🌟 Erinnerung: Heute Abend Fediverse-Sprechstunde! 🌟
🗓️ Montag, 24.11.2025 – 19:30 Uhr
💻 Online & offen für alle Neugierigen
Heute treffen wir uns zur letzten Fediverse-Sprechstunde in diesem Jahr – und es wird richtig spannend! ✨
Unter dem Motto „Willkommen im Fediverse – verbunden über viele Wege“
sprechen wir locker, offen und gemeinsam über alles, was unser dezentrales Netzwerk ausmacht.
💬 Darüber tauschen wir uns aus:
• Was macht das Fediverse stark, offen und unabhängig?
• Welche Hürden und Stolpersteine wir zusammen aus dem Weg räumen können?
• Wie wir das Fediverse sichtbarer, attraktiver & einsteigerfreundlicher gestalten?
• Was euch begeistert – und was euch stört 😉
Ob Anfänger:in, Umsteiger:in oder alter Hase:
👉 Komm gern dazu und bring deine Fragen, Erfahrungen und Ideen mit!
Das Treffen findet auf unserem BigBlueButton-Server statt.
Du brauchst lediglich einen Browser (am besten Firefox oder Chrome), ein Mikrofon 🎙️ und optional eine Webcam. Der Raum öffnet 10 Minuten vor Beginn.
Link zur Veranstaltung:
https://campus.ws-12.de/rooms/8p9-mvy-srr-ynb/join
Wir freuen uns auf euch! ✨💬
#Fediverse #Sprechstunde #Dezentral #FediHilfe #FediCommunity #OnlineTreffen #OffenesWeb #Mastodon #Hubzilla #Friendica #misskey #pixelfed #peertube
2nd Retoot From: @mho
How far will it go this time?
This post from #Mastodon can reach the whole #Fediverse, #Bluesky & more.
That's #Sharkey, #Misskey, #Pixelfed, #Mbin, #Lemmy, #Friendica, #Hometown, #Akkoma…
If you see it, please share it.
#SocialMedia @fediverse
First results 👇🏼
https://social.heise.de/@mho/115587959515516682
@mho Nice to see that #friendica respresents.
🌟 Erinnerung: Heute Abend Fediverse-Sprechstunde! 🌟
🗓️ Montag, 24.11.2025 – 19:30 Uhr
💻 Online & offen für alle Neugierigen
Heute treffen wir uns zur letzten Fediverse-Sprechstunde in diesem Jahr – und es wird richtig spannend! ✨
Unter dem Motto „Willkommen im Fediverse – verbunden über viele Wege“
sprechen wir locker, offen und gemeinsam über alles, was unser dezentrales Netzwerk ausmacht.
💬 Darüber tauschen wir uns aus:
• Was macht das Fediverse stark, offen und unabhängig?
• Welche Hürden und Stolpersteine wir zusammen aus dem Weg räumen können?
• Wie wir das Fediverse sichtbarer, attraktiver & einsteigerfreundlicher gestalten?
• Was euch begeistert – und was euch stört 😉
Ob Anfänger:in, Umsteiger:in oder alter Hase:
👉 Komm gern dazu und bring deine Fragen, Erfahrungen und Ideen mit!
Das Treffen findet auf unserem BigBlueButton-Server statt.
Du brauchst lediglich einen Browser (am besten Firefox oder Chrome), ein Mikrofon 🎙️ und optional eine Webcam. Der Raum öffnet 10 Minuten vor Beginn.
Link zur Veranstaltung:
https://campus.ws-12.de/rooms/8p9-mvy-srr-ynb/join
Wir freuen uns auf euch! ✨💬
#Fediverse #Sprechstunde #Dezentral #FediHilfe #FediCommunity #OnlineTreffen #OffenesWeb #Mastodon #Hubzilla #Friendica #misskey #pixelfed #peertube