Mastodon: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:37, 22 February 2022

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Mastodon logo
	Mastodon
Website	joinmastodon.org

Official instance	mastodon.social
Official instance 2	mastodon.online
List of instances	fediverse.observer
Mastodon account	@mastodon

Mastodon is a microblogging platform and one of the Fediverse's replacements for Twitter.

What does Mastodon feel like?

Mastodon is a lot like Twitter.
You can write short messages, add pictures, videos, audo, image/video/audio descriptions, content warnings and polls.
You can @ other people on the Fediverse in your posts and send private messages.
You can use hashtags and find posts based on hashtags.

What are some advantages over Twitter?

With Mastodon you can post longer posts - usually 500 characters, though some instances have even larger character limits.
There is no algorithm deciding what you get to see and what not, but the feed is chronological and based on who you follow and what the people you follow boost.
On Twitter & Co the algorithm doesn't necessarily show you what you want to see, but amplifies hate and controversy, to keep you watching ads as long as possible.
If you have a lot of followers on Twitter expect to have a narrower reach on Mastodon, but the people who follow you are usually more happy to interact with you in a meaningful way.

Comparison of microblogging services
	Twitter	Mastodon	Ecko	Pleroma	GNU Social	Misskey
character limit	280	500	admin decision
feed	algorithmic	chronological
reach	far	familiar

What are some limitations?

With all the advantages, like Twitter, Mastodon still has some limitations.

Some things that are fixed and the admins can't change for their instances:

character limit (500)
poll options (4)
profile fields (4)
max number of pinned posts (5)

Other limitations:

you can't follow hashtags
you can't edit your posts (only delete and redraft them)

What are Mastodon forks and why use them?

A fork is a derivative software. So Mastodon forks are software based on Mastodon.
They look and feel mostly like Mastodon, but some have some extra features that e.g. address some of the limitations mentioned above.

	Mastodon	Ecko	Cordigon	Fedibird	Glitch-Soc	Hometown	Smalltown
editable character limit	✖️	✔️	with config file	✖️	with config file	✖️	with config file
editable poll options	✖️	✔️	✖️	✖️	with config file	✖️	✖️
local posts	✖️	✔️	✖️	✖️	✖️	✔️	✖️
changeable favicon	via terminal	✔️	via terminal	via terminal	via terminal	via terminal	via terminal
ex-/importable blocklist	✖️	✔️	✖️	✖️	✖️	✖️	✖️
Installable via YunoHost	not currently	✔️	✖️	✖️	✔️	✖️	✖️

Ecko

Main artilce: What is Ecko?

Ecko is a Mastodon fork that has a lot of cool features.
Admins can change the limits on post characters, poll options & profile fields.
So on an Ecko instance you might e.g. have a 5000 character limit for posts and can create polls with 10 options.

Furthermore local posts are possible. Meaning posts only other users of the same instance can see. This might strengthen the community spirit.

External Links

Main article: Mastodon weblinks

Guides

What is Mastodon (video)
Getting started with Mastodon
Guide to Mastodon
Mastodon: Friendly Microblogging

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 <languages/>
 <translate>
+<!--T:1-->
 {{Infobox |title=Mastodon |website=joinmastodon.org |instance=mastodon.social |instance2=mastodon.online |mastohandle=@mastodon |mastoinstance=mastodon.social}}
 Mastodon is a microblogging platform and one of the [[What is the Fediverse? | Fediverse]]'s replacements for Twitter.
-== What does Mastodon feel like? ==
+== What does Mastodon feel like? == <!--T:2-->
+<!--T:3-->
 Mastodon is a lot like Twitter. <br>
 You can write short messages, add pictures, videos, audo, image/video/audio descriptions, content warnings and polls. <br>
@@ Line 11: / Line 13: @@
 You can use hashtags and find posts based on hashtags.
-== What are some advantages over Twitter? ==
+== What are some advantages over Twitter? == <!--T:4-->
+<!--T:5-->
 With Mastodon you can post longer posts - usually 500 characters, though some instances have even larger character limits. <br>
 There is no algorithm deciding what you get to see and what not, but the feed is chronological and based on who you follow and what the people you follow boost. <br>
@@ Line 18: / Line 21: @@
 If you have a lot of followers on Twitter expect to have a narrower reach on Mastodon, but the people who follow you are usually more happy to interact with you in a meaningful way.
+<!--T:6-->
 {| class="wikitable"
 |+ Comparison of microblogging services
@@ Line 42: / Line 46: @@
 |}
-== What are some limitations? ==
+== What are some limitations? == <!--T:7-->
+<!--T:8-->
 With all the advantages, like Twitter, Mastodon still has some limitations.
+<!--T:9-->
 Some things that are fixed and the admins can't change for their instances:
+<!--T:10-->
 * character limit (500)
 * poll options (4)
@@ Line 53: / Line 60: @@
 * max number of pinned posts (5)
+<!--T:11-->
 Other limitations:
+<!--T:12-->
 * you can't follow hashtags
 * you can't edit your posts (only delete and redraft them)
-== What are Mastodon forks and why use them? ==
+== What are Mastodon forks and why use them? == <!--T:13-->
+<!--T:14-->
 A fork is a derivative software. So Mastodon forks are software based on Mastodon. <br>
 They look and feel mostly like Mastodon, but some have some extra features that e.g. address some of the limitations mentioned above.
+<!--T:15-->
 {| class="wikitable"
 |
@@ Line 128: / Line 139: @@
 |}
-==== Ecko ====
+==== Ecko ==== <!--T:16-->
+<!--T:17-->
 ''Main artilce: [[What is Ecko?]]''
+<!--T:18-->
 Ecko is a Mastodon fork that has a lot of cool features. <br>
 Admins can change the limits on post characters, poll options & profile fields. <br>
 So on an Ecko instance you might e.g. have a 5000 character limit for posts and can create polls with 10 options. <br>
+<!--T:19-->
 Furthermore local posts are possible. Meaning posts only other users of the same instance can see. This might strengthen the community spirit.
-== Further Reading ==
+== Further Reading == <!--T:20-->
+<!--T:21-->
 [[How do I get an account?]] <br>
 [[Mastodon features explained]]<br>
@@ Line 147: / Line 162: @@
 [[Mastodon]] - the advanced page on Mastodon
-== External Links ==
+== External Links == <!--T:22-->
+<!--T:23-->
 ''Main article: [[Fediverse weblinks#Mastodon | Mastodon weblinks]]''
+<!--T:24-->
 '''Guides'''
+<!--T:25-->
 [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/What_is_Mastodon.webm What is Mastodon (video)] <br>
 [https://kevq.uk/getting-started-with-mastodon/ Getting started with Mastodon] <br>
@@ Line 158: / Line 176: @@
 [https://android.izzysoft.de/articles/named/fediverse-2?lang=en Mastodon: Friendly Microblogging] <br>
+<!--T:26-->
 [[Category:What is]] [[Category:Mastodon]] [[Category:What are Fediverse projects?]] [[Category:Beginners guide]]
 </translate>