8mo ago

Mastodon Follow Packs

mastodonmigration.wordpress.com

Mastodon Follow Pack Directory – Nov 18, 2024

A popular feature of BlueSky that really gets new users' feeds going is their Starter Packs.

Mastodon Migration Blog is replicating this good idea for the Fediverse with follow packs. These are csv files that can be downloaded and imported into Mastodon to follow a bunch of users around a topic.

26 comments

While I appreciate the idea, that is far too complicated for the average user.
- This process is indeed much clunkier than bluesky and not really accessible to a new user, but it's a good start and perhaps some servers or 3rd party apps could streamline this eventually? Even just going account-by-account in the list a dozen times and following each one manually would fill an empty feed pretty well.
  
  The Pixelfed developer is actively working to get a streamlined solution for Starter Packs out for all kinds of ActivityPub servers that will use existing APIs and methods that already exist within the protocol. He mentioned it should be available in beta in a day or two.
  https://github.com/pixelfed/apska
- Why?
  
  As soon as someone that is similar to most people in my life sees the words “.csv” and “hamburger menu” their eyes will glaze over and they’ll bounce.
  Plus there’s step number 4 that I know will scare folks away…
  Select Import and Export >>> Import >>> Import type dropdown: “Lists” (NOT “Following list”) >>> Verify that ‘Merge’ is selected >>> Browse >>> Select “[file name] – list.csv” >>> Upload >>> Confirm
  
  Because this is the average user.
Misskey and its forks have had user recommendations for forever now. Suddenly this is an issue for Mastodon, but it wouldn't have been an issue for the fediverse if Mastodon didn't have a functional monopoly over the conversation.
- Bluesky's success is really showing Mastodon's shortcomings
  
  It's really showing the huge issues with fediverse monoculture, too, that is driven in no small part by Mastodon. Mastodon is designed with very limited theming, very limited ability to self-brand, etc. It's designed so that every Mastodon website looks just like every other. This gives most people the impression that Mastodon is a place on the Internet, in the same way that, say, Facebook is, rather than a website platform like WordPress.
  The magic of being able to see what people post on other websites from the one you're using gets totally overwritten by the expectation that everything is actually the same place. And once you have that expectation, Mastodon kind of feels broken. "What do you mean I can't see all of the comments? Why not?", "What do you mean you're denying me access to those people over there?", etc.
  And don't even get me started on the people lobbying for limited functionality because they want to own the commons and dictate how people use the public and open communication protocol.
  It's all so frustrating, and sad.
- I use misskey too, but I wouldn't call user recommendations the same as BlueSky Starter Packs or this. It's more of a starting point for specific topics rather than just generally popular users or algorithmically determined recommendations. Instead it's a set of lists of curated users for people to get their feed started, who will then follow more people that those users boost.
  Unrelated: Maybe it's just my Japanese misskey instance and followings, but most people there just say they woke up, had a nice meal, came back from work, or just the random thought on their mind, and a lot of supporting reactions under each.
  
  Not the same, no, but it offers enough to get people started, and keep them happy.
  Which Mastodon just kind of refuses to do.
Nice idea, will follow how this develops, but — FFS, the pack CSVs are all on Google Docs.
Independent, trustworthy repository, plz.
- You're free to rehost them somewhere and if you contact them, they might even mention it on their site.
  
  I'm not criticising my right to put in extra work to make promising efforts available on platforms that do not track users; I criticise the fact that the developers didn't do this in the first place.
  But good work putting the onus on me, you complete corporate rando.
The Mammoth for Mastodon app has curated smart lists and a For You feed. It can also suggest people to follow based on your interests. I think that’s an easier way to get new users started vs importing a csv file which the average internet user will be too lazy to do.
These are csv files that can be downloaded and imported into Mastodon
Yeah, okay, I mean, it’s a step in the right direction, room for improvement, but we’re gonna get there… one day…
- That's the spirit!

26 comments