6 ms·

mastodon's tooting...

by jonnycomputer 7y ago

echelon 7y ago
Exactly, it's really gross. This isn't going to catch on in the mainstream. Mastodon seriously needs a rebrand.
- gsich 7y ago
  It works in german. "tröten", also the original developer is from germany.
  - jamesrcole 7y ago
    Social communications software is all about the number of users. It needs to able to catch on everywhere. A term that sounds embarassing to many of its potential users is a real problem.
    - iamnothere 7y ago
      As a modestly funded project, Mastodon is never going to achieve "hockey stick" growth, and it would probably be overwhelmed if this happened. It's better for them to pursue a strategy of gradual, steady growth. Mastodon is continuing to grow steadily, and it does so in the face of established players who can outspend and outrun them. 2 million users is pretty damn good for an open source project that doesn't have a marketing budget to speak of. In addition, it's time to drop the notion that every platform has to serve every type of user. As demonstrated by the problems facing Twitter, it is probably better to have many different platforms serving different audiences. Mass media inevitably reaches for the lowest common denominator.
      - jamesrcole 7y ago
        The terminology is still going to seriously hinder uptake. All of what you said can be true and better terminology would still be better for them.
        iamnothere 7y ago
        I guess I'm a cynic, but: > Breaking news. In a series of explosive toots... > The foreign minister was forced to resign after a number of offensive toots... > Everyone's talking about what J K Rowling tooted today... If the age of tweet-reporting ends because of "toots" then I am all for it. As for your other examples, you have a decent point. > OMG, your toots are so funny!... > I can't believe you tooted that!... I can see how this might feel weird for some people, at least in the English-speaking world. But people thought "tweeting" was ridiculous, and they made fun of it relentlessly. In the end it doesn't matter all that much.
        jamesrcole 7y ago
        > But people thought "tweeting" was ridiculous, and they made fun of it relentlessly. I don't think the terms "tweeting" and "tooting" are in the same ballpark in terms of how ridiculous they sound to people. > In the end it doesn't matter all that much. But naming does matter, which is why companies spend huge sums on it each year. (Btw I removed those examples from my earlier comment as I felt they weren't relevant to the topic we were originally discussing, which was the name Madstodon)
        prophesi 7y ago
        Honestly, the name doesn't matter once the network effect kicks in.
        jamesrcole 7y ago
        But the naming (especially "toot", less so "Mastodon") will likely stop the network effect kicking in IMO. I think it's that bad.
        gsich 7y ago
        Just your opinion.
- mikekchar 7y ago
  Interestingly it is relatively popular in Japan (to the point where someone non-technical asked me if I used it the other day!) It's really only an issue for English speakers (though in the context of HN that seems like the whole world ;-) ). I think it would be pretty darn easy to maintain a rebranded fork, though.
  - WAHa_06x36 7y ago
    It is also not an issue for "English speakers", just a subset of them.
- kermitismyhero 7y ago
  Mastodon and similar projects like Pleroma are old school wild-west open source distributed endeavours, not "notice me, Facebook-senpai!" SV startups. Anyone who thinks that the developers and users involved in those projects give a damn about branding is deeply out of touch with that culture.
jonnycomputer 7y ago
to be fair, tooting also means to blow one's horn. Which come to think of it, also sounds pretty funny. More seriously, the American Heritage Dictionary gives the following definition: v. To sound a horn or whistle in short blasts. v. To make the sound of a horn or whistle blown in short blasts or a sound resembling it. v. Slang To snort cocaine. None of which is to fart. I do wonder if that meaning is a regionalism?
- WAHa_06x36 7y ago
  It very much is, and those who live in those regions have no idea that it is.
  - jonnycomputer 7y ago
    but which regions. i'm from california.

mastodon's tooting...

echelon 7y ago

Exactly, it's really gross. This isn't going to catch on in the mainstream. Mastodon seriously needs a rebrand.

gsich 7y ago
It works in german. "tröten", also the original developer is from germany.
- jamesrcole 7y ago
  Social communications software is all about the number of users. It needs to able to catch on everywhere. A term that sounds embarassing to many of its potential users is a real problem.
  - iamnothere 7y ago
    As a modestly funded project, Mastodon is never going to achieve "hockey stick" growth, and it would probably be overwhelmed if this happened. It's better for them to pursue a strategy of gradual, steady growth. Mastodon is continuing to grow steadily, and it does so in the face of established players who can outspend and outrun them. 2 million users is pretty damn good for an open source project that doesn't have a marketing budget to speak of. In addition, it's time to drop the notion that every platform has to serve every type of user. As demonstrated by the problems facing Twitter, it is probably better to have many different platforms serving different audiences. Mass media inevitably reaches for the lowest common denominator.
    - jamesrcole 7y ago
      The terminology is still going to seriously hinder uptake. All of what you said can be true and better terminology would still be better for them.
      - iamnothere 7y ago
        I guess I'm a cynic, but: > Breaking news. In a series of explosive toots... > The foreign minister was forced to resign after a number of offensive toots... > Everyone's talking about what J K Rowling tooted today... If the age of tweet-reporting ends because of "toots" then I am all for it. As for your other examples, you have a decent point. > OMG, your toots are so funny!... > I can't believe you tooted that!... I can see how this might feel weird for some people, at least in the English-speaking world. But people thought "tweeting" was ridiculous, and they made fun of it relentlessly. In the end it doesn't matter all that much.
        jamesrcole 7y ago
        > But people thought "tweeting" was ridiculous, and they made fun of it relentlessly. I don't think the terms "tweeting" and "tooting" are in the same ballpark in terms of how ridiculous they sound to people. > In the end it doesn't matter all that much. But naming does matter, which is why companies spend huge sums on it each year. (Btw I removed those examples from my earlier comment as I felt they weren't relevant to the topic we were originally discussing, which was the name Madstodon)
        prophesi 7y ago
        Honestly, the name doesn't matter once the network effect kicks in.
        jamesrcole 7y ago
        But the naming (especially "toot", less so "Mastodon") will likely stop the network effect kicking in IMO. I think it's that bad.
      - gsich 7y ago
        Just your opinion.
mikekchar 7y ago
Interestingly it is relatively popular in Japan (to the point where someone non-technical asked me if I used it the other day!) It's really only an issue for English speakers (though in the context of HN that seems like the whole world ;-) ). I think it would be pretty darn easy to maintain a rebranded fork, though.
- WAHa_06x36 7y ago
  It is also not an issue for "English speakers", just a subset of them.
kermitismyhero 7y ago
Mastodon and similar projects like Pleroma are old school wild-west open source distributed endeavours, not "notice me, Facebook-senpai!" SV startups. Anyone who thinks that the developers and users involved in those projects give a damn about branding is deeply out of touch with that culture.

jonnycomputer 7y ago

to be fair, tooting also means to blow one's horn. Which come to think of it, also sounds pretty funny. More seriously, the American Heritage Dictionary gives the following definition: v. To sound a horn or whistle in short blasts. v. To make the sound of a horn or whistle blown in short blasts or a sound resembling it. v. Slang To snort cocaine. None of which is to fart. I do wonder if that meaning is a regionalism?

WAHa_06x36 7y ago
It very much is, and those who live in those regions have no idea that it is.
- jonnycomputer 7y ago
  but which regions. i'm from california.