4 ms·

I just downloaded the app for a second time and tried to create an account. I failed. I thought I'd try mastodon.social but couldn't find it on any of the list

by tjpnz 4y ago

I just downloaded the app for a second time and tried to create an account. I failed. I thought I'd try mastodon.social but couldn't find it on any of the lists so chose the search option. Found it but it wouldn't let me register an account. Go go site, there's a register button but rather than taking me to a signup form I just get a big wall of text about how I can't be a sexist or a transphobe. Fine, I won't. But why can't I register?

vidarh 4y ago
So you pre-decided to sign up for a specific instance which was closed to signups and is then surprised you can't sign up. Go to joinmastodon.org or instances.social, not directly to a specific instance.
- tjpnz 4y ago
  >So you pre-decided to sign up for a specific instance which was closed to signups and is then surprised you can't sign up. I saw that elonjet had found a new home there so assumed I wouldn't have any trouble signing up. The "Create Account" button on mastodon.social seemed promising too.
  - LightG 4y ago
    Just take your time and get familiar. I wemt through some teething troubles but have found it to be worth it.
  - vidarh 4y ago
    The "Create Account" button does indeed let you create a Mastodon account. Just not on mastodon.social. I can't seem to reconcile your description with what happens when you press that button, though.
    - Tassels 4y ago
      The official app has a significantly shittier UX than the webui. Third party apps provide a better experience, but randos who haven't already been on mastodon for years don't know that. This is where I've found a lot of the friction lives.
- cge 4y ago
  If users are confused by this process, then maybe the explanation of the process is the problem, not the users.
  - vidarh 4y ago
    There are certainly improvements to be made, but people seem to largely figure it out. I'll note that if you click "Create Account" on mastodon.social at the moment on desktop, it shows a modal that explains that you can interact no matter which Mastodon server you sign up on, then shows a "On this server" explaining mastodon.social is currently closed for signups, reminds people that they don't need an account on mastodon.social to use mastodon, then a "On a different server" header that explains that you can create an account on a different server, with a big blue "Find another server" button taking you to joinmastodon.org/server. I'm sure this still confuses some people (and more confusingly, if you narrow the window enough the "create account" button takes you straight to the link above without explanation; that doesn't seem like great UX), and I'd love to see tweaks to make it better, but the above seemed odd to me, not least because it doesn't seem like they've tried the regular registration flow, so I have no clue what it is they actually did. It seems maybe they've clicked the "Learn more" link, given the description about a "wall of text" about what they can't do?
ceejayoz 4y ago
That server is swamped with registrations and had to pause them. Pick another.
- skissane 4y ago
  This kind of friction at even getting started doesn’t bode well for Mastodon’s success - forcing people to pick a server: how do they choose? Go with the one everyone talks about? Closed to new signups. Pick some other one, run the risk that it closes (the owner gets bored, it becomes too much work, they find keeping it up and stable too hard). Or else that it gets “defederated”, and hence you get effectively banned, because someone else disagrees with moderation decisions of the owner which are nothing to do with you personally. And even if none of that happens, and the server you pick turns out to be a good one - then your friend asks you how to join Mastodon, you direct them to the server you use, but it is closed to sign-ups due to popularity, so they have the same issue. I can’t be bothered. I’m sure I’m hardly the only one.
  - ceejayoz 4y ago
    > This kind of friction at even getting started doesn’t bode well for Mastodon’s success - forcing people to pick a server: how do they choose? It's important to know that moving between servers is fairly well implemented; a few clicks and your followers will automatially migrate over to the new one. Your first pick doesn't have to be final.
  - hk__2 4y ago
    > This kind of friction at even getting started doesn’t bode well for Mastodon’s success - forcing people to pick a server: how do they choose? This is exactly the same thing as creating an email address, and as far as I know no-one is complaining because they have to choose a server/domain to use.
    - skissane 4y ago
      Most people get given an email by their workplace, school or ISP. Or there are big corporations like Google and Microsoft offering them (for free and paid). None of that is true for Mastodon now, which makes it not “exactly the same thing” at all

by tjpnz 4y ago

vidarh 4y ago

So you pre-decided to sign up for a specific instance which was closed to signups and is then surprised you can't sign up. Go to joinmastodon.org or instances.social, not directly to a specific instance.

tjpnz 4y ago
>So you pre-decided to sign up for a specific instance which was closed to signups and is then surprised you can't sign up. I saw that elonjet had found a new home there so assumed I wouldn't have any trouble signing up. The "Create Account" button on mastodon.social seemed promising too.
- LightG 4y ago
  Just take your time and get familiar. I wemt through some teething troubles but have found it to be worth it.
- vidarh 4y ago
  The "Create Account" button does indeed let you create a Mastodon account. Just not on mastodon.social. I can't seem to reconcile your description with what happens when you press that button, though.
  - Tassels 4y ago
    The official app has a significantly shittier UX than the webui. Third party apps provide a better experience, but randos who haven't already been on mastodon for years don't know that. This is where I've found a lot of the friction lives.
cge 4y ago
If users are confused by this process, then maybe the explanation of the process is the problem, not the users.
- vidarh 4y ago
  There are certainly improvements to be made, but people seem to largely figure it out. I'll note that if you click "Create Account" on mastodon.social at the moment on desktop, it shows a modal that explains that you can interact no matter which Mastodon server you sign up on, then shows a "On this server" explaining mastodon.social is currently closed for signups, reminds people that they don't need an account on mastodon.social to use mastodon, then a "On a different server" header that explains that you can create an account on a different server, with a big blue "Find another server" button taking you to joinmastodon.org/server. I'm sure this still confuses some people (and more confusingly, if you narrow the window enough the "create account" button takes you straight to the link above without explanation; that doesn't seem like great UX), and I'd love to see tweaks to make it better, but the above seemed odd to me, not least because it doesn't seem like they've tried the regular registration flow, so I have no clue what it is they actually did. It seems maybe they've clicked the "Learn more" link, given the description about a "wall of text" about what they can't do?

ceejayoz 4y ago

That server is swamped with registrations and had to pause them. Pick another.

skissane 4y ago
This kind of friction at even getting started doesn’t bode well for Mastodon’s success - forcing people to pick a server: how do they choose? Go with the one everyone talks about? Closed to new signups. Pick some other one, run the risk that it closes (the owner gets bored, it becomes too much work, they find keeping it up and stable too hard). Or else that it gets “defederated”, and hence you get effectively banned, because someone else disagrees with moderation decisions of the owner which are nothing to do with you personally. And even if none of that happens, and the server you pick turns out to be a good one - then your friend asks you how to join Mastodon, you direct them to the server you use, but it is closed to sign-ups due to popularity, so they have the same issue. I can’t be bothered. I’m sure I’m hardly the only one.
- ceejayoz 4y ago
  > This kind of friction at even getting started doesn’t bode well for Mastodon’s success - forcing people to pick a server: how do they choose? It's important to know that moving between servers is fairly well implemented; a few clicks and your followers will automatially migrate over to the new one. Your first pick doesn't have to be final.
- hk__2 4y ago
  > This kind of friction at even getting started doesn’t bode well for Mastodon’s success - forcing people to pick a server: how do they choose? This is exactly the same thing as creating an email address, and as far as I know no-one is complaining because they have to choose a server/domain to use.
  - skissane 4y ago
    Most people get given an email by their workplace, school or ISP. Or there are big corporations like Google and Microsoft offering them (for free and paid). None of that is true for Mastodon now, which makes it not “exactly the same thing” at all