4 ms·
Before you write anything, please understand what Mastodon actually is. It is one of many pieces of software which uses the ActivityPub protocol to exchange mes
by Cyberdog 4y ago
Before you write anything, please understand what Mastodon actually is. It is one of many pieces of software which uses the ActivityPub protocol to exchange messages between servers. There is no "Mastodon network" and using that term is like calling the web "the Chrome network" or calling email "the Gmail network." - the commonly-accepted term is "the fediverse" but you can call it "the ActivityPub network" if that sounds too silly. Similarly, trying to explain the experience of "using Mastodon" should be like explaining using a web browser; it's just a piece of software which can show you almost any sort of content, so there's really no singular experience you can have.
In these regards, the OP article is yet another example of journalism from the last few weeks gushing about and/or bashing on "Mastodon" without really understanding what it is and conflating it with the underlying network, which existed before Mastodon and will probably exist after it.
- shortformblog 4y agoI’ve been using it for five years. I know.
- schuyler2d 4y agoI have news for you -- the public barely understands webbrowsers -- mostly not. Yes, we could take the time to explain that "the Internet" isn't just the web -- but you'll just lose your original point. I'd rather accept "Mastodon" as a (maybe temporary) moniker while we bootstrap familiarity. The worst that happens is people ask if something else is "compatible with Mastodon" which may end being a good baseline anyway if Twitter or another company try an Embrace-and-extend move
- Cyberdog 4y agoIt's fine if the public barely understands web browsers, so long as they are not journalists or other people with a facade of seriousness and stature writing articles explaining how web browsers work and why they're better or worse than gopher browsers or whatever.
- BeetleB 4y ago> I have news for you -- the public barely understands webbrowsers -- mostly not. It's also fine if most of the public doesn't understand Mastodon.