@feditips I feel like this is the same pains we feel in the WordPress space. OS let's forking happen. This might happen. Who knows. But thanks for a great thread.

@feditips That's a change that must be reversed. We need the strength of diversity.
(Yes, I'm on mastodon.social, but I joined when it was smallish.)

@feditips my nonconspiracy brain tells me this might be a good thing as it would make it easy to get started and then once you reach a threshold of following you could be nudged to move off to a different server. Kinda like windows and installing programs

@feditips I started on Mastodon.social, but always planned that to be a temporary thing. Just stayed long enough to figure out Mastodon and then find a server that I liked.

@feditips I highly recommend Ice Cubes.

@feditips Personally I can recommend @Tusky as client for #Mastodon on #Android since it's also available on @fdroidorg.

It really comes close to the ancient #TweetDeck #mobile app and @mariotaku's #Twidere...

@feditips Just did what you said. That sucks.

Commented on your GitHub issue:

https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon-ios/issues/1023#issuecomment-1517000800

(why your account is named "FediVideos" instead of "FediTips" or "FediThing", like your personal account linked in your profile?)

@feditips How about replacing the mastodon.social button with a "random server" button to put them on any general-purpose instance that has open registrations? That should spread people around more @Gargron

@feditips
I've watched people here saying "we need to simplify the sign up process, to get more people onto Mastodon"
Doesn't this help do this this, while also providing a way for people to just as easily pick their own server?
Your thoughts, people 🙇‍♂️🙏❤️....

@feditips I appreciate your being careful to make this about the fediverse, not Mastodon or Eugen.

Here's why I welcome the change.

We are losing *so many* users to server choice. I only have anecdata and wish I had more. But just last night, a tech product manager emailed me his whole list of hobbies and interests, saying he was "at a loss" for how to join Mastodon.

If we don't grow the fediverse now, centralized competitors will win and nothing will change. (1/2)

@feditips I reckon this problem could be fixed at the code level by using the SOLID project from Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Actually I'm surprised that Mastodon hasn't jumped onboard already.
His solution would effectively transfer data ownership to every user, who could host his data anywhere and then authorise what applications can access it. It would ruin once and for all the "American way" of corporate-bully culture.

@feditips I think this is a good thing. Choosing a server is hard. Really hard. I first picked a server that ended up going away (I got locked out because their 2FA stopped working and couldn't migrate my account out, and the admin got sick and stopped running it). Then I tried mastodon.social. And that was when I actually started really using mastodon. Finally I found a server that fit me, I knew the admins, etc, and I moved to THAT.

@feditips

"1. Tell new people to use third party apps, they are better anyway and have more features"

The irony here is that when I got on in very early November 2022, I went for a week before I even considered an "app"

I read the reviews

The "official" Mastodon app consistently received poor reviews -- and I'm not talking about the fluff at the App Store

Most of the early-adopters (who IDd the app they were using at all) were having problems with the "official" Mastodon app

This design choice was probably made because they found that when forced to choose a server, many people just give up and don’t join Mastodon at all. Maybe they could still offer a button that picks the server for you but it’s chosen at random from all the general instances on joinmastodon.org

@feditips worst case scenario it ends up like email is at the moment we are technically anybody can set up a server but don't expect your messages to be delivered reliably if you're not with one of the top five biggest servers run by major corporations (because spam filtering) anybody who is tried to set up their own email server will understand why this is an issue

I desperately hope this kind of thing doesn't happen to activitypub/Mastodon

@feditips One great solution would be a rotating server suggestion based on a dynamic independent list of open servers. Users would get their easy choice, but they'd be distributed. Should be really easy to implement.

@feditips I agree with Fedtips and understand those who say it's difficult for some users to choose a server. I chose Mastodon.social without knowing what it was and whether it was a good server. The solution seems to be a program that would rotate the servers. Rotation will ensure that all servers get the same amount of users.

@feditips I see the issue, but at the same time, this is an attempt to make joining Mastodon less confusing and you're just saying "don't do it" rather than "here is a better way to achieve this goal." I mean, you could just give people a randomized instance, but then you run the risk that some people wind up on crap instances.

So what is your solution?

@feditips Honestly I don't see this as an issue, in fact I welcome it.

It's like Linux, want to get more involved or dig deeper? You have ton of options!

Want to just use your PC and not be bothered by the OS? Install Ubuntu like the vast majority of users.

Asking too many questions or choices is an immediate negative for most people, having an easy default is great! It wasn't the end for Linux to have it, and it won't be the end for the Fediverse!

@feditips Not to mention so many instances block mastodon.social because of poor moderation and abuse, which means all these new people will be missing out on some of the most informative and diverse voices of the Fediverse without even realizing it.