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Lobsters latest website/microblog
lobster
Veteran
That ^^^ Is my latest MicroBlog.
Only been at a week and hope to set up my own server on the fediverse of Mastodon
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fediverse
It is similar in nature to the ‘Best Of' on NewBuddhist
Very diverse group of peeps posting and sharing … 
5
Comments
I’ve been toying with the idea of setting up a website with a blog… how do you find that is different from an account on a microblogging site?
Ok, I’ll check it out.
This is kinda like what I'd hoped reddit would be more like. I could binge on this all day and feel less bad than just a few minutes on any of the other well known service.
IT is part of the non commercialised fediverse … basically free, no megacorp involvement, no ads ever, diverse interesting engaging users, everyone has a voice.
Set up an account and see it in action.
We create sites with what interests our needs, not what is promoted, privately funded paid for narrow moderated content.
Technically a NewerBuddhist could be hosted there
https://fedi.tips/
Thanks @lobster! I saw that Stephen Fry left Twitter for Mastodon recently so I am glad to read some of the tips and get a bit of a feel for what the Fediverse is.
The whole idea of a federated set of services with cross-service identities and followers seems to me to be a lot more sensible than each service having its own social network with different features.
I will have to make an account and see whats there.
The thing is, I wonder how suited it is going to be to mid-length pieces. I’m more interested in having a place where I can put a few blogs, put up a few photographs and have a site of ‘my stuff’. Maybe I will end up making a website after all.
OK @Jeroen you could set up your own server, blog, pics, website, vids … all free AND find some interesting interaction …
just try it out … then after a week you might be surprised or have further insight into your needs …
I was thinking I might try Weebly or Wix, they have pretty full-featured environments… Or maybe try a blogging site.
Looked at both and have a weebly site @Jeroen
I prefer mastodon
https://www.wired.com/story/the-man-behind-mastodon-eugen-rochko-built-it-for-this-moment/
Projects leading toward more decentralized models of doing things are starting to have bigger and bigger impacts on people's lives. Seemingly for the better. Kinda cool to see more of these things go mainstream.
I was looking at your Weebly site on https://cundi.weebly.com/, it has some interesting Q&A’s, some of it is quite funny. But I wonder who the audience is?
It is about what content you have and who you want to talk to, and what level of interaction you expect to have.
Elon Musk seems to be making a mess at Twitter… have you heard that his latest demand is that employees work 7am to 7pm mon-sun, so a 84 hour working week, for the same salary in order to keep their jobs? Outrageous working practices which seem to be common at Musk’s companies.
There seems to be a mass exodus of employees leaving Twitter…
I read somewhere the company loses 4 million dollars every day as is. A new captain of a sinking ship.. Bail water faster or everyone drowns. I'm not entirely sure he or the business have many alternatives. Especially since the money he was originally going to allocate toward the Twitter re-org has evaporated with the economic downturn. Honestly I was under the impression he was trying to turn it into something like Mastodon but seems like Mastodon is gaining traction faster than he can re-org.
Some amazing commentary on the Twitter situation at DaringFireball.net… the staff count at Twitter seems to be 2500 down from 7500 at the start of Musk’s reign, and falling. DaringFireball says it is almost like a Monty Brewster scenario where Musk is blowing holes in his own sinking ship.
The fastest way to blow your way through 44 bn dollars worth, indeed.
https://daringfireball.net/
All of which is likely to be good for Mastodon.
Crazy. Absolutely. 84 hours a week? C'mon man...............
There were some reports that he later backed down from that, to “at least 40 hours a week”, lol. There go all part-time employees…
I have moved to a new server/instance on Mastodon
Lobster@ecoevo.social
Here is where it gets weird. Communication and who you are following or what your interests are is posted everywhere … unless moderators block certain vested or malevolent interests. So you can not buy self promotion, market share, agenda or news manipulation … everyone sees what they want NOT what Elon Musk or bought corruption can afford. So elitist or unkind groups tend to shrink into oblivion because they can not influence or twist the nature of Mastodon …
It is a true meritocracy of useful people doing good work. It can be very confusing … you have to keep adjusting your priorities …
What a ride though …
The best I can say is … you are all very welcome …
With every influx of new users, there will be growing pains. Part of the learning process of decentralized things seems to be how it often attracts all marginalized groups first. A good product will stand the test though and Mastodon appears to be of that nature.
I made an account and shouted into the void a bit. It was refreshing seeing happy and interesting posts in my feed. I'll probably use it more at some point.
So is this the new link to check you out:
https://ecoevo.social/@lobster
What’s the difference between servers?
Sounds like moderation is a big job.
For some. for sure but they can choose how to manage, share or if deep pockets pay or ask for support for such moderation etc
Some servers have very small numbers of users … some are closed to only family members so may only have 10 members. They can then connect to another server that blocks child sensitive material (for them in a sense) so that family children are protected.
Others such as Trumps or turnip obsessives are isolated by the greater number of servers BUT may be swamped by alternative viewpoints, fact checkers and so on.
… so a kind of shared whole service with pick and choose, rather than force feeding exists …
https://axbom.com/mastodon-guide/
@Linc might be interested in the concept … and we would become a node on the fediverse
@federica might be paid or have a wider choice of trolls to ban 🤭
The potential for reinvigoration and link back exists … for now … Twitter is not responding well but will be bought out or rescued for various reasons …
Have you moved server again, @lobster? I was going to look in on how you were doing but the page at ecoevo.social is giving an error?
@Jeroen
I have indeed moved servers
It is quite possible I am here
https://universeodon.com/@Lobstered
As a lesson in impermanence, I lost all my toots or tweets (in twitter language) and left without providing a forwarding server.
However I am meeting trolls, elves, pagans, semi and actual Buddhists, religious nut jobs (so I feel right at home) and all manner of diversity and wonderment …
Happy New Year One an' All 🙏🏽🪷🦞
This is where it gets interesting … You can set up a server with pieces of any length that has a membership of 1 or if you let me and a few others join maybe more.
You then because it is federated can link it back to Newbuddhist, have a closed area and also broadcast to the whole of the federation or fediverse.
It is kinda chaos … a bit like humans …
You can have ads for your programming skills if you want … so some servers DO advertise
So if @Linc had a server he could advertise or you could, Vanilla forums software or whatever …
You can access the fediverse from phone apps, Ipad Apps (I am using Metatext) browsers on any computer format Windows, Chrome, Linux etc
Wild? oh yeah! it spins you right around …
I enjoy interacting with reasonably spiritually advanced people, and finding a community of such is not so easy. Newbuddhist is pretty good, but the diversity of mastodon sounds a bit challenging, one can end up spending a lot of energy to no avail.
@Jeroen I understand the need for simplicity and strict moderation that NewBuddhist offers and focuses on. It is a healthy and empowering place to be. A modern virtual Sangha.
… mastodon as part of the even larger fediverse is much more scattered let us say … and when people find a server and set themselves up, they find it calm and kind. They are often welcomed, greeted and treated conversationally.
There is a learning curve, for sure. If exploring, take your time, it can be fascinating because so many people are posting, art, photographs, spirituality etc. and you can follow or find ideas as well as people. That is very different.
I will set up a hashtag called #NewBuddhist … and start to populate it a little. So if starting you will be able to find it … if you wish
https://fedi.tips/
This might be my latest location (not entirely sure)
https://universeodon.com/@Lobstered
what a strange experience … a bit like being in a herd of cats, without mind or reason
Or sitting with an undisciplined mind
Or switching channels on TV … at random intervals
Wild!
Interesting, no doubt, a lot to learn.
Still learning.
For me it was a study of my ignorance and realization that once on the road of Mahayana Bodhisattva vowing to save all beings, the workload is endless …
… and @Linc … what does this mean? Do we have a minimum post size … upgrades I bet