TL;DR: The current Mastodon-signup is only removing the confusion of users on first glance, because it either hides the server-choice altogether, or leaves them with a choice that is impossible to …

TL;DR: The current Mastodon-signup is only removing the confusion of users on first glance, because it either hides the server-choice altogether, or leaves them with a choice that is impossible to make at this point of their Mastodon-journey. Instead, it should introduce them to decentrality on a lower scale, with a handful of handpicked servers to choose from, such that the decision makes sense to them and shows them the merits and fun of the concept instead of scaring them away. Ideal would be to give them a sense of agency. Then, chances are higher that they consider migrating again in the future and eventually internalize it as a permanent option of the digital world.

  • nycki@lemmy.worldEnglish
    6·
    11 months ago

    I think the “migration” process needs more work. If you want to hop homeservers, you’re going to lose your whole post history and all your followers. That’s what keeps people stuck, more than the sign-up process itself.

    • KichaeEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      You keep your followers. You set a forwarding address, and everyone gets notified and you get refollowed. It’s just the post history that doesn’t transfer.

      But, like, that’s also true if you jump from Twitter to Threads, or Threads to BlueSky. And you don’t get to keep your followers.

      If people would accept that different Mastodon websites were, well, different websites, it might feel more ok. People don’t expect to have their Reddit posts associates with their Facebook accounts. But that seems to be a step too far for many when the sites all have the same UI.

      Pointers to old posts could be added to your account, at least. But, like, people being ok with the idea that there are more than 5 websites would be good, too.