As in the title, is lemmy.world like r/all? I’m just trying to get a handle on how this decentralized server angle works, and sorting out how to post beyond people on the lemmy.ca server. Can anyone explain it like I’m a moron, because I am.

  • returnofblank@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Data syncs between all the servers.

    All the servers are linked, sending and receiving data to each other. If someone makes an account, post, comment, or community; it gets sent to every other server that’s running Lemmy. This allows someone from different servers to interact with each other.

    This comment I’m making is actually an example of this. I am from lemmy.world, but you are from lemmy.ca as shown from our usernames. Because both our servers are talking to each other, I am allowed to see and interact with you.

    Posts from lemmy.ca should be able to show up for everyone else, and lemmy.world is not like r/all, they both see the same stuff. Although it’s possible to only view data from your own server by selecting “local” at the top of the page.

    It’s like usenet if you have experience with that.

    To be fair, the way it’s currently implemented is not the most user friendly. By default, only local posts from your server show up. You need to manually select “all” or “subscribed” to view posts outside of your server. It also makes it hard for users to choose which server to make an account on. Some servers even hide some stuff like downvotes, which is what Beehaw does.

    • DoctorPlasmatronOP
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      1 year ago

      yes, usenet user from way back, so this all makes sense. So I could start the group “spandex hamsters” all about making ballet unitards for hamsters, and it will show up as a community for all Lemmy users (Lemmings?). ie. everyone has the ability to make alt.hamsters.spandex in the old Usenet parlance.

      cool beans, thanks.

        • DoctorPlasmatronOP
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          1 year ago

          great graphic thanks!

          so what happens if the server i have a user account on disappears? does my account disappear and I just make a new one on a different server? do all the posts/comments disappear like if a user deletes their account on reddit?

          • TheSaneWriter@vlemmy.net
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            1 year ago

            To answer one of your questions, right now you would have to just make a new profile. Instance exports and imports are being discussed but are currently unimplemented.

          • Zamboniman
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            1 year ago

            so what happens if the server i have a user account on disappears?

            Then, as things stand right now, your account disappears too. Work is being done on enabling some kind of account migration to solve this issue.

            does my account disappear and I just make a new one on a different server?

            Yes, you would have to do exactly that. Even as it stands you can create another account on another server (including using the same username, but the rest of it would be different, so instead of @[email protected] it would be @[email protected], for example) just to have a backup. Of course, it won’t share your post and vote history, or subscribed communities or anything.

      • Zamboniman
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        1 year ago

        So I could start the group “spandex hamsters” all about making ballet unitards for hamsters

        I’m in! Where do I subscribe?