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Is there a simple video or document that could explain to an idiot how this service works? #toot #mastodon #confused
Welcome to the Fediverse!
Just a few days ago I have written a short(ish) summary for a few twitter refugees, maybe there are some useful things in it for you as well.
https://write.grin.hu/globally-echoing-notes/welcome-to-the-fediverse-some-thoughts-follow
Be aware that I do not conform to the generally expected fanatic love of the fediverse, I'm just using it alongside other services.
You're doing quite well (better than the average idiot I know!). Use #hashtags to mention a subject. People on each 'instance' can find that 'toot' through the #hashtag.
For the rest... it depends on what you aim to do here. 🙂
@paulkater You are slightly mistaken: nobody can find a toot through #hastag's but local users and those how happen to be on an instance where some user have pulled that specific message to (and notice how convoluted this explanation was). 🤷
@paulkater It is mindboggingly unreliable, since the results depend on the local users and who they follow.
When you see a foreign post you can check who follows the poster and surely you will see someone on the instance you are on. (Except when someone directly pulled it by searching.)
(Or except when your instance follows a relay which re-publishes public posts.)
(Or except… oh I shut up.)
(But you cannot _rely_ on it seeing _all_ posts with the hashtag, that's the painful moral of the str.)
@Paul
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