Musk’s decision to allow Fascists and Nazis back on to Twitter was the last straw. I deleted the app. I’ll miss the interaction with intelligent people, but I can’t let that much negativity into my daily life. Some friends might find me here, but most are lost to me😭😭😭

@Dennis1212 Tilly needs cuddles while @mikmaqpeek is on a call. I hope someone will see to help, or I will help when Tilly allows.

@Dennis1212 This was intended to go to your post about getting your image, but it looks like you have it up. Having one hand full of doggie butt meant I hit the wrong thing.

@Romaq I have yet to figure out how to post a bio.

@Dennis1212 Are you using the mas.to website? I don't have an account there, but I suspect it's largely pretty much about like the server I'm on. On my website, under @Romaq, I have an "edit profile" button. Clicking it, the page has this:

Display name
Romaq
Bio
<blank>

@Romaq my settings don’t have that. 😱

@Dennis1212 I'm taking time to scroll around on mas.to a bit to see if I find anything useful there.

@Romaq Thank you for your help. Should I have chosen a different server? I am not truly computer savvy. i.e. I can use it, but some terms are ??? You’ve helped a lot.☺️

@Dennis1212 I have a moment to answer the "which server" question. "On the whole / in general / all other things being equal..."

I think of Mastodon as being like email, only for mostly publicly intended micro blogs rather than mostly private messages. Thus I could answer your question by reframing it like this: Should I use Gmail? Windows Hotmail? Windows live mail? Yahoo email? I have email with Comcast, but I hate the company and I'd leave it if I could. Do I have to use that? Could I just set up my own email? Do I use Outlook or just do it all on their web page?

The answer to all the above is, "it depends, except when it doesn't matter."

If you know you will (or wish to) eventually leave Comcast, you can forward your email to a new email site of choice and even move the data itself to the new server. If you decide to change Mastodon instances (server), it's not a big deal, but it is about the deal you would expect if you changed your email made somewhat easier. Usually. And as you would expect, earlier is better than later. It is common enough, it would appear, that new people get started on one instance to find a different instance that has more suitable policies and they change to a more comfortable instance. More on policy at another time.

So to answer your question tl;dr, it depends, it isn't so big a deal.

I'm happy to help you where you are as best I can, but obviously I can help more if we were using the same instance with specifics. Just as obviously, friendly people on your instance should be available to help with specific questions about it you have. And again, just as obviously, if you can't get that help, it's a consideration if that's an instance you want to call "home."

@Dennis1212 Relative to *policy*, because instances *do* exchange messages intended for public consumption, it does matter. Just as you may look at email from billybob@/yahoo.com with something of a jaundiced eye compared to will.robert@/Gmail.com compared to w.robert@/RobertLaw.com, the same stigma applies with Mastodon. It's more subtle, but I do see, "Oh God... someone from this instance again. This guy's going to be a piece of work."

Different email servers will flag as spam (or not flag at all) mail based on content or domain. Some email servers have policy to refuse to accept email from servers most likely to be spammers and such.

Because of the publicly intended nature of posts, all the more with instances. How do you think it would pan out if Twitter and Truth Social *by design* could exchange messages? Multiply that by "a bunch of instances," and that pretty much describes Mastodon. Some instances block all "Truth Social"-like instances. Some allow interaction, but under their policy expect you to be an adult and comply with *their* rules and not amplify messages going against that instance's policy. Some instances are focused towards having members in a particular professional field, language, or social topic. You may not get into those without an invite, and if *you* invite people outside of that, there may be consequences. Naturally, I would want to invite my close friends and family to what I'm using where I can help them. I can also watch "local (instance) feed, most likely see like-minded people I don't know, and start up a conversation more easily than I would someone outside of my instance. Of course, we already know one another and there is no barrier for us to chat. But for me to answer certain specific "how to" questions about your instance is something like me on Gmail helping you with a Windows Live email account: your milage may vary, your car may not run.

But you should be able to find helpful, supportive people on your instance to help you. And if not, that's a consideration as to invite your social group to it, or if you would want to remain. The vast bulk of the question of what instance is "mind over matter": if you don't mind, it just doesn't matter.

But you know me from the bird site. There are things I do mind, and I can get kinda noisy about it. But I can save that for another time and we can focus on helping you set your bio, secure your identity (are you really *that* guy from Twitter?) and answer what questions you have so you are at home on Mastodon.