Romaq @Romaq@qoto.org

@Pjcoyle @Gaythia @freemo @shuttersparks Our Company President goes first name only, and he served as an Army officer, Major I believe, until he left. The liason from our parent company is Mr. ********, from Japan, of a different culture on such things.

During the early dark days of the Pandemic, I recall Mr. ****** wandering the production floor on the weekend, smiling and being friendly with us, even as we were all WTF/ stuff gettin' real. Both were there with us at that dark time... ON A WEEKEND. I wouldn't say I'd die for them, but yeah... I'd die for them.

How one would choose to be addressed and how they present their pronouns or not? If they are not being an obvious jackass, I've got stuff to do. I'd rather be doing the things that would build people up to be their best selves in truth and honesty.

@digital_carver @freemo The big problem, as with so many issues from Socialism to Capitalism to Libertarianism is things would likely work just fine... if only you got rid of all the people and I mean ALL the people involved.

Isolating the instance maintained by the same person maintaining the code base is... not a good plan, if I understand the dynamics. Forking the code would only make sense if there's a better plan than, "Gee, I hope the one person holding all this together has his crap together as well."

@freemo I don't believe the answer to, "this instance is being unfairly targeted and ostracized" is "let's ostracize the instance controlled by the guy playing along and BTW he maintains the code we all run on."

If the code is really open, forking the code to break control over the entry list would be a better option, but that only presumes a better option than "we trust that one guy has his crap together" exists. A "democratic" committee solution simply invites Truth Social to take it all over. It's hell getting people to join as it is without some complex scheme for a server list to on-ramp people to Mastodon.

Sometimes all options suck.

@kjr @auschwitzmuseum It freaking happened. I went to Dachau and saw the buildings, the pictures. I'm glad Auschwitz Museum is on Mastodon to preserve the accounts of this horror and not let it be dismissed as a warning against man's inhumanity to man.

@freemo "defederate from Mastodon.social?" Is that an action on Qoto.org's part or the Mastodon instance community as a whole shunning (essentially blocking) them? I am painfully, awkwardly new to this scene. Words mean things but I'm not clear the effect.

@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.

@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 You are most welcome. I have my wife's adult son and her waiting on me for a #Minecraft session. I'll address your question once I'm allowed by family. :)

Cheers!