Learning MetaText and Mastodon with AnonyMouse: Part 1

Greetings,
Is metatext really a viable client for mastadon? I have seen on twitter where the app developer is looking for someone to take over development because he is having health issues. Other than that issue this is a good podcast on the basics.

Hi,
I recently read on here, about an app called Toot. I bought it soon after & find that I now prefer it over MetaText.
I'm just wondering if it'll be covered in this mini series?
I have my account set so that I must approve each new follower. This is very easy with MetaText but I haven't yet figured out how to do it with Toot!
Can anyone please assist?

I know you do a lot but could you please cover the other apps you talk about? Thanks.

Hi Everyone,

The decision to choose MetaText was picked for several reasons. I began on this tutorial weeks ago before finding out just a few days ago that the developer of MetaText told the public that he has medical issues and will not be updating the app any time soon. The timing was unfortunate, but I decided to proceed in publishing this tutorial so that people would understand the core fundamentals of Mastodon. MetaText currently works great and yes it even has its bugs. Overall, I hope that a developer will take over this wonderful app and we will get the needed update.

At this time, I have no plan in reviewing Mercury simply because it hasn't been updated in over a year. If for some reason it does get an update, I will certainly be putting this back on my radar to review. At this moment it appears to be abandoned.

As for the official Mastodon app. Honestly, it is weak, and I find the interface not as nice as the other 3rd party apps has to offer. It also lacks a lot of features that I just simply love on the other 3rd party apps that coming back to use this app boring and lacking. The only benefit that this has is that it is currently being updated and again I hope that it will catch up with the others and I will review in reviewing this app when it does.

Lastly, we have the Toot! app. As this is the only paid app out there that I have played around with. It has it perks and offers some neat features that others don't have. There are bugs with the app as like all the others do. There are two very glaring missing features that I'm just puzzled and baffled with. There are options for you to add/remove users to a list that you can create and remove. But there is no way that I have found to use the list at all. Where is it? I just can't find it. The other is that you have the option to be notified of a new post but again there doesn't seem to be a way to turn this on to a user that I want to be notified when they post a new toot. Very strange indeed. However, if somebody could help me in finding those features, I would greatly appreciate it! For now, this is the only app that I may consider of doing a podcast on.

We also have the fact we can expect some new contenders like Ivory which is now in the beta build which is by the people of TweetBot. We will have to wait see of what it has to offer for us.

Skippy, as for your question. I'm not sure of your answer as I don't have my profile locked. The only suggestion that I can think of is going to the Notification tab. From here double tap on the user that has requested to follow and go to their profile and follow them. I know that the developer of Toot! has paused his bug tracking as he was simply swamped with so many bugs being reported. It is kind of a red flag since he said that he doesn't have the time for the minor bugs and only to report the critical ones to him. I'm not sure what to make of this.

In all we really don't have that one app that just outshine all the rest. They all have their pros and cons. Least that is my opinion.

Cheers,
Thomas

Hello Thomas! Thank you for putting this series together. I have some questions regarding Mastodon, and the fediverse in general. If you don't know the answers, could you please point me in direction of where I can get them, or, point me to someone who can give me those answers?
Now, for my Mastodon questions. I've got several, plus, I'm kinda new, (as in not having an account yet)
1. I created a Twitter profile. But, never really used it. Didn't much like it, and varying accessibility issues etc. So, never used it. My question is:
If someone had or has a Tritter account, but, doesn't/didn't use it or like it, should they get a Mastodon account? Will they like it more or less than Twitter?
I know it's a preference thing, but, it's something that's been at the back of my mind since I first heard about this. So, would appreciate some insight.

2. What's the best way to find servers/instances? If and when I sign up, I'd like to be on a server/instance for either: Ohio, (where I live) or even for my county or municipality. I at least want to find something for the U.S. like what Jonathan Mosen has for New Zealand. How can I find servers/instances based on location/country? Is that even possible? Also, what's the best way to find servers/instances ab/related to your interests?
For example, I'd like to find servers about books, podcasts, technology, accessibility, assistive tech, braille, etc. Also, for the disability community and also the blind community, as well as maybe something that has to do with mental health. Maybe even niche categories, like, servers about Ipad, or servers that talk about a spicific genre of book, like cozy mystery etc. Are any of these possible, and if so, how do I find servers for these? These are just examples.
3. Also, I heard about a service called Bookwyrm. From what I've heard, it's supposed to be an alternative to/similar to Goodreads. Sense I'm a bookworm, this piqued my interest. So, my question is:
Is there an IOS app for it? If so, how much does it cost? Is it accessible? Where can I get the link for it?
I find apps easier to use than websites, so that's why I prefer using an app.
If there isn't an app for it, then will apps like Metatext and such support it? If not, which ones will, how much do they cost and are they accessible?

While I'm on the subject of different services, I'm also curious about another service I heard about called Friendica. From what I hear, it's suposedly a Facebook alternative. Is it worth looking at or should I just stick to Mastodon? If it's worth it, is there an app for it, how much does it cost, where can I get the link for it, and how accessible is it? Will apps like MetaText support any of these services? If not, which apps will, how much do they cost, and are they accessible?

Any help you can give is greatly appreciated! Thank you again for putting this together! As I was hoping to find a demo on how to use this or another accessible application.

If anyone wants to follow me on mastodon, my user name is audiogamer@mastodon.sdf.org I have a few accounts on there, but that’s the one I use most often.

Hi Dawn,

Glad to hear that you enjoyed the podcast. I'll do my best to answer your questions.

First up is would Mastodon be something you might be interested in. Let me ask you this. What was the reason you didn't like about Twitter itself? If it was on the line of toxicity, then the answer would be that Mastodon is very refreshing and lacks the drama. Now, if the reason is more that you simply just didn't like the way it works, and you simply didn't much out of it then the answer would easy and say no I don't think you would get anything out of Mastodon. As Mastodon in a lot of ways is like Twitter. In terms of instead of Tweet you have Toot. Instead of Like you have Favorites. Instead of Retweet you have Boost. Timelines are similar in many ways etc.

As for how to start in finding a new place to call home. You may want to consider listening to Chapter 2 of the Learning MetaText with AnonyMouse Part 1. As I explain a lot about in ways to find that perfect spot. Jonathan simply went to JoinMastodon.org and selected the Oceanic region which he found the New Zealand as an instinct. The same is for Dave Nason as he found an instance just for Ireland. There is no place that contains where I could simply enter my keywords of interest to get a nice list of servers to join. That is the only bummer part about the process. It can come down to asking around where your friends are located as a suggestion. As mentioned in Chapter 2 there is a11y.social and iAccessibility.social that are geared toward the blind community.

My understanding for Bookwyrm is that it is an instance within the Mastodon fediverse. Meaning that it is a place you sign up like the ones I mentioned in Chapter 2 of the podcast. It is located at bookwyrm.social.

https://bookwyrm.social/

There isn't really a service for say but a place to discuss books in general. There is no iOS app that I've seen just for the Bookwyrm in specific. Because it is part of the Mastodon umbrella the MetaText iOS app that I mentioned in the podcast would work for Bookwyrm.

You mentioned if I knew anything about Friendica. Sadly, I don't know anything about it. I did however find a site for Friendica at:

https://friendi.ca/

It sounds like that some Mastodon friendly app might support the Friendica servers. In a lot of ways, it sounds very similar but just in a different flavor of the Mastodon. Meaning I think it does play with in the Mastodon Fedeiverse.

Hope this helps,
Thomas

Thomas, would it be OK if I followed you on mastodon? If so, may I please have your user name?

Has anyone thought to reach out to the dev of Spring mini for twitter to see if he will make a app for Mastodon?

I’ll do that now.

The Bookwyrm site itself is pretty accessible they have a site independent of Mastodon). I imported all my data from Goodreads. I don't recall the process, which means that even for a low-tech person like me, the process was pretty clear and straightforward

I’m not sure what’s going on, but when I go to post a Toot! in the Toot! app on my Mastodon server of choice, it is saying failed to complete Toot!, then it gives me some internal server error. It’s the same thing when I try and favor to toot, or booster dude. It’s only seems to be happening on the STF server, so I’m not sure if it’s an issue with my app or the app, rather, or an internal issue with the server itself. Either way, can someone please tell me how to import my followers over to another server since I have multiple accounts on Mastodon. Because if this keeps up with the STF server, and it is indeed an internal issue with the server, I’m seriously going to consider switching over to another server, but I’d like to keep my followers.

Hi,
I need to reset the password for one of my instances. It won’t let me do it, because it insists that I remember the current one, which I obviously don’t.
What can I do?

Skippy would it be OK if I fall you? I changed master on instances. Let’s still that way you can keep up-to-date with the latest episode of my podcasts. If you wanted to. And all-around just trying to build my followers list.

What I was trying to say, was, would it be OK if I followed you? I changed mastered on instances.

Firefly, sure you can follow me at @thomas_domville@dragonscave.space.

Skippy, just open a web browser and head over to your instance. For example, if your instance is dragonscave.space then just type that address in to the address bar. There should be a link if you are having trouble signing in to your instance.

HTH
Thomas

Thomas, I already followed you. I followed you twice actually. I followed you from my new account on Friday. My new account is at audio gamer@mstdn.party. That is why you will see me falling you twice moved to a different instance.