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by franga2000
280 days ago
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Using it isn't the problem, joining it is. Finding a server that has the right combination of - isn't The Big One (defeats the point)
- has a nice domain (that's your name forever)
- is stable (major downtime or data loss is unacceptable these days)
- is guaranteed to stick around forever (no, migration isn't solved and it will never not suck)
- has rules you agree with and can guarantee you'll follow
- is running the right software (no, "fedi" isn't compatible, you either run Mastodon or things will always be ever so slightly broken) |
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Migration is not solved, but it also doesn't suck - unless you're doing it every week nothing will break, and several people I follow have already done it and it's been just fine.
Stability is also fine - if your server is down for a couple of hours, your timeline will catch up when it comes back online, and likewise your sent posts will stay in a local outbox until they can be sent. That's absolutely no different from email or Jabber or anything else.
"Fedi" is compatible enough that I run my own GoToSocial server, which is technically still beta software, and I haven't experienced any issues following and interacting with anyone on Mastodon, Pixelfed, Pleroma and quite a few other platforms.
Would I recommend it to a non-technical user, someone who wasn't really interested in 'servers' and 'clients' and 'protocols'? Yes, although I'd suggest they just go for The Big One, as you put it. What I would say though is that this is no longer just a technology for Web nerds any longer; it's a very viable alternative to centralized platforms.