# Anyone want to start an SDMB presence on a Twitter alternative? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 18, 2022, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127 "2022-11-18T02:07:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2022, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/1 "2022-11-18T02:07:29Z")
I tried Mastodon. It took me two days to figure out how to open an account and after that I failed to find any content. I’m dreading trying to figure it out. But this is a smart place, right? Any interest in banding together as adopters and choosing a Twitter alternative to land an SDMB colony on? Maybe the smart folks can help the dumb folks like me learn the steps on Mastodon or whatever else? What say ye? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/2 "2022-11-19T00:31:56Z")
I’m wondering what the utility would be. If it’s going to be a dedicated SDMB space, instead of moving onto a generic server, someone has to pay for server space. It’ll also have to elect moderators if they want to be discoverable via the main Mastodon page. This isn’t absolutely required–Trump’s Truth Social site runs on Mastodon but (I expect) violates their community standards. But that would make it even less useful. It seems like it would just be a crappy alternative to our Discourse site, taking both resources and user attention for no benefit. What we need are better means of funneling new users to our site. A more useful presence on Mastodon would be an SDMB user on an appropriate existing server that highlights interesting threads, etc. Though the server maintainers might not be happy about that, either. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/3 "2022-11-19T00:45:10Z")
One of the features of Mastodon is that it only allows searching on hashtags, not any other content. It’s also not uncommon to subscribe to hashtags to get posts on a topic. If every doper on mastodon tag posts they think other dopers would find interesting with #SDMB that could function as a #SDMB alternative. In fact I’m going to post a “Welcome to Mastodon fellow dopers” post right now and tag it thus for anyone interested. Checked before posting that it was not already in use. I guess there aren’t many dyslexic BDSM-ers on mastodon yet. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/4 "2022-11-19T03:38:22Z")
> [@naita](#): > > In fact I’m going to post a “Welcome to Mastodon fellow dopers” post right now and tag it thus for anyone interested. Curious whether you’ve actually made that post\* yet. Not finding the hashtag in my search yet. \*I just can’t get with calling them ‘toots’. And god help the next person that asks me to ‘boost a toot’. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/5 "2022-11-19T14:16:18Z")
I’m not finding it either. > [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I’m wondering what the utility would be. To explore a new technology with companions rather than alone. I don’t see it as a substitute for the SDMB but just because I’m having a hard time figuring out by myself I’m looking to put together a party of adventurers. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/6 "2022-11-19T14:45:51Z")
I suggest you recruit a few intrepid explorers and venture out into the snowbound wilderness while the rest of us sluggards sit here in the lodge next to the big fireplace sipping hot toddies. We will be very interested to hear y’all’s adventures and reports, and will gladly heap glory on your heads. It’s scawwy out there. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/7 "2022-11-19T16:36:05Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Curious whether you’ve actually made that post\* yet. Not finding the hashtag in my search yet. > > \*I just can’t get with calling them ‘toots’. And god help the next person that asks me to ‘boost a toot’. > [@Acsenray](#): > > I’m not finding it either. I made the post, so I expect it’s a result of posts not propagating as fast right now due to the massive influx of new posters. The core mastodon app and server also has gone away from “toot” and now say “publish”. Personally I think it’s a perfectly fine word, I mean I thought “tweet” was dumb when twiitter was new, but I’ll be using “post” since there’s no real need for a special word. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/8 "2022-11-19T17:14:51Z")
> [@naita](#): > > I made the post, so I expect it’s a result of posts not propagating as fast right now due to the massive influx of new posters. Hmm. I find it modestly alarming that I still can’t see it. I have this FOMO-esque worry that the new instance I joined isn’t as well-federated as I might hope. I have no idea if that’s true, I just don’t know enough to _know_. I do like the people on this new instance I chose. I now understand how a great ‘local’ community can add to the experience. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/9 "2022-11-19T18:52:34Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Hmm. I find it modestly alarming that I still can’t see it. I have this FOMO-esque worry that the new instance I joined isn’t as well-federated as I might hope. I have no idea if that’s true, I just don’t know enough to _know_. Unsurprisingly the post shows up if _I_ search on SDMB, but maybe it’s _my_ instance that’s badly federated … ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/10 "2022-11-19T19:17:10Z")
What instance are you on? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/11 "2022-11-19T20:15:16Z")
social.coop ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/12 "2022-11-19T21:49:17Z")
Super weird. I can see @social.coop users, but I still can’t find a #sdmb hashtag either by using the search bar at my instance or at some of the public search options. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2022, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-want-to-start-an-sdmb-presence-on-a-twitter-alternative/975127/13 "2022-11-24T05:13:48Z")
For real! I was just thinking “I just wish Dopers would come back HERE, come back home instead of going to all those other places that never really work out anyway!”