Is your Mastodon timeline too empty or too full?
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@FediTips Well, "There is no algorithm on Mastodon" *is* wrong.
To a techie an "algorithm" is "a procedure which terminates".
In this case we're presumably talking about the algorithm which decides which posts a user sees. Which *does* exist, because the user sees post! - and is described in various places (starting with "you see posts from people you follow" and getting more complicated than that).
This is a fair point and you're not technically wrong.
I've tried to cover this in the guide itself, tl:dr the dictionary definitions of technical things are often veered away from by real world use. If they are different, I err on the side of real world common use as the site is aimed at non-technical people.
Another example I give in the guide is "computer", it technically includes smartphones but that's not what most people mean if they say "computer".
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This is a fair point and you're not technically wrong.
I've tried to cover this in the guide itself, tl:dr the dictionary definitions of technical things are often veered away from by real world use. If they are different, I err on the side of real world common use as the site is aimed at non-technical people.
Another example I give in the guide is "computer", it technically includes smartphones but that's not what most people mean if they say "computer".
@FediTips Ah yes, the "I've got half a dozen computers in my wallet [chip and pin cards]" answer.
Personally if the context is unclear I say "phone" or "laptop" or "real computer".
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@FediTips Ah yes, the "I've got half a dozen computers in my wallet [chip and pin cards]" answer.
Personally if the context is unclear I say "phone" or "laptop" or "real computer".
@FediTips Trouble then is that "tablets" obviously count as "phones" - they're not real computers, are they?? - but some of them are Wifi-only and thus can't make phone calls ...
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips
1) Looked to me like you explained yourself fully.2) I was just thinking this morning about how wonderful you are for helping people.
3) I'm really tired of obnoxious people driving good people away. I'm sorry you have to deal with it.
4) I probably should have sent you thanks earlier. If I had any money, I'd donate to help you out. You are doing an essential work, and you are appreciated.
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It is by the dictionary definition, it isn't by common usage. What the dictionary says on technical matters often diverges from common usage.
Maybe the clearest example is "computer": Most people use that word to mean a laptop or desktop PC/Mac and not a smartphone. But going by the dictionary definition of "computer", the smartphone ought to be called a computer too.
I'm trying to use common usage as I'm mainly aiming my guides at new and non-technical people.
@FediTips @jannem @arthfach It is hard to overestimate exactly how much you need to eliminate jargon from your language in order to reach a non-technical audience. And yes, that can be frustrating, as "jargon" means specific things to those who require specificity in their work...but insisting on the same specificity from everyone just ends up not working. I gave up on "hacker" a long time ago; now it's just part of a code switch. -
JFC...
I have four tabs open, Firefox web browser on Ubuntu, to my home instance
/home
/public/local
my Lists
and my Profile home
I'm on my /home tab viewing posts
I am looking for and using the Translate tag at the lower left of a given post
Do you need a screenshot to understand what I'm saying?
Or do you think I don't know what I'm talking about?
@FinchHaven Please don't be rude to @FediTips
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips I appreciate all of your hard work. I’m sorry a few folks are giving you such a hard time.
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Is your Mastodon timeline too empty or too full? Are you seeing stuff you don't want to, and missing stuff you do want to see? Is your timeline overwhelmed by someone who shares too many posts?
These and lots more timeline problems are solved in the "How to customise your Mastodon timeline" guide:
@FediTips I wrote a blog post about using hashtags to customize my Mastodon experience a couple of months ago: https://bammerlaan.nl/posts/Using-hashtags-Mastodon
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips Wow - how horrible! I really appreciate everything you do.
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@FediTips Well, "There is no algorithm on Mastodon" *is* wrong.
To a techie an "algorithm" is "a procedure which terminates".
In this case we're presumably talking about the algorithm which decides which posts a user sees. Which *does* exist, because the user sees post! - and is described in various places (starting with "you see posts from people you follow" and getting more complicated than that).
@TimWardCam yeah but technically correct is not in fact always the best kind of correct
also
fwiw @FediTips it helps me to remember that there are lots of people for whom it is literally their full time jobs to make things worse online, and there are also a larger fleet of people who have socialised to match those other people's behaviour, even if they don't know they're just giving it away for free. so if you see me handing someone a c-ya, know that that's usually followed by an instance-wide block because i got no time for trollers.
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
There is also the possibility of actually hostile participants running down fedi.
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Is your Mastodon timeline too empty or too full? Are you seeing stuff you don't want to, and missing stuff you do want to see? Is your timeline overwhelmed by someone who shares too many posts?
These and lots more timeline problems are solved in the "How to customise your Mastodon timeline" guide:
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips People accusing you of misinformation apparently cannot read! You did explain how you are using the word algorithm:
«I thought that, at a technical level, “algorithm” can mean any set of computing instructions? So surely all computers and websites use algorithms?
That’s not what most people mean by the word “algorithm”. To most people, especially non-technical people, algorithm means a weird hidden thing that messes up their timeline, often based on what they have previously interacted with.
If algorithm meant any kind of computing instruction, then it would be a useless word when trying to discuss the problems of manipulative black box code.»
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips I just wanna say: your tips are great. (probably not perfect) Thanks!
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips a cooking recipe is an algorithm.
But people are freaking weird about that word
You do good work, dude.
I would say “unleash your troll army!” but that’s just a flashback to my years ago Twitter days -
p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips personally, I did not see your use of terms as being problematic. I don't know what they're on about.
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
Technically, showing exactly the posts and boosts of those you've followed, in chronological order, with no filtering, adjustments, or heuristics *is an algorithm.*
Even when it is *not* the kind of "algorithm" used and criticized by the mainstream sites we criticize.
Our words are often ambiguous. We often need to clarify what *we mean* by them.
…
And hey; I appreciate your good work!
I think many do.
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
The Mastodon HOA strikes again. Block whoever did it - guaranteed that's no loss - and take to heart the fact that the other 99% of us know how much good you do, and how much we appreciate it.
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Is your Mastodon timeline too empty or too full? Are you seeing stuff you don't want to, and missing stuff you do want to see? Is your timeline overwhelmed by someone who shares too many posts?
These and lots more timeline problems are solved in the "How to customise your Mastodon timeline" guide:
@FediTips lists are a feature I needed but didn't know existed, thanks!
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips What in the universe? I am so sorry you have to deal with such people. That doesn't even make sense! Please know that most of us do have common sense, aren't offended by everything, and sincerely appreciate all of the work that you do.
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