So far, the clunkiness of following a user on a different server is the most annoying thing about Mastodon. Does anyone have an easier way?
If I view a profile (@lisas) from my own server, following is easy-peasy. Note the web address below. However, it does not display follows from other servers, making it harder to browse for other people to follow.
If you click through to view the profile on its home server, it looks different. I think this is what happens when @jroper right clicks. The good news is that you can see more followers. However…
Clicking the follow button brings up this screen. Here you have to copy and paste the URL to search from your home server, and then follow. This is do-able, but kind of a pain.
To the best I can tell, if someone else on my server already follows a profile, I can view that profile from my home server. If no one on my server follows a profile, then my server knows nothing about that profile, and the only option is to view it on its original server. This seems reasonable from the perspective of running a server, but as a user it means the experience is better from a bigger server.
There might be some server settings or add-ons that matter here too. For example, when I view @tgent_fens, it appears to implement something called remote follow, which makes it easier to follow profiles on their server.
@Transportist Yes, I can find the link. But then I have to copy the link, go back to my own server where I’m logged on, paste it into the search, and then follow. There must be someone who’s written an app to automate that to one click? Or maybe I’m missing something.
@gregerhardt @Transportist I can't identify the need for this. On the Tusky app it's a breeze. I thought desktop was generally better? Does that actually depend on the server maybe? E.g I know some instances have implemented following Hashtags but not available on mine (yet?).
@gregerhardt If you find out, please let the rest of us know.
@gregerhardt I used this https://debirdify.pruvisto.org/ to find the folks i follow and it downloaded as a csv file. Go to preferences and import/export to get those you follow with a mastodon account will be followed by you. Importing who follows you is not an option.
@gregerhardt I think I just worked out why some find it easy and some hard. If I left-click on someone's name and open in the same tab, I stay on this server and can follow them directly. If I right click and open in a new tab, the profile opens in their server. Unexpected behaviour and not helpful for compulsive new-tabbers like me!
@gregerhardt I've not experienced any issues with this, but maybe I'm on an 'big server'? Mostly I use Tusky app, though when I use the desktop I don't think it's any different?
@tgent_fens Yeah, that's what's thrown me off. For many people it seems to be no issue at all. There is not Tusky for IOS, but it's basically the same on the web and on Toot for me.
@gregerhardt I keep meaning to try out this browser extension but haven’t had a chance yet. It seems to address this issue: https://social.jaredzimmerman.com/@jaredzimmerman/109508218077954510
I’ve been confused as to why follow seems easy for some people/cases, and clunky for others. After some experimenting, here’s what I’ve been able to figure out…