This a guide to {instance-name} especially for new users. It concentrates on how to get along, without going too much into details. For specific technical questions (e.g., how to set up a GNU Social-instance) please ask in the groups !gnusocial and !sn, or on {instance-name}'s Public Timeline. You may also find technical information at http://federation.skilledtests.com/
-Other GNU Social / StatusNet FAQs & wikis:
+
This guide to {instance-name} is for new users in particular. It concentrates on how to get along, without going too much into details. For specific technical questions (e.g., how to set up a GNU Social-instance) please ask in the groups !gnusocial and !sn, or on {instance-name}'s Public Timeline. You may also find technical information at http://federation.skilledtests.com/
+The sequence of points follows roughly the frequency of the questions that have been asked by new users.
+Other GNU Social-/StatusNet-FAQs & -wikis:
https://wiki.loadaverage.org/gnusocial/begin_to_be_social
http://wiki.gnusocial.de (in German)
{instance-name} is one of many GNU Social-/StatusNet-instances.
+{instance-name} is one of many GNU Social-/StatusNet-instances.
{instance-name} is a project using the GNU Social-/StatusNet-system, combined with a familiar user interface (UI).
The original GNU Social-/StatusNet-web UI is available as "Classic {instance-name}", selectable from your header avatar (upper right).
GNU Social/StatusNet is a decentralised microblogging platform.
-Users of one instance can follow, be followed by, and communicate with users of any other instance.
-Other instances are, e.g., loadaverage.org, status.vinilox.eu, micro.fragdev.com, gnusocial.de, indy.im, quitter.no, rainbowdash.net, etc. The current number of microblogging instances using the GNU Social/StatusNet software is probably about 50, {instance-name} is one of them. As they all use the same software (GNU Social/StatusNet) and transmission protocol (OStatus), they can talk to each other just like e-mail servers can talk to each other, even though they are independant and run by different companies.
-Connections between instances are established by users following each other. Via such followings all these instances can (at least in principle) be joined into one compound structure or network of self-contained instances. This is called the Federation. GNU Social/StatusNet is structured in such a way that there needs to be only one following of a user a from instance A to a user b from instance to B to make b visible to everybody in instance A via The Whole Known Network. (See below on the Three Timelines) The Whole Known Network is the wider network of instances as seen by {instance-name}. It looks different on, say, loadaverage, because on loadaverage there are different followings to remote instances than on {instance-name}.
-There is no central "unit" the breakdown of which could bring down the whole network. If one instance goes down or the admins starts doing things you don't like, you can create your account on another instance. You will still be on the GNU Social-network and still be able to communicate with your GNU Social-friends. You just need to tell your contacts your new address.
+Users of one instance (or: service) can follow, be followed by, and communicate with users of any other instance.
+Other instances are, e.g., loadaverage.org, status.vinilox.eu, micro.fragdev.com, gnusocial.de, indy.im, quitter.no, rainbowdash.net, etc. The current number of microblogging instances using the GNU Social/StatusNet software is probably about 50, {instance-name} is one of them. As they all use the same software (GNU Social/StatusNet) and transmission protocol (OStatus), they can talk to each other just like e-mail servers can talk to each other, even though they are independent and run by different companies.
+Connections between instances are established by users following each other. Via such followings all these instances can (at least in principle) be joined into one compound structure or network of self-contained instances. This is called the Federation. GNU Social/StatusNet is structured in such a way that there needs to be only one following of a user a from instance A to a user b from instance to B to make b visible to everybody in instance A via The Whole Known Network. (See below on the Three Timelines.) The Whole Known Network is the wider network of instances as seen by {instance-name}. It looks different on, say, loadaverage, because on loadaverage there are different followings to remote instances than on {instance-name}.
+There is no central "unit" the breakdown of which could bring down the whole network. If one instance goes down or the admins start doing things you don't like, you can create your account on another instance. You will still be on the GNU Social-network and still be able to communicate with your GNU Social-friends. You just need to tell your contacts your new address.
Addresses on GNU Social look like this:
@user@instance.org
Your address is:
@@ -52,18 +53,18 @@In New {instance-name}, go to your header avatar (upper right), then
-"Edit profile" → Camera icon on top of your avatar
-Use the + and - buttons to zoom in. Crop the image by dragging it with the mouse.
+In New {instance-name}, go to
+Your header avatar (upper right) → Edit profile → Camera icon on top of your avatar
+Use the + and - buttons to zoom in and out. Crop the image by dragging it with the mouse.
The network's name is GNU Social or StatusNet, so what you want is a GNU Social/StatusNet app.
+The network's name is "GNU Social" or "StatusNet", so what you want is a GNU Social/StatusNet app.
(Remember, {instance-name} is just one instance of the GNU Social- or StatusNet-federation.)
You can find information on clients and links to downloads here:
+
You can find information on clients and links to downloads here:
http://federation.skilledtests.com/Statusnet_clients.html
http://wiki.gnusocial.de/gnusocial:clients (in German)
— Mustard 0.3.5c (Android 2.x - current) (many prefer this one, worth trying: GreyBubble theme)
-— Mustard 0.4.1 (Android 3.x - current) (a rather experimental new approach with newer look)
-— Mustard{MOD} (Android 3.x - current)
-All Mustards support geolocation, upload and display of image attachments, display of oversized notices from instances with larger character limit (open as attachment)
-Some usable Android Twitter clients (some features like sending DM / img upload may not work):
-— Twidere
+
— Mustard 0.3.5c (Android 2.x - current) (many prefer this one, worth trying: GreyBubble theme)
+— Mustard 0.4.1 (Android 3.x - current) (a rather experimental new approach with newer look)
+— Mustard{MOD} (Android 3.x - current)
+All Mustards support geolocation, upload and display of image attachments, display of oversized notices from instances with larger character limit (open as attachment)
— Twidere
— Seesmic 1.7.6 (use only this version!) (closed source)
— Zwitscher
— Twydroid (closed source)
+A few suitable Android Twitter clients (features like sending Direct Messages or image upload may not work).
— Mayo aka Mayonnaise
— Meteoric (payware)
Some Twitter clients (some features like sending DM / img upload not working):
-— Tweetdeck 0.38.2 (closed source) (last version before Twitter took over TweetDeck) is usable for basic functions. Download: http://www.oldversion.com/windows/download/tweetdeck-0-38-2 Instructions: http://qttr.at/dmm http://qttr.at/dmn
-— Qwit (Download: https://code.google.com/p/qwit/)
— Tweetdeck 0.38.2 (closed source) (last version before Twitter took over TweetDeck) is suitable for basic functions.
+Download: http://www.oldversion.com/windows/download/tweetdeck-0-38-2
+Instructions: http://qttr.at/dmm http://qttr.at/dmn
+— Qwit (Download: https://code.google.com/p/qwit/)
+Twitter clients (features like sending Direct Messages or image upload don't work)
— Tweetdeck 0.38.2 (closed source) Download: http://www.oldversion.com/mac/tweetdeck/ Instructions: see above.
— Adium (Download: https://adium.im/)
In New {instance-name}: -
Links needs to be shortened manually before posting the notice. The "URL ><"-button will shorten any URLs pasted or written in the notice form. +
Links needs to be shortened manually before posting the notice. The "URL ><"-button will shorten any URLs pasted or written into the notice field.
In Classic {instance-name}: -
Links are shortened automatically after the notice is posted. The settings are personal.
+
Links are shortened automatically after the notice is posted. The settings depend on user choices. On New {instance-name} go to In New {instance-name} go to Your header avatar (upper right) → Settings → Email check accordingly: New {instance-name} is the default user interface. It is visually very similiar to other well known commercial microblogging services. Its technical name is "Qvitter". In discussions "Qvitter" and "New {instance-name}" can mean the same thing, but "Qvitter" mostly refers to the software and "New {instance-name}" refers to the installation of the Qvitter-software on {instance-name}. Classic {instance-name} is the canonical GNU Social-/StatusNet-interface. At the moment some settings and features (e.g., creating a group) have to be done in Classic {instance-name} as they are not yet implemented in New {instance-name}. New {instance-name} uses the default user interface. It is visually very similiar to other well known commercial microblogging services. Its technical name is "Qvitter". In discussions "Qvitter" and "New {instance-name}" can mean the same thing, but "Qvitter" mostly refers to the software and "New {instance-name}" refers to the installation of the Qvitter-software on {instance-name}. Classic {instance-name} is the canonical GNU Social-/StatusNet-interface. At the moment some settings and features (e.g., creating a group) have to be done in Classic {instance-name} as they are not yet fully implemented in New {instance-name}. To switch to Classic {instance-name} go to Your header avatar (upper right) → Classic {instance-name} Public Timeline: The Whole Known Network: In New {instance-name}: Your header avatar (upper right) → Settings → Twitter You are forwarded to Twitter and have to authorise {instance-name} to use your Twitter account. According to user reports this doesn't always work on the first or second attempt. If it doesn't, you may have to try again later. The cause of the problem may be on Twitter's side. Your browser must not block Javascript or Cookies. According to user reports this doesn't always work on the first or second attempt. If it doesn't, try again later. The cause of the problem may be on Twitter's side. Your browser must not block Javascript or Cookies. In all the three timelines you can click on a notice to expand it and see who has favoured or repeated it. (You can setup E-mail Notifications to notify you when your notices have been fav'ed. In all the three timelines you can click on a notice to expand it and see who has favored or repeated it. (You can setup Email Notifications to notify you when your notices have been fav'ed.) Favs and Repeats/Requeets look like this in New {instance-name}: http://qttr.at/du6 and like this in Classic {instance-name}: http://qttr.at/du5 You can create a group for nearly any topic, like Feminism, Football, FreeBSD. ("nearly" because Swedish law prohibits slander and hate speech and holds the owner of a site responsible for such content.) On {instance-name} you can create a group for nearly any topic, like Feminism, Football, FreeBSD. ("Nearly" because the laws in the country hosting the website may prohibit such things as slander and hate speech.) You can be a member of as many groups as you like. As group-member you can post to the whole group by attaching ! to the group name, e.g., !feminism, in the notice. All group members, whether or not they follow you, will get the notice in their Home Timelines. You follow and unfollow a group like you follow and unfollow a person. A list of groups hosted on {instance-name} can be found here: To create a group go to: {instance-url-with-protocol}groups → Create new group An admin of a group has the option to declare it private. This means: An admin of a group has the option to declare it private. This means: 1) new members must be approved by the admin(s), and 2) all notices are forced to be private, i.e., 2) all notices are forced to be private. That is, notices in the group are only visible to group members (they don't appear in the Public Timeline), and it is not possible for users of other instances to be members of a private group on Quitter. notices in the group are only visible to group members (they don't appear in the Public Timeline), and it's not possible for users of other instances to be members of a private group on {instance-name}. Lists are available only in Classic {instance-name}. Due to feature merges in GNU Social, they do work but are a bit messy to manage. Lists are available only in Classic {instance-name}. Due to features merges in GNU Social they do work but are a bit messy to manage. The main hurdle with lists on {instance-name} is to create a new one. After its creation, you can manage it and add people from {instance-name} as well as from remote instances on its newly created page (see below). To start a list in Classic {instance-name} you best proceed by browsing through the subscription lists of someone who has an account on {instance-name}, not on a remote instance. In the latter case you will not be able to add people from their subscription lists to your list, i.e, create a list at all. In both subscription lists you'll find beneath each person listed a tiny box with an edit-symbol. As they show up in these lists, it's no longer problematic whether they have their account on {instance-name} or on a remote instance. Click on that and type the name of your list. You'll receive an error message, but don't mind, just click "ok" and refresh the page. The list has been successfully created and is now shown in the left hand side column. In both subscription lists you'll find beneath each person listed a tiny box with an edit-symbol. As they show up in these lists, it's no longer problematic whether they have their account on {instance-name} or on a remote instance. Click on that symbol and type in the name of your list. You'll receive an error message, but don't mind, just click "ok" and refresh the page. The list has been successfully created and is now shown in the left hand side column. To manage your list, go to your page in Classic {instance-name} and open the list by clicking on its name in the left column. On its page, click "Edit" and a menue opens. In the section "Add or remove people" below you can now search every person known to {instance-name} from the whole network by name and add her to your list. (Which isn't possible when the person appears only in subscription lists of people on remote instances. See above.) Likewise you can remove the person from the lists here. To manage your list, go to your page in Classic {instance-name} and open the list by clicking on its name in the left column. On its page, click "Edit" and a menu opens. In the section "Add or remove people" below you can now search every person known to {instance-name} from the whole known network (see above What is the Federation?) by name and add her to your list. (Which isn't possible prior to the creation of the list when the person appears only in subscription lists of people on remote instances. See above.) Likewise you can remove the person from the list here. Right now you can remove people from a list, even empty a list, but you cannot delete the list in the upper section. Trying to delete it only returns an error message that is effective this time. So be careful not to create too many lists that later on clutter your left hand side column. In the upper section you can reword the list's name and give it a description that shows up on its page. With the option "private" you can make the list invisible to other people on {instance-name}. In the upper section you can reword the list's name and give it a description that is displayed on the list's page. With the option "private" you can make the list invisible to other people on {instance-name}. If you click a remote nickname in New {instance-name} you are brought to a small profile window showing the full remote address, e.g., @blabla@status.vinilox.eu Click the button "Follow". In New {instance-name} that should be all. In Classic {instance-name} you're forwarded to the remote instance's user profile (which may differ in layout and theme from Classic {instance-name}). Look for the Subscribe-button (usually in the upper right). A subscription box opens and you are prompted to enter your own "webfinger address", i.e., {nickname}@{instance-url} Subscribe and you are redirected to your Classic {instance-name} page where you have to confirm the subscription. In New {instance-name}: When you click a remote nickname in New {instance-name} you are brought to a small profile window showing the full remote address, e.g., @blabla@status.vinilox.eu. Click the button "Follow". That should be all. In Classic {instance-name}: In Classic {instance-name} you're forwarded to the remote instance's user profile (which may differ in layout and theme from Classic {instance-name}). Look for the Subscribe-button (usually in the upper right). A subscription box opens and you are prompted to enter your own "webfinger address", i.e., {nickname}@{instance-url} Subscribe and you are redirected to your Classic {instance-name} page where you have to confirm the subscription. There are several ways to make notices visible only to selected people, not to the public. None of these work in New {instance-name} yet. There are several ways to make notices visible only to selected people, not to the public. None of them work in New {instance-name} yet. All four methods only work within the same instance. Users outside {instance-name} won't be able to see the notice. a. Direct Messages → The notice will be visible only to its recipient in his DM inbox (there are no Direct Messages to more than one person). b. Set your account to "Make updates visible only to my followers" and "Ask me first if someone wants to follow me" in Settings → Profile → Subscription policy (below) c. Post to a private group of which you are a member → The post will only be visible to the group members (see above under "Groups") c. Post to a private group of which you are a member → The post will only be visible to the group members (see above under Groups). (Note to c: You can use any client to post to a private group by using the !group-tag.) d. Post to a public group and close the lock on the right of the drop-down menu beneath the message field → The post will only be visible to the group members. (Although at the time of writing, this does not work. The post will be visible to everyone.) d. Post to a public group and close the lock on the right of the drop-down menu beneath the message field. The post will then only be visible to the group members. (Although at the time of writing, this does not work. The post will be visible to everyone.) (Note to d: Make sure you don't leave "Everyone" or "My Colleagues at {instance-name}" selected, otherwise your post will go to the timelines of every {instance-name} user, which is not what you want if you close the lock) (Note to d: The lock method is only available in Classic {instance-name}. There is no lock feature in New {instance-name} or any other known client at the time of writing.) Sometimes in a blog-post or email, you don't want to cite just one notice but a whole conversation. Each notice, each reply, and each conversation has its own URL, and the ways to find them differ slightly in Classic {instance-name} and in New {instance-name}. New {instance-name} New {instance-name}: In New {instance-name} click on the time stamp of a notice (or "details" if you have expanded it). This will show the notice page with the conversation expanded. Classic {instance-name} Click on the the time stamp of any notice. The notice will reappear on a separate page. Click "in context". The whole conversation that this notice is involved in will be displayed on a new page, with the selected notice either in the top or further down. Classic {instance-name}: Click on the the time stamp of any notice. The notice will reappear on a separate page. Click "in context". The whole conversation that this notice is involved in will be displayed on a new page, with the selected notice either on the top or further down. Similar to following persons or groups you can, in Classic {instance-name}, subscribe to (or follow) hashtags and search words. Notices containing them will then appear in your timeline. Following search words and hashtags is not limited to notices from accounts on {instance-name} but includes notices from remote instances as well. To follow hashtags (# + ...), put the word with the hashtag-symbol # prefixed into the search box of Classic {instance-name} and press Enter. You'll arrive at the search result page. Similiar, to subscribe to search words, put them without hashtag-symbol into the search box. You'll get a much larger list because the search not only covers individual words but also looks for occurrences of the phrase inside larger phrases. To both the hashtag and the search word, click on the tiny "Subscribe"-button in the upper right corner of the lists. You'll then receive the notices containing them in your timeline. Similar to following persons or groups you can subscribe to (or follow) hashtags and search words. Notices containing them will then appear in your Home timeline. Following search words and hashtags is not limited to notices from accounts on {instance-name} but covers notices from remote instances as well. To follow hashtags (# + ...) put the word with the hashtag-symbol # prefixed into the search box of Classic {instance-name} and press Enter. You'll arrive at the search result page. Similiar, to subscribe to search words, put them without hashtag-symbol into the search box. You'll get a much larger list because the search not only covers individual words but also looks for occurrences of the phrase inside larger phrases. To follow (or: subscribe to) both hashtags and search words, click on the tiny "Subscribe"-button in the upper right corner of the lists. You'll then receive the notices containing them in your Home Timeline. Following one word often yields too many results, so it is expedient to combine words and follow them as complete phrases. You can unfollow those notices by unfollowing the hashtags and search phrases. For an overview which phrases you follow, enter the URLs for
Settings → URL
-Best use the settings:
+Best use the following settings:
- qttr.at
- URL longer than 30
- Text longer than 139
@@ -114,7 +117,7 @@ Screenshot: http://quitter.se/atta
How to set email preferences Top
-
— Send me notifications of new subscriptions through email.
@@ -126,8 +129,8 @@ Screenshot: http://quitter.se/atta
New {instance-name} and Classic {instance-name} Top
-
all notices posted by {instance-name} accounts.
-not only all notices of the Public Timeline but also those of all people on other ("remote") instances of the GNU Social-/StatusNet-federation followed by at least one {instance-name} user (i.e. accounts known to {instance-name}).Favourites and Repeats/Requeets Top
+Favorites and Repeats/Requeets Top
-Groups Top
Public Groups
-
{instance-url-with-protocol}groupsPrivate Groups
-Lists Top
-Adding users to a list
Managing your lists
-How to follow someone on a remote instance Top
-How to manage the visibility of your notices Top
-How to cite conversations or parts of them Top
How to follow keywords and hashtags Top
-