mastodon

Wait, I just changed the theme of my Mastodon web interface, and it looks so good!

I found how to do it under Settings -> Appearance -> Site theme. #hackyderm has `tangerineui` available and I loved it.

#learning #mastodon

I am surprised my beloved #mastodon isn't at the head of sharing Southpark's "Pro-Trump" message - so,

Here:

https://southpark.cc.com/sites/hetrumpedus/index.html

#uspol #us #freespeech #democracy #southpark #paramount #entertainment

My friends, I'm so excited and happy to introduce a new project: the illumos Cafe!

The positive and constructive spirit of the BSD Cafe, created and maintained by all the friends who participated from day one in building a strong and friendly community, deserves to spread to other operating systems. Because there are other OSes that deserve attention, certainly more than they're getting right now.

Operating systems based on illumos (like SmartOS, OmniOS, Tribblix, OpenIndiana, etc.) are mature, stable, secure, and perfectly usable for a wide range of tasks. ZFS is native, zones are an excellent method for containerization, and bhyve and kvm coexist beautifully - and so much more, too much to list in a single post.

So from today, the illumos Cafe will stand alongside the BSD Cafe in creating a positive, respectful, and growth-oriented (but also relaxing!) environment, starting right here in the Fediverse with a Mastodon instance and a snac one.

I've written an introductory article about the project, including some technical details. I invite everyone interested to read it: https://it-notes.dragas.net/2025/08/18/introducing-the-illumos-cafe/

Choose your table, take a seat and enjoy your time at the illumos Cafe!

#SysAdmin #IT #BSDCafe #illumosCafe #Community #OpenSource #OSS #illumos #SmartOS #OpenIndiana #ZFS #bhyve #kvm #Fediverse #Mastodon #snac #ITNotes

✨ new on #TheFutureIsFederated 🚀

« In this age of #technofeudalism every writer who covers technology - especially resistance to #BigTech - should disclose their tech stack. Here's mine »

🔗 : https://news.elenarossini.com/technofeudalism-disclosing-my-tech-stack/

Basically, a love letter to #FOSS and the #Fediverse… with room for improvement (especially on the hardware front)

#selfhosting #GoToSocial #Mastodon #NextCloud #Pixelfed #PeerTube #Signal #YunoHost #DeGoogle #LeaveSubstack #resist #resistance #broligarchy

Hello #Fediverse! 👋

I’m currently working on a new project: cupertino.social - a future home for the Apple community here on the decentralized web.

I’m building this because I believe we need a space that combines the elegance of the Apple ecosystem with the ethical soul of the Fediverse. A place for those who love the "Unix heart" of their devices and value privacy as a fundamental right.

We are currently "under construction," fine-tuning the infrastructure (strictly European-hosted and independent!) to ensure a smooth, clean, and respectful experience.

Stay tuned for the official launch post soon. I can’t wait to share this journey with you all.

#Introduction #Apple #Privacy #Tech #Mastodon #NewInstance #Unix #EthicalTech

RE: https://mastodon.cupertino.social/@steve/115973056436767523

What I’d like to create is a community of people who value civil exchange, but without the fanboysm. If Apple does something we don't like, we need to be free to say so and discuss it. If they do something we like, great!

That way - who knows? - maybe we can bring people over to the Fediverse who are currently stuck on toxic social platforms simply because they don't want to miss out on news, info, or conversations with other enthusiasts. After all, the Fediverse is already home to brilliant minds like Lisa Melton - @lisamelton and Jen Simmons - @jensimmons - people who share our passion for Apple just as much as they value the freedom of a decentralized web.

I’ll be opening the doors to this instance very soon.

I can't do this alone; I can only do it with the help of all the wonderful people populating the Fediverse who want to shake off algorithmic hate and build something beautiful.
Something human.

#Apple #CupertinoSocial #Fediverse #Mastodon #Community #CommunityBuilding

The time is probably right.

Back in 2022, when I was still using iOS, I wasn’t completely happy with the Fediverse apps that were available. I was mostly using Akkoma, and the interface I liked the most was actually its web UI, even on mobile. So I started playing with Xcode and put together the foundations of an app tailored to my needs.

A lot has changed since then and today we have great alternatives like IceCubes, Mona, Ivory, etc. Each one has strengths and weaknesses though, so I picked up my old project again and kept pushing it forward.

So I’m happy to announce that my app will finally see the light: I’ve been using it for the past few days and, in my spare time, I’m fixing bugs and adding missing features. I’m building it around my own needs, so it doesn’t have to “appeal to everyone”. I wouldn’t call it opinionated, but it’s definitely targeted.

The app will have one key trait: #snac2 support will be a first-class feature, not an incidental one. Many apps, especially on iOS, support snac as a side effect, but the experience is often not optimal. In this case, the choice is deliberate and it strictly follows the Mastodon API support implemented by snac. So snac will work properly (within the limits of the platform, of course).

Among the features already implemented: the app is minimal and lightweight (under 10 MB, including debug code), easy on RAM, and privacy-first (for example it strips EXIF data from media before posting, so the server will never see it). On snac it also cleans up the "Boosted by Aoderelay" messages that appear when using a relay, removes the character limit, and supports posting in Markdown.

I also added support for Apple Intelligence to generate alt text, both for the media I post and for media posted by others that is missing alt text.

Everything is processed locally through Apple APIs and only on supported devices. The results aren't amazing, Apple Intelligence is extremely limited, but in my opinion it's the only privacy-friendly and ethical way to approach it. And of course, you can disable it.

On Mastodon it supports all the main features: lists, quote posts, granular notifications (you can choose what you want for each category), notification grouping, multi-account support, and it works.

It's still missing a few things (block, etc.) and has some bugs, which I’m spotting as I keep using it.
As soon as it's stable enough, I'll invite a few people to test it. I still haven't fully decided how I'll distribute it: an Apple Developer account has a yearly cost, and I hope to reuse it for other projects too. So this app might be paid, with a trial period, but if possible (I still need to check what’s feasible) I'd like it to be free if you connect to one of the BSD Cafe instances, illumos Cafe, or any snac instance, including your own.

I don't know how long it will take before it's ready... but I can already tell you what it will be called.
It already has a name, and it's... MastoBlaster.

This name was chosen for personal reasons, and also because of its similarity to Master Blaster by Stevie Wonder, which even today feels relevant and fitting for the Fediverse.

Stay tuned!

#MastoBlaster #Fediverse #Mastodon #iOS #FediverseApp #Announcement #Apple #snac #snac2 #BSDCafe #illumosCafe

#MastoBlaster has its own #Fediverse account - powered by #snac

Follow @mastoblaster to receive all the updates, insights, etc.

#iOS #Fediverse #Mastodon #snac #GoToSocial #ActivityPub

MastoBlaster is now available in public testing on TestFlight.

It is a lightweight, privacy-first Fediverse client for iOS, built around a simple idea: fast, small, predictable behavior, and first-class support for snac.

What makes it different:

• snac-first by design, not "compatible by accident"
• Works with all Mastodon API compatible software, including Mastodon, snac, GoToSocial, Akkoma, and others
• EXIF stripping on upload (HDR and orientation preserved)
• Optional on-device alt text generation via Apple Intelligence for your uploads and for images in your timeline
• Markdown posting for snac
• Granular notifications, grouping, multi-account
• Blocking and moderation tools
• Very small footprint, very low RAM usage

Alt text generation happens entirely on device via Apple APIs on supported hardware. Nothing is sent to external services.

It is built around my own workflow and priorities. It may not be for everyone, and that is perfectly fine.

Important note:
MastoBlaster will always be free for BSD Cafe users, illumos Cafe users, and for anyone connecting to a snac instance, including self-hosted ones.

The app is already usable, but this is still a test phase. I am looking for feedback, bug reports, and real-world usage insights.

TestFlight link:
https://testflight.apple.com/join/Pkxa5R1k

Stay tuned.

#MastoBlaster #iOS #Apple #Fediverse #Mastodon #snac #GoToSocial #Akkoma #ActivityPub

#Fediday #Mastodon Starterpack 🚀

🔗 https://fedidevs.com/s/NjQ4/

with some Speakers 👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 and more.🎪

I've enabled a slightly more aggressive caching on the BSD Cafe Mastodon instance. It shouldn't be necessary, but I want to see how things change.
If you notice any issues, please let me know.

Your Barista,
@stefano

#BSDCafe #BSDCafeServices #BSDCafeUpdates #Mastodon

Periodic reminder that you can follow hashtags on #Mastodon (and presumably most other #Fediverse-related software). You can even add them to lists if you follow @tag-[desired hashtag]@relay.fedi.buzz .

I finally had to remove @tag-catsofmastodon from my "Funny" list out of fear of everyone unfollowing me for boosting so many damned cat pics. And because it was crowding out everything else. Lol

Self-hosting your Mastodon media with SeaweedFS

https://it-notes.dragas.net/2025/11/06/self-hosting-your-mastodon-media-with-seaweedfs/

#ITNotes #NoteHUB #container #fediverse #freebsd #hosting #jail #mastodon #networking #ownyourdata #seaweedfs #server #tutorial #web

Self-hosting your Mastodon media with SeaweedFS

https://it-notes.dragas.net/2025/11/06/self-hosting-your-mastodon-media-with-seaweedfs/

#FreeBSD #SeaweedFS #Mastodon #ITNotes #Fediverse #Hosting #OwnYourData #RunBSD

I wonder what the situation is with #Mastodon apps for #Android these days. At one point, the official app was very bare bones, and folks recommended using #Moshidon or #Megalodon for better access to the full Mastodon experience. Is it the same still?

I have been using Moshidon for a while now, and I used to run Tusky. Having checked the last update, Moshidon got updated last summer, the official app a few days ago, and Tusky in September.

Retro Gaiden: The best retro-themed Mastodon instance on the Fediverse

https://retro-gaiden.com

#Fediverse #Mastodon #Retro