Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I am stepping down as the CEO of Mastodon

blog.joinmastodon.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

261–270 of 497 posts

Re: I am stepping down as the CEO of Mastodon

#261

Post by LastTrain »

krapp wrote: post #259
abdullahkhalids wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It indicates to the poster that someone (you) liked their post. Perhaps that encourages them to make other similar posts.

That sounds like exactly the kind of addiction-reinforcing Skinner box nonsense that leads to influencers, parasocial relationships and a content economy, and all of the dark patterns of social media that the fediverse is designed to avoid. People shouldn't be posting to get the endorphine rush from clicks or to satisfy metrics. They should post whatever they want, whenever they want. If you like what someone posts,…

The issue with social media isn’t with encouraging or content creators, it is with how consumers are conditioned.

Re: I am stepping down as the CEO of Mastodon

#262

Post by bluGill »

tzs wrote: post #226
bluGill wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Generally charitable foundations figure that you can withdraw 3% per year from your savings and never run out. Remember you have to account for not only good years, but also really bad years, so even though you can average 10% over the long term in the stock market there will be decades that you are negative. There are also bond investments that are safer, but have worse return. And inflation is always eating into yo…

The hard part is housing and transportation. If you've managed to pay off your house before retiring and it and its major appliances are in good shape, and if you are someplace where you need a car you have that off too, and you can find a place where property taxes aren't too bad living on $30k/year is actually quite reasonable if you don't have expensive hobbies. (I'm going to assume that we actually withdraw sligh…

well and septic is cheaper than city services. However the city services are a small monthly cost while the well/septic is a big one every 20-30 years: budgeting is easier

Re: I am stepping down as the CEO of Mastodon

#263

Post by krapp »

LastTrain wrote: post #261
krapp wrote: post #259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds like exactly the kind of addiction-reinforcing Skinner box nonsense that leads to influencers, parasocial relationships and a content economy, and all of the dark patterns of social media that the fediverse is designed to avoid. People shouldn't be posting to get the endorphine rush from clicks or to satisfy metrics. They should post whatever they want, whenever they want. If you like what someone posts,…

The issue with social media isn’t with encouraging or content creators, it is with how consumers are conditioned.

The incentives are related and create a feedback loop. Give someone a number and they'll do whatever it takes to make that number go up.

Re: I am stepping down as the CEO of Mastodon

#265

Post by afavour »

Loughla wrote: post #152
youniverse wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's salute dang for his service.

For real though. The moderation on this site is on point.

I actually think HN achieves the illusion of greatness via excessive moderation. It’s very easy for users to flag a topic from the front page and (IIRC) there are even automated downranks for threads that attract a lot of back and forth arguing.

The result is a site with relatively measured debate but also a large chunk of missing debate. All that said I don’t have some genius idea about how to do it better so my criticisms can only go so far.

Re: I am stepping down as the CEO of Mastodon

#266

Post by benatkin »

glenstein wrote: post #212

This is an indescribably devastating loss for a project that, whatever its imperfections, can fairly lay claim to the most intellectually consistent and sincere adherence to FOSS, privacy, and decentralization of any major social media project. Eugene has proven a spectacular and indispensable developer, and I don't know that Mastodon has the ability to move on without him. I want to praise Eugen but the uncomfortabl…

I happen to be inclined to agree with what the post says. First it leads with a similing mastodon with hearts. Later on it says "I’m also aware that my aversion to public appearances cost Mastodon some opportunities in publicity." I'm sad about part of the reason why he decided to transition away from being CEO, not that he's decided to transition away from being CEO, and I'm optimistic about Mastodon.

Re: I am stepping down as the CEO of Mastodon

#267

Post by deadbabe »

bigstrat2003 wrote: post #142
mmooss wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at some of the comments in this HN discussion, and you can see what Rochko means.

Like the other poster said, there's nothing worth losing sleep over in the comments here. Some people trying to start flame wars about politics, and a guy who thinks it's funny to drop racial slurs. None of those is good (and they are all flagged to death which is good), but neither do they make this comment section some kind of cesspool that would show why one is correct to distance oneself from Mastodon.

Sometimes I really wonder what the crowd I interact with here on HN is really like. Are they true tech intellectuals, or are they people who wouldn't hesitate to hurl racial slurs if there wasn't the threat of being banned or flagged.

Re: I am stepping down as the CEO of Mastodon

#269

Post by abdullahkhalids »

BeetleB wrote: post #217
abdullahkhalids wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It indicates to the poster that someone (you) liked their post. Perhaps that encourages them to make other similar posts.

In which case either favorite or bookmark will do the trick, correct? Why worry whether you're clicking the "wrong" one? Boost will also do it, but it has more side effects.

In real life, your friend tells you a moderately funny story that happened to him. You tell the friend, "nice story" (that's a like).

Another friend tells you a super funny story. You then go and tell other friends this same funny story. (that's a boost).

Different real life things, that are captured by digital tools.

What I have a problem with are quote tweets, which are like talking about someone in front of them, without including them in the conversation.

Re: I am stepping down as the CEO of Mastodon

#270

Post by trinsic2 »

grepfru_it wrote: post #256
thekid314 wrote: post #248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I met Stallman once when he was pamphleting outside a beloved book store because they were using meetup to organize a book signing. The guy is consistent.

I used to make so much fun of RMS in the late 90s. Then I met him and my entire view on that man changed. He absolutely is doing the world a favor and it would benefit everyone to think long and hard what a world would be like without GNU today

[flagged]
Post reply on HN