Notices by switching.social (switchingsocial@mastodon.at), page 16

Last week, Mastodon adopted a beginner-friendly default interface 👍

So, maybe this would be a good time to spread the word about Mastodon to a wider audience?

If you're on Facebook/Twitter, you could do a little post about Masto with a link to https://joinmastodon.org ? And a link to a good instance running 2.9 or above?

(Also, I think some people were doing Mastodon posters?)

If people hear about Mastodon from many different sources, they are more likely to try it.

#Mastodon #Fediverse

In case you missed it, there's a free open Fediverse alternative to Reddit under construction called Prismo:

@prismo

You can try the first instance at:

https://prismo.xyz

https://prismo.xyz/auth/sign_up

The idea is that each instance is the equivalent of a subreddit, dedicated to a particular topic.

Prismo federates with ActivityPub so you can follow Prismo accounts from Mastodon etc. (The federation isn't completed yet though, so some features are missing.)

#Prismo #Reddit #Alternatives

Fediverse users who are blind or partially sighted rely on screen readers to read posts aloud.

It's important to add alt texts on images you post, so screen reader users know what is in them.

You can do this on Mastodon by clicking on "Describe for the visually impaired" after attaching an image.

But what if you forget?

Well, there's a useful bot which will send you an instant message if you forget to add alt text:

@alt_text

To use it, just follow it!

#FediTips #MastoTips #Mastodon

I'm delisting the switching.social handbook at the end of next week (Sunday 9th June), so if you want to buy a copy now is your final chance:

https://www.kobo.com/ebook/the-switching-social-handbook

#SwitchingSocial #eBooks #Alternatives

Instagram alternative #PixelFed's flagship instance pixelfed.social is now permanently closed to new registrations in order to prevent centralisation.

You can still sign up to PixelFed, just pick another instance.

Here are some we'd recommend:

https://pix.diaspodon.fr
https://pxlfd.me/
https://pixelfed.de/

You can find more at:
https://fediverse.network/pixelfed

PixelFed instances federate with the Fediverse, so you can follow PF accounts from Mastodon etc.

#Alternatives #DeleteInstagram

Want to manage your friends list on Mastodon without scrolling through the entire list?

There's a really nice tool for doing so in the settings menu:

1. Go to "Preferences" (also known as "Settings")

2. Go to "Follows and Followers"

3. Click on the filters to find what you want, for example "Moved" shows accounts that have moved to another instance

#MastoTips #Mastodon

EU election season begins today as the UK goes to the polls (most other EU members vote on Sunday).

Please, please use your vote 🙏

It takes you just a second but in the current climate it will have perhaps decades of deep consequences.

Elections matter. Please make your voice heard, however small you might think it is 👍

#EUElections

In case you missed it, there's a privacy-friendly alternative to Google Play.

It's called F-Droid and only includes free open apps that don't track you:

https://switching.social/ethical-alternatives-to-google-play/

The installation process is slightly complicated, but once it's been installed it's extremely easy to use.

You can also follow F-Droid on here at:

@fdroidorg

#AppStores #GooglePlay #Alternatives #FDroid #Huawei #DeleteGoogle #Privacy

As it's the 10th anniversary of Minecraft, a reminder that there's a free open alternative called Minetest:

https://www.minetest.net/

You can follow it on the Fediverse at:

@Minetest

It has many game modes including online multiplayer servers.

#Minetest #Minecraft #Minecraft10Years #Alternatives #FLOSS

It's... #FollowFriday :gentleblob:

📰 @wallabag Wallabag: Free open alternative to Pocket

📄 @LimeSurvey LimeSurvey: Free open alternative to Google Forms

👣 @gnome GNOME: Makers of a free open desktop environment

🌐 @cwebber Christopher Lemmer Webber: One of the creators of ActivityPub

🐐 @GoatsLive Goats Live: Aww... The everyday adventures of a pair of pet goats

Previous #FF:
https://mastodon.at/@switchingsocial/102071621079322758

#FFed

France's largest free software organisation @Framasoft has just launched a crowdfunding campaign for an open federated events tool, Mobilizon:

https://joinmobilizon.org/en/

Mobilizon would replace Facebook Events and similar closed services.

It would use ActivityPub, so people would be able to organise events on the Fediverse.

You can also follow its Mastodon account here:

@mobilizon

#Mobilizon #DeleteFacebook #Events #Alternatives #Fediverse