Is your Mastodon timeline too empty or too full?
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips Accusing someone of causing harm for using the non-technical definition of algorithm is kind of darkly funny in a way.
Like it's clear that they understand that words can have expanded and non-literal definitions, but seemingly only for words they want to use to make a fiddly argument about terminology sounds more dire.
Tbh, between the word "algorithm" and the word "harm", it is probably more important to insist on an accurate definition of the word "harm".
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
Just want to say that I really appreciate the work you're doing and your guides are great and really helped me to navigate mastodon a bit more confidently . thank you
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It is by the dictionary definition, it isn't by common usage. What the dictionary says on technical matters often diverges from common usage.
Maybe the clearest example is "computer": Most people use that word to mean a laptop or desktop PC/Mac and not a smartphone. But going by the dictionary definition of "computer", the smartphone ought to be called a computer too.
I'm trying to use common usage as I'm mainly aiming my guides at new and non-technical people.
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@FediTips Perhaps a positive reinforcement will outweigh the negative one you just got
Thank you for what you do.
Oh wow!
Thank you so much! You didn't have to but it is very greatly appreciated!
That's very kind and generous of you, it helps a lot with keeping the accounts and sites going!
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips Hang in there. I think you do a great job of helping out, thank you for doing it!
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Is your Mastodon timeline too empty or too full? Are you seeing too much of one thing while missing important posts? Is your timeline overwhelmed by someone who shares too many posts?
These and lots more timeline problems are solved in the "How to customise your Mastodon timeline" guide:
@FediTips your work is very much appreciated. Sorry you are being harassed. I frankly think that Mastodon is potentially one of the key means to avoid social media armageddon.
Avoiding Algorithmic Addiction is the key to regaining sanity…
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips You do fabulous work. I salute you!
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I agree with Fritz... You are not even willing to consider you could do better.
So be it. I have better things to do than trying to convince someone he is writing like an AI.
Cheers.
@BlameDutchie @FediTips @gotofritz
Oh ffs, even the OED recognizes fedi's use of the word "algorithm". Bad enough to criticize someone's word choices when you obviously know what they mean, but to do it when they're actually using the word in a widely recognized sense is just
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips You do great work, don't worry about the queefs.
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@FediTips Accusing someone of causing harm for using the non-technical definition of algorithm is kind of darkly funny in a way.
Like it's clear that they understand that words can have expanded and non-literal definitions, but seemingly only for words they want to use to make a fiddly argument about terminology sounds more dire.
Tbh, between the word "algorithm" and the word "harm", it is probably more important to insist on an accurate definition of the word "harm".
@Owlor @FediTips they strike me probably as the type of wordbro that will go standing on the hill about a meaning of a slur word before it became a slur and get pissy at folks said slur targets asking for them not to use said slur word because think of the poor dictionary definition.. despite um hold up they're clearly erasing the part of the definition that says how it's used as a slur. It's just a word in that case, but then get so pissed off at when a word is used in a way they don't like lol
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It is by the dictionary definition, it isn't by common usage. What the dictionary says on technical matters often diverges from common usage.
Maybe the clearest example is "computer": Most people use that word to mean a laptop or desktop PC/Mac and not a smartphone. But going by the dictionary definition of "computer", the smartphone ought to be called a computer too.
I'm trying to use common usage as I'm mainly aiming my guides at new and non-technical people.
@FediTips @jannem @Arthfach Yeah... I think anyone who takes communication seriously, as you do, has to understand that in some cases it makes sense to be pedantic about what words mean, and in other cases it makes sense to sacrifice precision for ease of understanding. What you're doing is definitely in the latter category.
A fair number of people (some of whom really should know better IMO) don't seem to have ever considered that distinction.
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips
Thank you for teaching us something about algorithms and pedants today! -
p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips
Sounds like they need to rolltheirown -
p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips Well, "There is no algorithm on Mastodon" *is* wrong.
To a techie an "algorithm" is "a procedure which terminates".
In this case we're presumably talking about the algorithm which decides which posts a user sees. Which *does* exist, because the user sees post! - and is described in various places (starting with "you see posts from people you follow" and getting more complicated than that).
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
@FediTips You're doing a great job, thanks for all the help you do for us!
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p.s. Good grief. I'm trying to help people use this place and just got accused of "disinformation" and "causing harm" because they didn't like the way I used the word algorithm in the guide.
Can we please chill out and be a bit more friendly? The Fedi relies on volunteers helping each other and making suggestions in a constructive way.
If I've done something wrong it is brilliant if you point it out, most of the guides rely on people correcting me. But there is no need for personal attacks.
-
Is your Mastodon timeline too empty or too full? Are you seeing too much of one thing while missing important posts? Is your timeline overwhelmed by someone who shares too many posts?
These and lots more timeline problems are solved in the "How to customise your Mastodon timeline" guide:
@FediTips you are an important part of the fediverse! You are dare I say core to its success. Much appreciation for all you do
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N Marianne shared this topic
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