Jotting some quick notes I’ve observed so far from running /m/scifi for a couple of weeks and getting to 3K subscribers:

  • Even though most people will return to Reddit and it’ll be ‘business as usual’ - the seeds of destruction are already in place.
  • No one is coming to a place where there’s nothing to read / think about / interact with
  • The thing that made Reddit great is content - we came there for content. So when it comes to asking ‘how can we grow Kbin?’ the answer is simple: It’s the content, stupid.
  • Reddit has tons of free content - in the spirit of being a #chaoticgood, we can grab the best parts of that content and use it to make Kbin an interesting, thoughtful place to be
  • Creating spaces with well-thought-out rules to encourage inclusivity, collaborate, and mutual respect. It’s working out well for /m/scifi
  • Redditors know what’s up - they’re pissed at Spez but there’s not much they can do about it. They’ll vote with their feet if we give them a new place to come to.

Thoughts?

  • hotwarioinyourarea@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Kbin really needs an app to become daily for most people I think. I’ve spent a lot of time on Lemmy because of Jerboa and the fact this whole thing came about because of Reddit screwing over app devs means people will be looking for that be alternative.

      • gk99@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        It’s impressively usable, but there are certainly some problems with it right now. I haven’t made a second account to use a Lemmy app because I don’t want two accounts to access the same set of content, but I am eagerly awaiting the API coming online so that app devs can start working on a more polished mobile solution.

    • Ragnell@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      You can install an app from the Kbin mobile page to your phone, though. Just go to the mobile page, there’s an install app option under the 3 dots that works.

      • pgetsos@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        I use Hermit so that I can reload a page. The PWA didn’t support any kind of reload unfortunately

        • Dangdoggo@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          I’m using that app and the standard “pull the page all the way down” browser gesture refreshes pages

        • reflex@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          I use Hermit

          Hey fellow Hermit user. Do you use infinite scroll? And if so, did you have an issue with Hermit snapping to the bottom of the page if you navigated back from a thread loaded via infinite scroll?

          I.e.,

          1. Scroll down until infinite scroll triggers and loads more threads.
          2. Click into one of the loaded threads.
          3. Navigate back.
      • ivy@fedi196.gay
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        1 year ago

        I wasn’t aware that it worked
        I am working on an app myself but it’s going to be about a month
        kbin still doesn’t fully have an api so any apps are going to have to wait until it’s development is underway

        • Ragnell@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          The main board updates, but I have the worst time logging in from there or mobile. I think that’s my phone and my fat fingers, though.

    • scamper@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      if other fedi projects are any indication, likely a unified API will develop. Mastodon’s API is supported by most other fedi projects, so you can use mobile apps interchangeably. If Lemmy becomes dominant then kbin would have to implement an API to match.

    • EE@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Reddit screwing over app devs also potentially means app devs free to use their skills for Lemmy/Kbin.

    • Tigbitties@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      I don’t mind it on the browser. It doesn’t feel that different from RiF when you play with the settings. I could use an infinite scroll.

    • Mintyytea@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      I try to give time and patience to kbin because it’s actually only a month old xD I think it’s this guy called ernesto and some of his friends that are developing for it. They have to fix a lot of things on the site because it’s still in a prototype mode. They work very fast though but yeah I think they’re going as fast as humanly possible right now. I’m glad there is an app being made already right now for both lemmy and kbin.

    • theinspectorst@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      I’m looking forward to a proper app with more functionality, but for now the progressive web app does work fine and I have it on my home screen on my phone in the place where Baconreader used to sit (and open it multiple times each day).

  • MyMulligan
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    1 year ago

    Users of Kbin and Lemmy should continually search for communities and magazines that will interest them and interact. There’s places appearing all of the time. What you didn’t find yesterday might be there today.

    Most of the time I have Jerboa set to look for new posts within all instances. I’m surprised at what’s out there after only four days. Sadly many don’t have any comments after several hours, even days. Up votes are one thing but if someone took the time to post, written feedback is what will inspire someone to make more posts. Yes. I only comment when it’s warranted but even a simple compliment can encourage more posts and discussion.

    I’ve seen a bot running on an instance that’s finding some of the best from reddit and posting. It identifies itself as a bot and links to the original content. It gives a url to the reddit post and when it was posted. This is something I can appreciate. I hope it can generate some discussion.

    Now, more than ever, sorting by new and commenting on what interests you will help.

    • phloatingman@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Sometimes a post will say 0 comments, but if you click the rainbow fedilink, it’ll take you to the post’s original instance and there will be more comments.

    • lixus98@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      The bot you are talking about is archiving many posts from reddit, I have one running too, but mine is intended for mods that need to mirror content from their subreddit (only external links, like news) to a magazine or community.
      Here’s the link if someone needs it: https://github.com/daniel-lxs/BotIt

    • darkstar@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      I agree. Written feedback is extremely important if you’re not willing to be a poster yourself. I’ve been lurking Reddit for 16 years, I am trying my hardest to comment on almost every post I see on lemmy. I want this to work

  • ChanchoManco@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    That’s what I been thinking, I know the Reddit drama is interesting but this platform won’t last unless we forget about it and focus on creating content and engage with it.

    • Hyperreality@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Reddit right now is like a car crash. It’s hard to look away. However, there’s a very good reason not to engage, the debate on reddit has become more artificial than most realise.

      Reddit’s inflated numbers by using bots and fake accounts since day 1. A quick google will result in articles where they admit as much. We all know reddit’s had increasing amounts of bots, posting content and increasingly comments, but I don’t think people realise how bad it’s become.

      It’s not even that time that reddit’s blog accidentally posted about Eglin Air Force base being one of the most reddit addicted cities. I think everyone knows (foreign) governments engage in influence operations online, and that this includes reddit. Even if it’s just on an intellectual level, without truly realising that they’ve been semi-regularly interacting with bots while arguing on reddit. I also don’t think anyone’s naive enough to think that plenty of political content isn’t artificially upvoted or promoted. Same thing goes for product placement.

      But the recent shit storm just illustrates reddit the company is part of the problem. Recently, I’ve seen twenty different accounts post the same comment about not needing third party apps, and dusting off their laptop. I’ve attempted to compare the current situation to the previous blackout. You know, when reddit hired someone who defended paedophiles as an admin. Deleted comment. Try an alt. Deleted comment. Posted in subs without karma requirements in a fresh account. Auto-deleted.

      When you’re visiting reddit, you’re no longer even watching a car crash. It’s a simulacrum. An imitation of what’s actually happening.

      And it’s been like this for a while. I’ve seen naive redditers engaging with bot comments under bot promoted content, posted by bots on more than one occassion.

      Reddit has become worse than a hentai date simulator. I don’t think anyone who plays those is particularly proud of it. But what to think of the lonely people who engage in reddit discussions with bots, and think they’ve had a genuine social interaction?

      It’s all very dystopian and sad.

      • sanctuary_sanctuary@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        I have noticed how many of the “I didn’t know there were 3rd party apps” and “who cares” comments seem to phrase things very similarly and have wondered how many are being posted by bots. RIP Reddit, we’ll remember what you used to be.

      • MyMulligan
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        1 year ago

        Bots and paid actors are all over social media. It didn’t strike me until I noticed how professional the photography was for a majority of posts. EDC, and Wicked Edge had some well designed still photos. Others too. And they all had links for buying the products.

  • tjp@readit.buzz
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    1 year ago

    Yes. Great thoughts.

    I saw a comment on a reddit thread recently about the migrations, changes, etc saying (paraphrasing) “Remember how we used to see stuff on reddit and then a week later on other platforms? This place is about to become just another week-behind platform.”

    Spez has been pointing out (and clearly justifying to himself) that only a small minority of users are upset with their changes, but that ignores that it’s the mods and content generators - the power users - who make up that small minority. Reddit is about to suck by losing the only thing that made it great. Yes, it’s the content.

  • Syo@kbin.social
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    1 year ago
    1. Reddit is the default and some of us have gotten used to lurking, since it was always big enough that someone else did the voting and top comments. I look at fediverse as an opportunity for change, and in return asking I become an active community member again. Post the latest you see, comment, explain, etc . At least up vote is the content is good.

    2. As long as you are the mod of your /m/, you can make it clear that direct copy of Reddit is acceptable for your /m/. You’re reposting the link in fediverse, with the intention to initiate conservation here because of better moderation. That sounds fine to me. Even the mod can lead by cross posting from Reddit. Yes, It’s the content. Yes, Reddit is the biggest content source (for now). Don’t shy away from leveraging it.

    3. Consider who we are and who you want to be. The assumption that power users, tech savvy folks moved over to fediverse more openly. I think that is true. Think if you want to start being the “first” of the Internet. That’s how digg was, that’s how Reddit grew, even 4chan made a name being the place for the hottest trash takes and going viral once in a while. So post here, and then cross post into Reddit. If they want to be the adult company a layer higher, then so be it.

  • scabrous-leper@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    @inkican Agreed. If we post it they will come…The good/bad thing is that we few have a responsibility to start the avalanche of posts…So I’ve been super-active on my lemmy instance, and here to an extent, toward that expicit end.

  • Hari Seldon@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    You’re right.

    I joined Lemmy two weeks ago, yet, I still spend most of my “Social network time” on Reddit. And the reason is that Reddit has more things to see, more interesting posts to interact with and so on.

    I think that we that are already here should “prepare the place” so that others may come. And preparing the place means exactly creating posts and commenting. As simple as that.

    • keanu0396@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I’m going cold turkey on Reddit for exactly this reason. I realised that if I allowed myself to use Reddit if I couldn’t find the content I want elsewhere, then I’ll never actually leave it.

      Instead I’m trying to now use Lemmy to find the communities that I’m interested it, and to make the content that I’d like to see.

      • inkican@kbin.socialOP
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        1 year ago

        Smart. What’s interesting about it is that the redditors who have left are pretty salty, so I’ve been accused of being a content farmer for posting content to m/todayIlearned. I was like, dude, there’s no karma for posting links. I’m just doing this to be kind, no karma involved. People have a lot of PTSD from the culture of reddit.

      • nostalgicgamerz@lemmy.world
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        This. I quit cold Turkey when I saw that spez wants to make Reddit like twitter and he likes Elon Musk. Nope. Fuck that I’m out

    • Kichae@kbin.social
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      And preparing the place means exactly creating posts and commenting. As simple as that.

      It also means subscribing to remote groups so that they federate and populate in advance of more people arriving.

  • trent@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    what about cross-posting content from Lemmy/kbin to Reddit? Showing that, not only in theory, but in practice, you can switch?

  • YolkBrushWork402@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Very true, I’ve been talking to people and getting them to upload content, I’ve also been trying my best to upload content, comment a bunch of times and upvote alot of people. It ain’t much but it’s a honest work

    • reflex@kbin.social
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      I feel like calling it stealing is too aggressive. Reddit is a link aggregator, so a lot of the initial content is a link to somewhere else. It’s technically not Reddit’s OC to begin with, no?

      Then, as far as reposting things like images, similar argument—there’s a lot of reposts of that content on Reddit anyway. It’s a grayer area than the former, imho. But as long as you don’t rebadge it like 9gag does, I personally don’t see anything wrong with it as a way to bootstrap activity.

      Hell, that’s what these massive AI companies did with their training days. Gotta play a little dirty I guess.

      • taigaman@kbin.social
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        Yes, but I think you could keep it cheap/free because you’re just polling for top posts once an hour/day/whatever, and not trying to rip every comment from every thread. The free tier API (100 calls/min) would pretty easily cover this per magazine.

    • noodlejetski@kbin.social
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      they’re both parts of the Fediverse and are both link aggregators. similar to how, as a Lemmy user, you can subscribe to a community from a Lemmy instance (“server”) different that you’re on, you can subscribe to kbin communities the same way. I’m posting this comment from my kbin account.

    • Kichae@kbin.social
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      kbin isn’t a lemmy instance. It’s server software for running a Reddit-like website, just like lemmy is. There are kbin instances – that is, website running kbin – just like there are lemmy instances (i.e. websites running lemmy).

      Lemmy- and kbin-based websites can share content.

    • jclinares@kbin.social
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      Think of it as the people in Lemmy being Outlook users, and the people on Kbin being Gmail users. They’re just different flavors of the same thing (Reddit-like link aggregators, in this case).

      And, as you already know, as a user of one you can interact with the other, and vice versa.

      • Flax@feddit.uk
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        Even cooler is that mastodon users can interact with lemmy users sort of