Today is the day I talk about what #Calckey is and what it does. 🧵
In this thread, I will explore what I believe to be the most important features of Calckey.
SPOILER ALERT: While Calckey focuses on microblogging, that's where its similarities with #Mastodon (and #Twitter) end.
@fediversenews
Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Let's first take a look at what #Calckey looks like in desktop mode.
As you can see, it's got a very media-rich presentation of a feed.
But there's also more!
On the right pane are some widgets. You can customize which widgets you see there. I opted to see trending hashtags and recent notifications.
On the left pane is the navbar. I'll get into that in a bit.
At the top are different feeds including home, local, social, recommended, global, lists, and antennaes.
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Here's a look at #Calckey in mobile mode.
The top displays different feeds.
The bottom has a navbar with a hamburger menu, home, notifications, chat, and widgets.
This can be installed as a progressive web app to your phone by "adding to Home screeen" when you visit a Calckey site.
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Nick's world
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •So far, so good. You see #Calckey's timeline for microblogging.
Let's now look at notifications.
Notifications can be displayed for
* All
* Unread
* Mentions
* Direct mentions
You can also filter your notifications by:
* New followers
* Boosts
* Quotes
* Reactions
* And many more!
Here's a screenshot what the notification nav bar looks like in mobile mode.
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •The next prominent feature of #Calckey is chat.
Now I can't show you this exactly because that's private 😉
However, what's important to know is that this is distinct from Mastodon DMs, it's isolated from the main feed, and there's no mistaking chats for status updates.
This looks like a chat app.
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Benjamin
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Yet another killer aspect of #Calckey is the Explore section. This is for content discovery -- finding people ("Users") to follow and posts that are gaining traction ("Featured").
Let's focused on the Users aspect of Explore. It helps you find users according to:
* Pinned (a.k.a., recommended)
* Popular
* Recently Active
* Newly Joined Users
There's all sorts of people to follow through the Explore section of Calckey
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •The "Featured" portion of Explore shows the most popular posts divided into two options:
* Local: what's popular on your local #Calckey server
* Remote: what's popular across the Fediverse
This is excellent for finding stuff that already has lots of conversation so you can join in.
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •In this post, you may have noticed lots of emoji reactions. Interestingly, some of these emojis are animated too.
To many people, this is the most compelling reason to use Calckey as this is a feature that's unsupported by Mastodon or Twitter.
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Like Twitter and Mastodon, #Calckey supports bookmarks. These are a private means to save posts to review at a later date.
Bookmarks are easily accessible through the navbar.
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •If you like Facebook Groups, #Calckey has something similar. They are called "Channels".
Currently, they are localized to each Calckey server, but there are plans to federate them across the Fediverse.
Posts to channels (but not channels themselves) can be broadcast across the Fediverse.
This is one big difference between Calckey and Mastodon.
Here's a "Music Recommendations" channel on calckey.social.
Calckey Social
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Let's now talk about search on #Calckey.
To be bluntly honest, Fediverse search needs a lot of work. I don't think one server software nails it yet.
However, unlike Mastodon, Calckey allows you to search across the Fediverse without need of hashtags (or for you to have interacted with the post previously).
This makes search a lot more extensible than on Mastodon.
Click this link to see it in action:
calckey.social/search?q=notifi…
Also see screenshot.
Calckey Social
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⥫ Lee ⥭
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •This is another massive difference between #Calckey and Mastodon.
Calckey has a Drive!
That's right, a cloud storage feature! You can store whatever you want there: photos, music, documents, Zip files, etc.
Who needs Dropbox or Onedrive when you have Calckey?
As you can see in this screenshot, I'm storing diverse media.
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Pages! That's another big difference between #Calckey and Mastodon.
That's right, anyone can make a webpage using Calckey. This page does formats text, embeds images, and allows you to express yourself as you choose.
Here's an example of a Calckey page made by @youronlyone:
calckey.social/@youronlyone/pa…
Also see screenshot.
A collection of Calckey information
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Galleries is another key #Calckey feature.
Calckey allows you to add, curate, and write a description of user-made collection of images.
Here's an example of one person's gallery:
calckey.social/gallery/9e32jx7…
See screenshot of this gallery.
Natasha's Cyberpunk Gallery
Calckey SocialCarsten Raddatz likes this.
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Mlep
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Carsten Raddatz likes this.
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •There's lots of other features that #Calckey has:
* Antennas
* Clips
* Comment trees
* Misskey Flavoured Markdown (MFM)
* Local-only posting
* Deck layout
Really, there's too much to list -- and if I tried, I'd be here all day.
But really, the only way to understand #Calckey is to give it a shot.
If Calckey intrigues you, go ahead and try it yourself.
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Jer Warren
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •like this
m@thias.hellqui.st and Carsten Raddatz like this.
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Jer Warren • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
Shoq
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •reshared this
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Rufus J. Cooter
in reply to Shoq • • •@shoq @nyquildotorg Indeed - I've been playing around on it a bunch more lately, and liking it a lot - the biggest complaint that I have now is that everything I've figured out how to do there has been trial/error
I'd offer to help w/ documentation, but for the facts that I 1) don't know what I'm doing, and 2) don't know how to write good
Jupiter Rowland
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •@Chris Trottier @Jer Warren #CalcKey is getting more and more similar to #Hubzilla, down to the documentation that leaves a lot to be desired. Seriously, Hubzilla has stuff mentioned in the user manual that has been removed years ago.
Only that Hubzilla has even more features, a much worse GUI (improvement is being worked on) and no working mobile app whatsoever because Nomad has been dead for so long that it doesn't even work with today's Hubzilla anymore.
Chris Trottier
in reply to Jupiter Rowland • • •@jupiter_rowland @nyquildotorg You're right about that. When I've come to #Calckey, I realize that there's so much that need explaining.
#Misskey Hub has some documentation, and that helps. But now that #Calckey has diverged, it needs to do the same.
misskey-hub.net/en/
Misskey Hub
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https://kitchenparty.online/users/01GNMTYTSFMTM7SXADPT4MEAFP
in reply to Jer Warren • • •Antennas are keyword alerts, basically. Like subscribing to hashtags in Mastodon, only for any old word you want.
I've been using Calckey for like 5 months now, and I still don't know what a clip is...
@atomicpoet@mastodon.social
https://calckey.social/users/9aprgabaeb
in reply to • • •Jer Warren
in reply to • • •LWFlouisa
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •You have my attention with webpage and cloud storage.
It's always been weird to me not having a cloud storage option, although NextCloud is decent.
I've recently had issues with websites that are fans of the twitter ceo guy, kicking me as I endorse the fediverse.
Though it hasn't happened on NextCloud.
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LWFlouisa
in reply to LWFlouisa • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
Chris Trottier
in reply to LWFlouisa • • •@LWFlouisa It's the flagship instance. There's a server list here:
calckey.org/join/
Calckey
calckey.orgPhil Sherry
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
Thomas
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Please, please, show examples how to use #antennas !
IMO this is the least documented feature of calckey.
#calckey
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AJ 🏳️🌈
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
Claudius Link
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Any recommendations on choosing an instance?
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https://calckey.social/users/9e1jbqmrt4
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Interesting! This feature will be going to be in my repertoire in some project of mine.
@youronlyone@calckey.social
spla
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
Chris Trottier
in reply to spla • • •Trenton Matthews
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •They’re also on #Misskey too.
Hmmm, so that’s why they are called channels. Interesting!
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Jupiter Rowland
in reply to Trenton Matthews • • •@Trenton Matthews @Chris Trottier It can be a bit confusing, for it basically refers to the same as (discussion) groups or forums on other projects.
And "channel" has a wholly different meaning on Hubzilla and (streams).
Bruno Felix
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Chris Trottier
in reply to Bruno Felix • • •Calckey Social
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Benjamin
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
Lennart
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
Chris Trottier
Unknown parent • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
Arindam Basu
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •https://calckey.social/users/9badbj0vp9
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Chris Trottier
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luckysitsinback
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •it's a blast, so far. thanks !
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AI6YR Ben
Unknown parent • • •https://calckey.social/users/9badbj0vp9
in reply to AI6YR Ben • • •I interact with my Mastodon follows too
LabSpokane
in reply to AI6YR Ben • • •I know this sounds lazy, but all I (and most) people want to do is easily find and communicate with likeminded folks and share stuff. Every time something new comes along in the fediverse, it feels like a long, drawn-out research project to figure what the hell it is, if it has traction, how and if one would want to migrate, etc etc etc. Most people find this exhausting and lose interest. It really feels like nothing is going to stabilize and mature, but bifurcate more.
Chris Trottier
in reply to LabSpokane • • •@LabSpokane @ai6yr Actually, #Calckey is a fork of #Misskey, which predates Mastodon by two years.
The *key apps, as they are known, are the 2nd largest platform on the Fediverse.
And no, there isn't "one good thing" on the Fediverse -- there are many. That's the point of the Fediverse. Mastodon is but one portion of this.
If Mastodon works for you, great. But some people would prefer a different UI, or to have different features, or to interact with a different culture.
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Brett Elliff
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •I have made a test account on #Calckey and it is pretty fun and interesting. I do with @ivory would let me use it along with my #Mastodon instance without crashing. Maybe someday soon!
@fediversenews
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MisterArix
in reply to LabSpokane • • •As the leading Fediverse platform, it is up to Mastodon to drive user growth. The other platforms are not large enough nor have the resources to grow their respective user bases the way Mastodon has.
Mastodon literally the elephant of the Fediverse. The rest of us are just the birds sitting on its back.
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Chris Trottier
in reply to MisterArix • • •Further, I don't think it's wrong for other projects to exist -- especially since so many of them predate Mastodon.
#Misskey, which is what #Calckey is based off, predates Mastodon by two years!
Friendica started in 2010.
GNU Social is even older.
It's wild to me that so many folks believe Mastodon = Fediverse.
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Bigou
in reply to MisterArix • • •reshared this
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Chris Trottier
in reply to Bigou • • •@Bigou @MisterArix @ai6yr @LabSpokane Exactly! People are really looking at the Fediverse with Western eyes and aren't considering the fact that in Japan, #Misskey is many peoples' first exposure to the Fediverse.
#Calckey is building on what Misskey has already made.
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AI6YR Ben
in reply to LabSpokane • • •william.maggos
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •@MisterArix @ai6yr @LabSpokane
I'm trying to envision what this future looks like. Calckey seems like an attempt to give people everything they want in an online space, while Mastodon is very much of a Twitter experience. I think Calckey is more the model most people will want. But then some instances should be designed around the work of journalism or video or podcasting. I think many apps will only tie into a part of the capabilities of the server we are on.
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LWFlouisa
Unknown parent • • •@themadcodger Just found one for robots, it was difficult to decide between the robots competition and the cloud server place.
I do chatbots, but I'm knowhere near ready to do robots yet.
Cătă
Unknown parent • • •Paul Schoe
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Your long thread about #Calckey is very worthwhile. Interesting to see the myriad of functions in Calckey.
Nvrthlss, I expect that Mastodon also comes with essential functions such as quotes, thread layout, chat.
However, I'll stay on Mastodon mainly because of people who are NOT yet on Fediverse.
When in my contact details they see @mastodon.world, they have an idea where they can find me. When they would see @calckey, I expect they have no clue what that means.
@atomicpoet @fediversenews
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slyborg
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Chris Trottier
in reply to slyborg • • •@slyborg There’s quite a few differences, including UI. The biggest difference for me, however, is that migration from Mastodon is possible, and there’s a compatibility layer with Mastodon’s API being built.
Post edits are being tested right now too.
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Blake Leonard
in reply to slyborg • • •Ella
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Fediverse News reshared this.
crossgolf_rebel - kostenlose Kwalitätsposts
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •@atomicpoet@mastodon.social@fediversenews@venera.social
aRubes
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •• Already has a nice tree view
• Mute has another great variant: Mute only the boosts !
• Instance cloud & in-post display of the software on the other end
~ Does not render bidi text correctly, yet 😔
Kevin Davidson
Unknown parent • • •The exact same thing with different ActivityPub servers and clients. You can pick the combination that works best for you, but we all share the same network.
Мя ��
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •everyone talking about cool features, but doesn't mention all misskey-based software curse:
Horribly slow, over-bloated front-end
It even has fucking scripting language. Implemented in fucking JavaScript.
It takes THREE spinners to show a post. And even more layout shifts. Maybe for someone who are used to twitter this is usual, but this is not okay
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Jupiter Rowland
in reply to Kevin Davidson • • •@Kevin Davidson @LabSpokane @Chris Trottier It's the very same thing as people demanding the #Linux ecosystem be reduced to ONE distribution with no variants, ONE graphics toolkit, ONE display manager with ONE desktop environment. Because Linux is "too complicated" otherwise. Because it makes people choose where Windows and Mac users don't even have a choice.
But this would leave many dissatisfied because that unified Linux will not cater to their individual tastes. If it sucks, Linux sucks altogether.
Of course, in the #Fediverse case, the one unified project which
... show more@Kevin Davidson @LabSpokane @Chris Trottier It's the very same thing as people demanding the #Linux ecosystem be reduced to ONE distribution with no variants, ONE graphics toolkit, ONE display manager with ONE desktop environment. Because Linux is "too complicated" otherwise. Because it makes people choose where Windows and Mac users don't even have a choice.
But this would leave many dissatisfied because that unified Linux will not cater to their individual tastes. If it sucks, Linux sucks altogether.
Of course, in the #Fediverse case, the one unified project which the Fediverse must be reduced to is always #Mastodon. Preferably always with the same set of features. No other projects, not even forks.
First of all, this would mean that the Fediverse would lose a great deal of its features. Mastodon can't do podcasts; #Funkwhale and #Castopod can. Mastodon can't do blogs; #WriteFreely and #Plume can. Mastodon can't do YouTube; #PeerTube can. Not to mention the many things that #Hubzilla can do that Mastodon can't.
Now, someone could suggest to cram all features of all these projects into Mastodon. But not only is this very likely impossible without re-designing great deals of Mastodon which, for example, doesn't offer the multiple-channels-per-account model and doesn't even differentiate between posts and comments. It would also irritate those who stick with Mastodon because it's the most simple of all Fediverse projects.
And indeed, there are many who wish for Mastodon to be frozen on the feature level of late 2022 when they joined. They're even opposed to the introduction of text formatting or quotes to Mastodon, features which would thereby vanish from the Fediverse altogether if the Fediverse was reduced to late-2022 Mastodon.
Besides, you won't be able to get everyone to cooperate on Mastodon, much less on Mastodon staying at the level of late 2022. Literally every project leader who isn't Eugen Rochko will demand more features than Mastodon had half a year ago, actually, even more features than Mastodon has right now.
So you've got two possibilies.
One, Mastodon ends up an even heavier feature monster than Hubzilla because everyone can add to it what they deem necessary or useful.
Two, Eugen Rochko becomes the supreme ruler over the Fediverse, and only he decides which features the Fediverse is allowed to have. And he bases his decision on the wishes of those who want Mastodon to stay simple. Everyone else is reduced to a code monkey with no free will, including Mike Macgirvin, inventor of the #DFRN protocol, #Friendica (both 6 years before Mastodon), the #Zot protocol, #NomadicIdentity (both 5 years before Mastodon), Red Matrix/Hubzilla (4 years before Mastodon), Osada, Zap, Roadhouse, #Streams etc.
Kevin Davidson
Unknown parent • • •caos
in reply to Chris Trottier • • •Everyone can find the Fediverse software that best suits their needs and tastes. To try it out first or for different application focuses, it can make sense to have several accounts with different software.
eshep likes this.
eshep
in reply to william.maggos • •@william maggot̶s [IL], #Calckey is doing an excellent job of expanding on the greatness #Misskey has built. And #Mastodon, despite its popularity and newishness, remains the(?) most limiting ways to interact with the Fediverse.
There already exist instances that cover each of these things.
|journalism: #Plume #WriteFreely
|video: #PeerTube #Owncast
|podcasting: #Funkwhale #Castopod
Having this separation of duties and keeping things modular lets each tool do the best it can for the task it was designed. There are plenty of other modular parts of the fediverse out there as well. Check out the Fediverse Party or FediDB sites for a more extensive listing, or the Fediverse Observer page if you crave a bit more.
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caos
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