@sallydipple @kamado @Dunningkruger @catvaxlax @Madmixchaves@glasgow.social @JohnWest_JAWS @jneill @The_Colbobs

This is only my understanding, but there are lots of independent Mastodon servers that talk to each other, and the second @ is the instance name, so mine is @ParkinJim so the instance is "qoto.org"

@Dunningkruger @catvaxlax @ParkinJim @Madmixchaves @jneill @kamado @The_Colbobs @JohnWest_JAWS
Ah ok. Good. I had pretty much understood it then. I am libretooth.

@sallydipple @Dunningkruger @catvaxlax @ParkinJim @Madmixchaves @jneill @kamado @The_Colbobs @JohnWest_JAWS

Do I have an instance? If not should I and if so ..how can I?

@Kincavel @sallydipple @Dunningkruger @catvaxlax @Madmixchaves@glasgow.social @jneill @kamado @The_Colbobs @JohnWest_JAWS yes, yours is mastodon.online

@ParkinJim oooh thanks for that!

@ParkinJim @Kincavel @Dunningkruger @Madmixchaves @jneill @kamado @The_Colbobs @JohnWest_JAWS
awscommunity.social was my instance

@The_Colbobs @ParkinJim @JohnWest_JAWS @kamado @Madmixchaves @jneill @Kincavel @Dunningkruger @catvaxlax I think you are on it! It’s your chosen server!

@sallydipple @Dunningkruger @catvaxlax @ParkinJim @Madmixchaves @JohnWest_JAWS @jneill
@The_Colbobs

Hey Sally, an analogy might be the Post Office. The post office is a set of rules and procedures for postage, stamps, licenses etc.

The Post Office in the village is an 'instance' of the idea of the post office. A physical implementation of the rules and design.

@sallydipple @Dunningkruger @catvaxlax @ParkinJim @Madmixchaves @JohnWest_JAWS @jneill @The_Colbobs

Mastodon is a set of standards, an instance is someone who has set up a local Mastodon server for their community or interest. I am on Mastodon.Scot for Scottish people or those who identify as Scot.

@Madmixchaves @The_Colbobs @kamado @Dunningkruger @jneill @catvaxlax @JohnWest_JAWS @ParkinJim perfect thanks. Turns out I had intuited its meaning correctly but it’s an odd word.

@kamado @sallydipple @Dunningkruger @catvaxlax @ParkinJim @Madmixchaves @JohnWest_JAWS @jneill @The_Colbobs when at sign-up I was presented with a plethora of servers I opted for the one (MastodonApp) that I reasoned would have the broadest scope of users. As I understand it, it doesn’t really matter which you choose as all the servers “talk” to each other anyway.

@podgyfingers @kamado @sallydipple @Dunningkruger @catvaxlax @Madmixchaves@glasgow.social @JohnWest_JAWS @jneill @The_Colbobs

Yes, unfortunately <something> (I'm not sure what) apparently happened... Presumably with the admin of that instance which you are on ( mastodonapp.uk) not suspending someone contentious, and now that instance is blocked by several other instances.

I'm reading between the lines but the admin of that instance has issued an apology.

For example @EmmaKennedy was unable to see someone on there.

@ParkinJim @podgyfingers @kamado @sallydipple @Dunningkruger @catvaxlax @Madmixchaves @JohnWest_JAWS @The_Colbobs @EmmaKennedy

Jim, is mastodonapp.uk ok now or still being blocked?

@jneill @podgyfingers @kamado @sallydipple @Dunningkruger @catvaxlax @Madmixchaves@glasgow.social @JohnWest_JAWS @The_Colbobs @EmmaKennedy it will depend on the admins for the specific servers.

Most instances have an about page that shows what is blocked. You can generally click on someone's profile picture to take you to their profile on their home instance and from that to the home instance homepage

And from that you can see a list of blocked servers.

For example

https://mstdn.social/about

For the one I was looking at

@Madmixchaves @The_Colbobs @kamado @Dunningkruger @jneill @catvaxlax @JohnWest_JAWS @ParkinJim my server, then?

@sallydipple Yes. Your server is an instance of Mastodon.

In tech speak it is instantiation.

@kamado aha! That helps! I like to know the etymology of weird word evolution ! Thanks

@kamado @sallydipple @Dunningkruger @catvaxlax @ParkinJim @Madmixchaves @jneill I like that analogy