QOTO.org new January 2020 Features Added - 3 - Non-Federating, Strictly LOCAL posts.

Another desirable feature in Mastodon (which is already present and used in GlitchSoc instances) is to have Strictly LOCAL, non-Federating posts.

What defines these posts?

- The root idea is that they will NOT be shared or sent anywhere else, but stay visible only in the instance where the Toot was posted.

- The choice you made here is to create a post that is only for the local, logged in users.

- All the other normal Toot Privacy settings can still be used - a non-federating toot could be Public, Unlisted, Followers only (in this case, only Follower users in the same instance would see it) or a Direct Message (showing only to *Local* users mentioned in the Toot text).

Why do we need this feature?

- It's an option to the author of the post, sometimes they might have a small audience in mind, just some local users.

- sometimes the content of the Toot is relevant to local users only, like an event happening soon after.

- or you might be looking for help and someone who is close enough physically to respond, meet, etc.

How is controlled and selected?

- We have a new "Chain" icon in the tools are of the Toot Editor. (see screenshot #1)

- Clicking on the "Chain" icon will present the two possible choices: a normal, Federated toot (which will be shared and spread on the Fediverse.)

- Or a Strictly Local, non-Federating toot, which is selected via the "broken chain" icon. (see screenshot #2)

The same "broken chain" icon will be displayed in the lower part of any toot posted in the instance which used this option.

See an example of Non-Federated Toot, note the Broken Chain icon is there, see screenshot #3.