Chris Trottier
1/ Many potential users complain about Mastodon's sign-up process.
So I'm going to put this under the microscope right now.
To be sure, I'm not going to say it is "bad" or that there shouldn't be a barrier to entry.
Just pointing out ways the sign-up process can be easier. ?
Chris Trottier
8/ On the left of the server lists, there's an option to filter based on region and interest.
This is okay, but many people don't want to be defined by their region or one specific interest.
Instead, they want to be seen as the complex and nuanced human being that they are.
While this is helpful for finding some affinity, it doesn't go far enough.
What's most confusing is that there's a Region filter, but then a topical filter for "Region". Huh? Is this duplication?
Dream A Little :startrek:
@atomicpoet Who runs the join mastodon website? It is confusing. I think I went there when I first was interested in Mastodon but I haven't been in a while.
Chris Trottier
5/ So here's where the eye is immediately drawn at the server page.
Again, there should be a call to action here -- some direction on how to create an account.
Instead, there's -- what looks to a new user -- a sort of defensiveness about why they haven't created an account yet.
You're told to make an account, but shouldn't that have happened when you clicked the "Create account" button?
As a user, if I haven't created an account, I nevertheless want to know how to create an account.
Chris Trottier
6/ Let's now look at the server filters. They are:
1. Legal structure
2. Sign-up speed
3. Language
Of these, language should probably be the first choice as it's the most critical.
"Legal" is a scary word. But also, it's a concern for very few people.
Sign-up speed is confusing. What does this actually measure?
When you click it, you realize it's not about "speed" per se, but availability.
But also, should the default be "all"? Perhaps it would be wider for "immediate" to be the default.
Chris Trottier
7/ Now let's look at the servers that joinmastodon.org recommends to me.
The vast majority are servers that I MUST apply to join. There's no guarantee of approval.
It takes three full page scrolls to find a server that's open to registrations. It's in Belarussian -- not English -- which means the language filter has failed me.
Finally, after the 4th scroll, I get to an English-language server that's open.
Unfortunately, I'm not Danish nor am I a vegan -- which means I don't share affinity!
Chris Trottier
2/ First I want to acknowledge that signing up to Mastodon has fundamentally changed since I first signed up.
When I joined, I simply went to mastodon.social, clicked "Create Account", and it was easy.
But mastodon.social has been struggling, and so have several other instances.
The "typical" instances aren't available, which means the majority of people are going to joinmastodon.org.
And that's where the trouble starts!
Chris Trottier
3/ So here's the joinmastodon.org home page.
The tagline "Social networking that's not for sale" is okay -- and ironically sells me on Mastodon.
But the blurb underneath does not provide enough direction.
Instead, we're given two choices:
1. Get the app
2. Create account
If I get the app, have I "joined" Mastodon? No -- not necessarily. And this is the more immediate call to action.
The lesser call is Create account. Problem, as we'll soon see, is that this is no guarantee.
Chris Trottier
4/ When you click "Create account", the expected action is a sign up form.
But that isn't what happens. Instead you're brought to a page about Servers.
Now I understand why this page exists.
But let's be honest. You DON'T create an account on this page. There's no form. And to many people, this is a broken promise.
"Create account" button doesn't create account.
Afif R.
@atomicpoet @Gargron once user had enough good grasp of Mastodon, they should be able to migrate to a server of their own choosing themselves. Make the first step as simple & straightforward as possible
Afif R.
@atomicpoet @Gargron it's like he reads my toots!
Eugen Rochko
@afif @atomicpoet We've started working on this change in November, sorry!
Afif R.
@atomicpoet good points. The create account button should redirect to a random popular general purpose server @Gargron aka “I’m feeling lucky”
Afif R.
@Gargron @atomicpoet no worries mate, it's good when devs respond to feedbacks
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