Oof. Until now at least one third of respondents to my #poll feel that it is okay to just refer to #mastodon, when meaning the #fediverse. How is the general public ever going to learn all the fedi and #ActivityPub has to offer, if their judgment is based on this narrow category word that means "microblogging", just one of many fediverse application domains?
Has "Mastodon" become a category name, rather than a product / brand name? In a similar way "Jeep" became a category word for "all-terrain vehicle".
So often I see people use #Mastodon, where they refer more broadly to #fediverse. And I think "How about all the other fine #microblogging apps other than Mastodon?"
Look how many others there are: https://delightful.coding.social/delightful-fediverse-experience/#microblogging
What do you think: Has "Mastodon" become a category name?
@smallcircles i mean… there’s like 15 different types of screws. It’s really important to the people making them and somewhat important to the people selling them.
But don’t ask ME to name them, just gimme instructions and a picture on the box.
I know plenty of people who call all of this, incl Bluesky and threads “tweets”.
Consumers shouldn’t have to care, they have enough on their plates taking the kids to kindergarten. They only need the best options and we have to show them.