Will there really be a big influx of users on the 30th?
I’ve seen many comments and posts regarding the API fiasco on Reddit, with the claim that there will be a huge influx of users when that happens. I’m all for it, but I find it hard to believe that the average or even above average user will make the effort to switch.
I wonder. I started with a kbin account, no made an account here. I removed all my Reddit accounts but one; waiting to see what happens on the 30th. I don't use it anymore, but am waiting nonetheless to see what happens, on Reddit and elsewhere. Alternatives still need a toooon of work to be usable by the masses. Please someone provide us with some good UX. I have a feeling that people who were gonna leave already left, the rest just started using the app or simply using the web version. I'm not gonna lie, whilst I'm here, I don't find the "need" / fomo to visit. I don't know if it's the content, the curation or the UI; but something takes getting used to that's for sure.
I wouldn't say that's a bad thing. Reddit is purposefully designed to hold your attention, just like every other corporate social media platform. They have a monetary incentive to do so. Lemmy doesn't, and hopefully never will.
Funny thing: the reason I loved Apollo (and that's counter-productive for the dev.) is that I was not allowed to post without Premium. I loved that, it meant I would not feel the pressure of fighting for attention. I enjoyed being a lurker most of the time, 'cause there are some properly agressive people on that platform. I slowly started commenting less and less, avoiding arguments, voicing my opinions less, etc. It was liberating to have the "right" not to have an opinion.
It's just bit rougher to find communities around here. Everything about decentralised network is terrific, but they all have the same problem. They feel super obscure to newcomers. I had the same experience with Mastodon. But hey, I guess that means less Internet and more living life, so there's that! More platforms should keep shooting themselves in the foot, it'll do us a great service. Haha.
They're trying to design it to hold attention now, but back in the day reddit was designed like shit but people still used it a ton. I agree with you, just think that corporate social media isn't always good at what they claim to do (retain eyeballs)
There are a lot of alternative UI's for lemmy out there. You have themes for browser based, quite good web apps like wefwef and lots of native apps in various stages of development. I've already been able to settle in nicely.