After thinking it through, I don't think it really matters. There's no need for a local instance on Lemmy. I agree a local group would be really great but I don't think there's the critical mass on here needed to help one take off and if it did, it'd be just as good on another instance.

It feels more like the Mastodon server https://mcr.wtf is a much better place to put my energy. Although it's still very small, I'm happy with that because it still gives myself, and other users, a useful to engage with the fediverse and I think there's much more scope for growth there.

Ooh. I like this idea! When I'm at a computer again I'll look into adding a similar sidebar to !manchester@mcr.town

It's great, isn't it? I was having a conversation with someone on here the other day and didn't realise they were on Mastodon. I'd shared the original post there and replies turned up in Lemmy and vice-versa. It's very cool.

The only thing I wish could be improved is the having to manually go back to your home instance and search for a community on another server. It feels even worse than the same process on Mastodon, which already feels clunky.

Eugen Rochko is CEO of Mastodon gGmbH which is the company which develops the Mastodon software. It isn't the software itself; that's open source and could be forked and developed by anyone. Nor is it any of the instances which can be operated by anyone who wants to and they don't even have to use Mastodon's code to do so.

I could set up a company to run an instance and call myself CEO if I wanted, it would only mean something to users on my instance, I guess.

The overlapping names are, probably unintentionally, slightly confusing.

I'm old enough to remember when Facebook Messenger was compatible with XMPP (as was Google Hangouts, then called Talk). You could talk to people on there from your own server, you could use whatever open source client you wanted. It was great.

Then they cut off the federation. Then they cut off the API.

They'll do the same again. Once enough of your friends and family are on their network they cut of federation and you have to move to them if you don't want to get cut off with it.

I can't remember where I found out about it but I think it may have been on Atlas Obscura. Before we moved here my wife and I made a list of places we wanted to visit and this was quite high up!

Hey! Good point, thanks! To be honest I don't really like the picture and was on my phone when I realised it didn't have one so just uploaded a relevant photo without thinking about the implication! I've scaled it down now.

Also, welcome!

My wife and I are currently rewatching all of The Good Fight, which is still my favourite thing ever on the telly. We're also rewatching Ranganation, which totally got us through lockdown.

Tunes wise, I'm working through the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die using https://1001albumsgenerator.com/ - today I've got If I Could Only Remember My Name by David Crosby which, if I'm honest, is not doing it for me.

Day off today because US company I work for has given everyone today's US day off!

After a traditional trip to the tip I've got on the tram to wander about random places. First the Viaduct Garden at Castlefield. Now I've ended up at Media City for no good reason other than that's where the tram line goes.

👋 I'm from Torquay originally. Living in Manchester these days, though.

Not so sunny now!

If you're interested in a Manchester based group, btw, I've set one up at !manchester@mcr.town

I live in Manchester, so I have tram lines to contend with. With them you're often going along the lines so it's extra terrifying!

Ooh. I've never ridden a Brompton but I could see how it would present extra difficulties!

As someone who used to cycle Dartmoor a lot, I have a technique for normal cattle grids.

Speed up at much as possible, grip the top tube with your knees, cling onto your hoods with white knuckles, close your eyes and pray to any gods you can think of. It's always worked so far.

In all honesty though, stop pedalling, hit them at 90⁰ and do not turn the handlebars and you're fine.

Funnily enough, we got a new mattress recently (it's amazing after the ill-advised rolled up foam one we've been using for years) and also had a crap experience with Dreams. We ended up at Benson's and they were great

There's a word I had to look up and will now annoy everyone with as much as possible!

Also stirred a memory of a Terry Pratchet book from a scarily long time ago!

Let us know what you win at the tombola!

Hey, have fun in Manchester! You might be glad to know, I'm looking out my window and it's a bit overcast but doesn't feel rainy yet.

The Apollo's a great venue but I'm always disappointed by the lack of pubs nearby.

Got a long weekend since the US based company I work for has given us all Juneteenth off. This means I will be heading for the pub as soon as is socially acceptable!

If it does rain, by the way, it's my fault. New patio set arrived last night.

And tomorrow, yep, more Tears of the Kingdom will definitely be happening!

I can't hear the word eddies without thinking Hitchhiker's Guide

"Eddies," said Ford, "in the space-time continuum."

"Ah," nodded Arthur, "is he. Is he."