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FreeFeed FAQ |
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Q: What is FreeFeed?
A: It is a realtime social network where people share short texts and pictures. It is developed and supported as an open-source project by a non-profit volunteers’ organization.
Q: Where did it come from?
A: It is a clone of FriendFeed.com, the most advanced social network of 2007-2012, where ‘like’ feature was first conceived and implemented. Facebook bought FriendFeed in 2009, and closed it in 2015. By that time FriendFeed had formed a community of devoted users who found great meaning in the social network and all the various ways they used it in. When FriendFeed was closed, this community tried to stick together and create the internet platform for themselves.
Q: Whom can I complain to if something is not working properly, and is it at all helpful?
A: Complaining about bugs is totally helpful: our product is developing as we speak. There will be a time when they fix everything :). If you are having trouble using the site, please tell us all about it in the [@support](https://freefeed.net/support] group.
Q: How can I help?
A: FreeFeed is developed and supported by a non-profit organization and volunteer work. The simplest way to help is to donate money for the project’s development; you can do it by clicking a link in the right column. Also, you can volunteer to join the development team (for more details, read the next Question). Or you can just use FreeFeed; it is getting better and better as you do.
Q: How can I become a volunteer or a developer?
A: Write an email to [email protected] with the subject ‘I want to be a FreeFeed volunteer.’ Include a short description of your skills, and how you think you can help. Also, you can turn to the @ffdev group, where you can ask questions on technologies used here or ask for access to the project’s Slack chat. Last but not least, you can make a pull request: the server is at github.com/FreeFeed/freefeed-server, the front end is at github.com/FreeFeed/freefeed-react-client, all the rest is at dev.freefeed.net/w/.
Q: What are the odds that this thing won’t die like the previous social network?
A: As always, there can be no guarantees. However, the network is now supported by a group of volunteers and donators. We are used to having the communication tools provided by FriendFeed and FreeFeed, we have put a lot of effort in making FreeFeed happen, and it is happening. All that seems to indicate the project can have a long and prosperous life.
Q: Where can I find the list of all users?
A: There is no such thing as a unified list of users yet. However, you can browse other users’ friend lists, especially if those users have lots of subscribers, like @xekc, for instance. Also, you can read our introductions post, as well as introduce yourself in the comments.
Q: Where can I find the list of all groups?
A: You can find a list of public groups at davidmz.me/frfrfr/all-groups
Q: What is ‘Vanilla’ & 'Gamma'?
A: ‘Vanilla’ and 'Gamma' are nick-names for two alternate versions of FreeFeed UI. You can read more on them here.
Q: What is ‘BetterFeed'?
A: BetterFeed is an add-on for FreeFeed which improves the interface and provides additional features. For example, it is possible to like comments and quickly switch between several accounts. To install BetterFeed please follow the instruction on the add-on's site: https://github.com/davidmz/BetterFeed2#betterfeed2 It has a bunch of options in the right column which will be available upon installation. You can ask any questions about BetterFeed at @betterfeed.
It is FreeFeed's add-on with a bunch of cool features and options. You can read more on them here.
Q: If I want to post a long text with paragraphs, how do I do that?
A: You can use Shift + Enter to divide your text into paragraphs. Another option is to divide your text into separate comments: the first paragraph goes into the post body, the next one goes into the first comment, the third one goes into the second comment, etc.
Q: What is the ‘Hide’ button? Does it alter weight of this user in my feed like it does on Facebook?
A: No, it doesn’t. The ‘Hide’ button hides just one post, that’s all.
Q: How is my feed sorted?
A: Feeds are sorted in the backward chronological order, but every comment brings a post up (bumps it). Likes do not normally bring posts up. The only exception is when someone you are subscribed to likes a post of someone you are not subscribed to; in that case the post appears at the top of your feed.
Q: What is ^, and how is it different from ^^?
A: ^, ^^, ↑, ↑↑ and so on are the usual ways of pointing to the comment you mention, like ‘the one above,’ or ‘the one above of the above,’ etc. These symbols are marked grey in your comments, and when you hover your mouse over them, the comment they refer to lights up.
Q: If someone has liked my post, they really like it, right?
A: On FreeFeed likes are used for various purposes. It can be a sign of approval or gratitude, a way of subscribing to the comments (since all the posts you’ve liked are available under the link My Discussions in your right column, or under the link ‘N likes’ in your profile). Or it can be a way of sharing your post with another user: if you like a post, your friends are going to see it too.
Q: What is display name (screen name)?
A: FreeFeed users have not only logins (i.e. nicknames, i.e. user page address), they also have ‘display names,’ or ‘Screen Names.’ These are the names that appear in the feeds. You can change your display name every other minute, expressing a mood, or just fooling around. That’s why FreeFeed users often recognize each other by userpics. It is common here to address a person using their login with an ‘@’ before it. For example, the login of FreeFeed’s official news feed is ‘freefeed,’ its address page is freefeed.com/freefeed. But its display name is “FreeFeed ♡.” So, if someone wants to address this account, they type @freefeed <what they have to say>. To quickly insert a user mention just click on a cloud to the left of the comment from that user.
Q: Where can I get the link to a separate post?
A: You can get it if you click on the timestamp right under the post body, next to the ‘Comment’ link. You can right-click it and choose ‘Copy’ from your browser pop-up menu.
Q: What is Non-profit?
A: It is an Estonian-based non-commercial organization managing FreeFeed’s development. You can find its Articles of Association here. The Non-profit has a Management Board comprised of Managing Director (MD) @dsumin and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) @indeyets.
Q: What is Supervisory Board?
A: It is a group of FreeFeed users (usually ten), elected by the FreeFeed community, who provide independent assessment of the work volunteers and the Board of directors do. They are, so to speak, the Non-profit’s critical mind, or the free press. Supervisory Board disciplines the Board of directors and helps them see things clearly and objectively. You can contact Supervisory Board at @nabsovet. At the moment Supervisory Board includes: @clbn, @kolomeetz, @kukutz, @lavale, @mbravo, @n1313, @payalnik, @pozorro, @prometa and @urbansheep.
You can read more on Supervisory Board here.