Perhaps the restriction to always have an image is the main point. Threads also seem like just Instagram without the photos.
ren@lemmy.world 11 months ago
not to be spicy, but… in all honesty, what’s the difference between posting on Pixelfed or on Mastodon. Post image + caption. Same on both, except on Mastodon I can choose not to post an image. I know Pixelfed is image-first, but if your friends and followers are on Mastodon and see/like/reblog my photos there. why would one need/want a Pixelfed account to manage too?
Know what I mean? I’m just struggling to justify yet-another-social media account, especially as I wind down my time on IG.
salient_one@lemmy.villa-straylight.social 11 months ago
ren@lemmy.world 11 months ago
ironically, with the push for Threads, after the pressure to post Reels in the IG feed, people have been filling Threads with images again lol. It really feels like Threads will be the new IG feed at some point.
Yeah, I get the idea is to force an image, but I guess I’ve been struggling lately with why bother with that limitation? Not sure if I’m describing it well.
joshuaacasey@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Basically. Mastodon is a Twitter alternative. Pixelfed is an instagram alternative.
ren@lemmy.world 11 months ago
no, I understand all of that… i’m just wondering what the point of having an instagram-like experience in 2023 when you can post photos and be a photo account on Mastodon. It does the same job, especially when it’s all interconnected via the Fediverse.
In the end, it’s all the same. Twitter, Threads, Mastodon, Instagram, Pixelfed, heck even Facebook: Post content, like/share/comment.
Izzy@lemmy.world 11 months ago
It does a very similar job, but also it is good just to have options. I like that everyone on PixelFed is an account for photos so I know what I’m getting from everybody else. I also like the portfolio view which is a nice view of only the photos you want from your profile without any text or social aspect at all. It’s a good quick link to give friends and family who want to see your photos.
TheSaneWriter@lemmy.thesanewriter.com 11 months ago
UX/UI design mainly. All social media follows a fairly similar pattern, post pictures/text and other people react to it. The difference comes from what the UI of different social media platforms emphasizes, Pixelfed emphasizes pictures, Mastadon emphasizes short-form text posts, Lemmy emphasizes variable posting types with extensive comment threads. Because each one emphasizes a slightly different medium, they can design their UI/UX to prioritize their whole schtick while making design decisions that may not be good for other mediums. Everybody has a different preference for the ways they like to consume content, so I understand that people prefer Mastadon/Pixelfed even though I personally prefer Lemmy.
notavote@lemmy.world 11 months ago
And all of that is just an email, but different interface and a bit different rules will bring different people.
priapus@sh.itjust.works 11 months ago
It’s just a different front end, which is true for the entire fediverse. If you don’t care for an Instagram like experience, just follow from mastodon.
breakfastmtn@geddit.social 11 months ago
It’s mostly just media first but there are a few features that don’t federate. Portfolios and stories are exclusive to pixelfed. And even if you just want to scroll a bunch of photos there just isn’t a better way. They have the best Fediverse app I’ve ever used and the experience is great because it was designed specifically for that purpose.
Not that there’s anything wrong with not seeing the appeal. The best thing about the Fediverse is that you can just be wherever you want. So you can post on Mastodon and follow whoever you want on Pixelfed too without having to make another account.
ttmrichter@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Mastodon has limits for number of pictures. Pixelfed has higher limits out of the box. Pixelfed has image filters available. Mastodon doesn’t seem to. Pixelfed’s UX is oriented toward picture management. Mastodon’s is oriented toward the textual experience.
They’re different products that happen to share a protocol.