How do I look at other instances?

3 years ago by Malthur to c/lemmy_support

So, I don't know if this is a dumb question, but how do I change from lemmy.ml to let's say, beehaw, without switching accounts? I'm on the Jerboa app.

Arindrew 2 points 3 years ago

Links to other instances always say I'm logged out (which, technically, I am) that makes the link useless.

For example, I am logged in at my home instance of https://midwest.social If I click a link to go to https://lemmy.ml/c/lemmy_support it takes me to that community, but I am not logged in (to lemmy.ml) so I am unable to meaningfully interact with it. I have to manually edit each lemmy URL that I go to in the URL bar in order for me to go to that community with my lemmy account.

So I need to manually change https://lemmy.ml/c/lemmy_support into https://midwest.social/c/lemmy_support@lemmy.ml and I have to do this each time I click a link to another instance if I want to post there.

I've been a system administrator for 20 years, and this took me a few minutes to figure out. "Casual" users are just going to be SOL since they aren't going to be analyzing editing URLs to make them work. I feel like the only want to fix this is to have a browser addon intercept any lemmy URLs and modify them to work based on your home instance.

Am I doing something wrong, or is this just how it is?

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pineapple 3 points 3 years ago

For example, I am logged in at my home instance of https://midwest.social If I click a link to go to https://lemmy.ml/c/lemmy_support it takes me to that community, but I am not logged in (to lemmy.ml) so I am unable to meaningfully interact with it. I have to manually edit each lemmy URL that I go to in the URL bar in order for me to go to that community with my lemmy account.

Communities are a pain, but posts are even worse, since post URLs use a numeric ID that is different between instances. I haven't found a better way than manually navigating to the community on my own instance and then ctrl+F'ing to find the post title. This is definitely one of the bigger problems for me, trying to get accustomed to lemmy.

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jayknight 2 points 3 years ago

I think this is a big problem that needs to be solved sooner rather than later. I think a lemmy instance needs to parse links in comments/post text to determine if they are links to lemmy content or just something else on the internet. I don't know how it should do that, but then it could adjust the link to do the right thing based on context, and any apps that use the api could get that data to know how to handle the link.

Edit, as an example... if someone puts a link like https://midwest.social/post/604650 into a comment (like this one!). It should be changed (somehow) to https://lemmy.ml/post/1151098 for people logged into lemmy.ml. lemmy itself needs to do this so everyone's links behave correctly all the time.

If you enounter a link to another instance in the wild, then that's a separate problem that also needs thought.

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Arindrew 2 points 3 years ago

Apologies, I didn't realize someone had replied to my comment before I deleted it. I figured starting my own post was better than trying to hijack someone else's similar post. (Again, that link won't work for you - I've been told if you enter that URL into your instances search bar, it will translate it)

I agree with you though, this is the biggest problem I've seen that will lead to adoption issues. Not really a lemmy issue though, more of a Fediverse/ActivityPub issue.

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pineapple 2 points 3 years ago

Apologies, I didn’t realize someone had replied to my comment before I deleted it. I figured starting my own post was better than trying to hijack someone else’s similar post. (Again, that link won’t work for you - I’ve been told if you enter that URL into your instances search bar, it will translate it)

Ha, this is a new peculiarity. Your comment is still visible normally for me on my instance, although I can see that it has been deleted by creator on lemmy.ml.

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Arindrew 1 point 3 years ago

It must still exist on other instances until a sync happens.

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autisticaudioguy 0 points 3 years ago

if you tap the sandwitch menu, then tap all, it should show you content from all instances (that are not blocked by your home instance).

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JetpackJackson 1 point 3 years ago

I'm having the same kind of issue, but is there a way to choose just one other instance to see? I'm on lemmy.ml and I want to see the stuff from feddit.de but when I click all like you said it shows a bunch of other stuff. I'm very new to this, so I'm sorry if my question is dumb.

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autisticaudioguy 2 points 3 years ago

I haven't found any way to do that yet. Definately feel like this should be a feature though.

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JetpackJackson 2 points 3 years ago

Ah, alright. Bummer. I agree, it should be a feature.

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ProvokedGamer 3 points 3 years ago

You can use this website that lets you search for general/specific instances and communities:

https://browse.feddit.de/

When you’re on that website, just write the instance name (ex. beehaw.org) in the search bar and it’ll only show you communities from that instance.

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Malthur 0 points 3 years ago

Thank you! Turns out it was a dumb question haha.

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Zmezmer 1 point 3 years ago

It wasn't a dumb question. I didn't know how to either. lol

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