this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2023
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I would say picking a server. Regular users shouldn't be bothered with that. I wouldn't say multiple server choice is a bad thing, it's actually great thing, but regular users shouldn't be bothered with that. Maybe hide server selection behind advanced section or something like that, so regular users aren't bothered with that, but more tech savy users can still find that option if they would like to. And default option for server can be lemmy.world for example (or any other server). If using lemmy is too dificult for regular users and learning curve is too big, they will not bother with that and they will just leave. I am using Connect for Lemmy now and I think lemmy.world is selected by default. I am just using it and I was never bothered with concept of multiple servers, and I really like that I don't have to worry about that.
Unfortunately, everyone's choice of one server will lead to centralization again. Therefore, it is much better to sort at least the top 5 servers and select them randomly in applications by default.
UPD: In addition, it will distribute the load on several nodes, which will have a good effect on performance.
Partial centralization could perhaps work democratically, If we randomly distribute users to the top five, we'd get a pentumvirate.
One thing I'd like to see is the ability for a user to change servers, to migrate their account. Even if they need to name change. Idk if it could also be set up to automatically forward any mentions of the old username if the user wants that, andalso automatically setting up a link to their migrated account from the old one.
I agree with you. It doesn't need to always be the same server. It could select randomly between top 5 servers like you said and I think that would be great solution.
There are nice lists of servers, like at join lemmy and awesome lemmy instances at github. Though I will agree that going through decision making at the very beginning of the dive into the lemmy might be detracting. Even as a rather tech savvy person I did use lemmy read-only for some time, as I could not make decision which instance to choose :)
Just a sidenote, I think it's funny that the topic of Lemmy mainly being used by tech nerds is partly explained with the barrier to entry of picking an instance, and you seem to suggest the barrier is lessened in any meaningful way by a list on Github of all things.
Well, I wouldn't say that the problem is lessened by a list on the Github, it was just me happy that it even exists. All because oftentimes there is simply no meaningful documentation behind some things I have to work with :)
It will probably be easier if there was default "simple registration mode", where it just guides you through registration on one of the static or random "general purpose multilingual instance". And "advanced mode", where you are supplied with lists and you are on your own.
I am software developer and even I was confused with the choice of servers. At least at the beginning. Also, I dont think manuals (with explanations which server to choose) are great solution either. At least not when you start using it.
As I understand there is currently no option to migrate your account between instances. Probably if this is implemented then the burden of the instance choice becomes light