RTR#30 Monthly recap and planned next steps

Today, I added a box of related/random collections - I must admit that the ones you created are fantastic. Collection names can be repeated since they are user-assigned. I added the option to mark a collection as official - those with the highest number of followers in a given topic and with a specific name can be marked and receive an additional URL, e.g., kbin.social/c/kbin. I also need to address some privacy matters related to collections and handle the magazines ownership issues I just heard about.

Over the last 30 days, I managed to regularly describe progress in this devlog. I won't list all the changes I've made because it would take another hour. I am most pleased with those I didn't plan but were born thanks to your suggestions. The most important, in my opinion:

  • Improved account and magazine deletion
  • Role of global moderators
  • Crosspost function
  • Transfer of abandoned magazines
  • Request for magazine moderator
  • Update kbin.social
  • Anti-spam protections
  • Numerous performance improvements
  • API preparation - it's almost public
  • Sub-channel filters
  • Preparation for deep code refactoring, new codebase
  • Preparation for a new ActivityPub module from scratch
  • Aggregate view
  • Collections of magazines
  • Do you have any favorites that have significantly improved your instance experience?

Plans for the near and distant future that I currently want to focus on in the coming months:

  • Preparing for the first tagged release
  • Setting up the appropriate environment and code contribution rules
  • Improving the creation of custom instances
  • Further code refactoring and preparing the ActivityPub module - federation of moderation comes first
  • Securing funds for the project's continued development and instance infrastructure - my initial plans have aged poorly, and I had unexpected expenses, so at some point, I'll have to return to part-time work. Currently, the project is sustained by my savings and your support (thanks!)
  • Developing the mobile app in my free time
  • Implementing smaller changes proposed by you in the comments

First and foremost, I want to maintain a work-life balance so that this can be a long and enjoyable journey for all of us. Let me repeat what I wrote in a comment earlier today: I made the decision to take a step back instead of getting caught up in a race, opting to build solid foundations, which is exactly what I'm doing now. In my opinion, this will be better for the project and potential contributors, ensuring that their work will be utilized to the best possible extent. Cheers!

You can track changes in the official repository
https://codeberg.org/Kbin/kbin-core

or on Github
https://github.com/ernestwisniewski/kbin

LollerCorleone,
LollerCorleone avatar

The pace at which you have been improving things and adding new features have been impressive this past month! Thank you and I hope you are taking some breaks in between for yourself!

Infiltrated_ad8271,
Infiltrated_ad8271 avatar

I like this summary format, a nice middle ground between keeping up with boring technical stuff and finding new buttons popping up all over the place.

livus,
livus avatar

Thank you, these improvements are great!! I am really glad you are prioritizing stability. Also, I don't want you to be overworked. I feel like you understand the potential of the fediverse, and how best to create something good and lasting.

It just seems to be working better in general, and it feels like I am seeing more content and maybe even more engagement.

If I have to pick some, improved moderation and collections are my favourite improvements. I'm already finding collections useful (both mine and other people's). I like how we can see crossposts too.

I wasn't able to work out how the * button worked (and now it's gone for me on mobile), but that's okay.

Thanks for sharing your site with us, and all the work you do. It's really exciting seeing it develop!

ernest,
ernest avatar

The * button has been replaced by All Content in the header (or sidebar in the mobile version), Cheers :)

livus,
livus avatar

@ernest omg so it has! That's so convenient!! Thanks!

daredevil, (edited )
daredevil avatar

Do you have any favorites that have significantly improved your instance experience?

  • @kbinDevlog -- transparency and continuous updates were probably the biggest thing for me. Thank you @Ernest.
  • Transfer of abandoned magazines
  • Request for magazine moderator
  • Improved account and magazine deletion
  • Anti-spam protections
  • function

Regarding Collections: I'm wondering if it might be useful to allow transfer ownership of collections as well? Probably low priority, but this could be useful if:

  • The owner becomes inactive
  1. A magazine or community becomes problematic + has inactive moderators
  2. Other magazines/communities become more/less relevant over time, thus the collection needing adjustments

Re 1:

  • Could be mitigated on kbin magazines due to magazine ownership transfers, however, may pose an issue on federated magazines from lemmy
  • Also could be mitigated by the creation of a new collection, hence probably low priority

Re 2:

  • Could be low priority in regard to certain magazines/communities becoming inactive over time, however, the chance to miss out on discussions and threads should possibly be considered
  • However, this is also mitigated by also creating new collections -- I just think people generally like to avoid migrating when followings settle in.

Transferring collection ownership could also be excessive/unnecessary? Thoughts? Does the status of an official collection change automatically based on the user count?

Also regarding collections: After following a collection -- going to a collection's page and attempting to unfollow is described as "delete". This may give off the wrong impression to unfamiliar users. Perhaps "unfollow", or "unfavorite" may be better suited? I also wonder if it may be more appropriate to have favorited collections appear at the top of the collections view so users can quickly find the collections they follow in order to avoid being buried by the popular ones. This could also potentially be solved by giving subscribed collections its own tab in the navbar next to magazines? Is that perhaps too many tabs in the navbar?

Anyways, thank you so much Ernest. I know some people were unhappy about /kbin's development progress for awhile, but I'm really glad I stuck with it. Despite the challenges that came your way, watching you get back into the swing of things and /kbin's growth has been a joy to be a part of. The consistent communication and having our feedback be heard is also a big plus. As always, looking forward to what else is on the way.

Edit: Also, really glad to hear you're prioritizing sustainability, balance, and a strong foundation for the future. I hope you're able to get the support you're looking for, so you can give this project the time and effort you think it deserves. It's clear you care a lot about this project.

box464,
box464 avatar

I noticed today when setting up a "Fediverse" collection, that another collection already existed with that name. When I went to view my collection, it was showing the other /fediverse collection instead. I changed my name to "FediNews" and that cleared it up.

So, going to https://kbin.social/u/box464/c/Fediverse goes to the other /fediverse collection - actually it still does! Not sure how that is happening since I don't have that name reserved now.

ernest,
ernest avatar

Routing fixed, thanks!

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • kbinDevlog
  • Backrooms
  • thenastyranch
  • hgfsjryuu7
  • Youngstown
  • slotface
  • ngwrru68w68
  • GTA5RPClips
  • everett
  • kavyap
  • rosin
  • khanakhh
  • Durango
  • DreamBathrooms
  • magazineikmin
  • provamag3
  • ethstaker
  • InstantRegret
  • tacticalgear
  • cubers
  • mdbf
  • osvaldo12
  • Leos
  • cisconetworking
  • tester
  • modclub
  • anitta
  • normalnudes
  • JUstTest
  • All magazines
    •