Hello, Fediverse!

I think it's time for an #introduction to the broader audience of the fediverse.

We're the Dark Blue Project, an independent project based in Germany, which publishes content about free and open source software and educate about it. Our primary mission is to inform people about free and open source software and help them with using it.

At the time of writing this, the project is under active construction. Feel free to let a follow here and stay tuned for exciting things coming in the future.

See you!

#opensource #freesoftware #fediverse

Good morning, #BSDCafe
Good morning, #illumosCafe
Good morning, #Fediverse

It's sunny (though some rain is expected). I've had my espresso, and my mood is currently positive. All the bad thoughts I had yesterday evening are now something like "well, I can deal with it". And that's good.

I've almost finished my next IT Notes blog post. I'll try to review and polish it so I can finally make it public.

Meanwhile, have a great day!

#GoodMorning

#ActivityPub support in #Madblog

https://blog.fabiomanganiello.com/article/Madblog-federated-blogging-from-markdown

I am glad to announce that Madblog has now officially joined the #Fediverse family.

If you want to test it out, search for this URL on your Fediverse client.

Madblog has already supported #Webmentions for the past couple of weeks, allowing your blog posts to be mentioned by other sites with Webmentions support (WordPress, Lemmy, HackerNews…) and get those mentions directly rendered on your page.

It now adds ActivityPub support too, using #Pubby, another little Python library that I’ve put together myself (just like Webmentions) as a mean to quickly plug ActivityPub support to any Python Web app.

Webmentions and Pubby follow similar principles and implement a similar API, and you can easily use them to add federation support to your existing Web applications - a single bind_webmentions or bind_activitypub call to your existing Flask/FastAPI/Tornado application should suffice for most of the cases.

Madblog may have now become the easiest way to publish a federated blog - and perhaps the only way that doesn’t require a database, everything is based on plain Markdown files.

If you have a registered domain and a certificate, then hosting your federated blog is now just a matter of:

mkdir -p ~/madblog/markdown
cat <<EOF > ~/madblog/markdown/hello-world.md
# My first post

This is my first post on [Madblog](https://git.fabiomanganiello.com/madblog)!
EOF

docker run -it \
  -p 8000:8000 \
  -v "$HOME/madblog:/data" \
  quay.io/blacklight/madblog

And Markdown files can be hosted wherever you like - a Git folder, an Obsidian Vault, a Nextcloud Notes installation, a folder on your phone synchronized over SyncThing…

Federation support is also at a quite advanced state compared to e.g. #WriteFreely. It currently supports:

• Interactions rendered on the articles: if you like, boost, quote or reply to an article, all interactions are rendered directly at the bottom of the article (interactions with WriteFreely through federated accounts were kind of lost in the void instead)

• Guestbook support (optional): mentions to the federated Madblog handle that are not in response to articles are now rendered on a separate /guestbook route

• Email notifications: all interactions can have email notifications

• Support for quotes, also on Mastodon

• Support for mentions, just drop a @joe@example.com in your Markdown file and Joe will get a notification

• Support for hashtag federation

• Support for split-domain configurations, you can host your blog on blog.example.com but have a Fediverse handle like @blog@example.com. Search by direct post URL on Mastodon will work with both cases

• Support for custom profile fields, all rendered on Mastodon, with verification support

• Support for moderation, either through blocklist or allowlist, with support for rules on handles/usernames, URLs, domains or regular expressions

• A partial (but comprehensive for the provided features) implementation of the Mastodon API

If you want you can follow both the profiles of my blogs - they are now both federated:

• My personal blog: @fabio (it used to run WriteFreely before, so if you followed it you may need to unfollow it and re-follow it)

• The #Platypush blog: @blog

Apps I have on my phone, the ones that are gone, and how I use it.

I want to make it as dumb as possible

#mobile #phone #smartphone #fediverse #mastodon

Day 22 of the #100DaysToOffload challenge - Round 7

https://lazybea.rs/mobile-apps-in-2026

My experience of the #fediverse :

Year 1 (2023):
It feels a little lonely as 99% of my friends stayed on Big Tech platforms.

Year 2 (2024):
I start a blog - #TheFutureIsFederated - to explain the fediverse to "normies"... and I make a lot of new (techie) friends.

Year 3 (2025):
My techie friends encourage me to start self-hosting with #YunoHost... and I do! (GoToSocial, PeerTube, NextCloud...) I LOVE it.

Year 4 (2026):
I plan to buy a Heltec to try out off-grid mesh radio communication 💁‍♀️

There's a new wave of spam - all around the Fediverse.

Please remember, there's no "Mastodon Moderation Team" sending out strange verification messages.

That's all spam.

#Mastodon #Fediverse #FediTips #Spam #CyberSecurity

There's a new wave of spam - all around the Fediverse.

Please remember, there's no "Mastodon Moderation Team" sending out strange verification messages.

That's all spam.

#Mastodon #Fediverse #FediTips #Spam #CyberSecurity

There's a new wave of spam - all around the Fediverse.

Please remember, there's no "Mastodon Moderation Team" sending out strange verification messages.

That's all spam.

#Mastodon #Fediverse #FediTips #Spam #CyberSecurity

Push Notifications and MastoBlaster

MastoBlaster, like other Fediverse apps, uses a design that maximizes user privacy.

When you log in to your instance, the app and the server exchange the necessary cryptographic keys. The app also communicates to the instance the address of the relay, which is the server responsible for forwarding notifications to Apple.

When a new notification is generated:

1. Your instance encrypts the notification.
2. It sends the encrypted payload to the relay.
3. The relay forwards it to Apple using its own authentication key.
4. Apple delivers it to your device.

The content of the notification is encrypted by your Fediverse server and can only be decrypted by your device.

The relay, which in the case of MastoBlaster is dedicated and hosted on a FreeBSD server, receives only encrypted data. It cannot read the content, does not know which account the notification belongs to, and does not store any information about the notification itself.

Apple knows which relay sent the notification and which device it must be delivered to, but it cannot access the content.

In short, only your instance and your device can read the notification.

#MastoBlaster #Fediverse #Mastodon #GoToSocial #Akkoma #iOS #Apple #PushNotifications #FreeBSD

Good morning, #BSDCafe
Good morning, #illumosCafe
Good morning, #Fediverse

I posted a few things over the past days, and some people noticed that I have been more absent than usual. I think it is right to give an update on the situation.

Starting in mid-December, my wife came down with the flu. Nothing serious, but it left her with a problem that all the doctors we consulted have identified as long flu. Similar to long COVID, it is a debilitating condition, at times completely disabling. She started a treatment, but had some issues and had to change it. This treatment, however, makes the symptoms worse for a few weeks before improving them, and the result is that we are currently in that phase: she is not well, she is worried, and of course I am too.

This has given me time, over the past weeks, to focus on projects like MastoBlaster, also to keep my mind active on something different, something good for my spirit and mental well-being.

But in these days, probably the hardest in years, I am in "emergencies only" mode, or almost. No tiramisu, few outings, some good lasagna - but mostly concern and hope for a return to normality. The doctors told her that in her case it is a temporary condition, but it is not clear exactly how long it will last, which is why there is a treatment, to help her live normally while everything gradually returns to normal. In the meantime, I am the solid part, but clearly I also have to take care of everything she usually handles.

Life is more often uphill than downhill, so we need to make the most of the good moments and not focus on trivial things. This is why I have always tried to make this place a positive and peaceful one: we all have battles to fight, serious or less serious problems, happiness and despair. Here, at least, we can focus on what you enjoy.

So I leave you with two coffees, made with my mother’s moka pot, which remind me of a peaceful day in this period when the sky outside and the climate inside are the same color: gray.

Alt...

Two small floral espresso cups filled with coffee sit side by side on a matching hand-painted tray, placed on a tablecloth with seashell patterns. Light steam rises from the cups, creating a quiet, intimate moment.

https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Fairphone_5_(fairphone-fp5)

It is a lightweight, privacy-first Fediverse client for iOS, built around a simple idea: fast, small, predictable behavior, and first-class support for snac.

What makes it different:

• snac-first by design, not "compatible by accident"
• Works with all Mastodon API compatible software, including Mastodon, snac, GoToSocial, Akkoma, and others
• EXIF stripping on upload (HDR and orientation preserved)
• Optional on-device alt text generation via Apple Intelligence for your uploads and for images in your timeline
• Markdown posting for snac
• Granular notifications, grouping, multi-account
• Blocking and moderation tools
• Very small footprint, very low RAM usage

Alt text generation happens entirely on device via Apple APIs on supported hardware. Nothing is sent to external services.

It is built around my own workflow and priorities. It may not be for everyone, and that is perfectly fine.

Important note:
MastoBlaster will always be free for BSD Cafe users, illumos Cafe users, and for anyone connecting to a snac instance, including self-hosted ones.

The app is already usable, but this is still a test phase. I am looking for feedback, bug reports, and real-world usage insights.

TestFlight link:
https://testflight.apple.com/join/Pkxa5R1k

Stay tuned.

#MastoBlaster #iOS #Apple #Fediverse #Mastodon #snac #GoToSocial #Akkoma #ActivityPub

https://testflight.apple.com/join/Pkxa5R1k

#apple #ios #app #snac

EDIT: Build 68 should also run on iOS 18.x but it currently crashes. I'll see if I can fix it.

After quite some time, I’m finally ready to share this.

MastoBlaster is now available in public testing on TestFlight.

It is a lightweight, privacy-first Fediverse client for iOS, built around a simple idea: fast, small, predictable behavior, and first-class support for snac.

What makes it different:
• snac-first by design, not "compatible by accident"
• Works with all Mastodon API compatible software, including Mastodon, snac, GoToSocial, Akkoma, and others
• EXIF stripping on upload (HDR and orientation preserved)
• Optional on-device alt text generation via Apple Intelligence for your uploads and for images in your timeline
• Markdown posting for snac
• Granular notifications, grouping, multi-account
• Blocking and moderation tools
• Very small footprint, very low RAM usage

Alt text generation happens entirely on device via Apple APIs on supported hardware. Nothing is sent to external services.

It is built around my own workflow and priorities. It may not be for everyone, and that is perfectly fine.

Important note:
MastoBlaster will always be free for BSD Cafe users, illumos Cafe users, and for anyone connecting to a snac instance, including self-hosted ones.

The app is already usable, but this is still a test phase. I am looking for feedback, bug reports, and real-world usage insights.

TestFlight link:
https://testflight.apple.com/join/Pkxa5R1k

Stay tuned.

#MastoBlaster #iOS #Fediverse #Mastodon #snac #snac2 #Akkoma #GoToSocial #ActivityPub #OwnYourData

#snac2 #fediverse #frugalfediverse

"Fedi to miejsce, w którym można rozmawiać online bez przeszkadzających algorytmów, sztucznej inteligencji i reklam."

Tak właśnie będę o nim mówił ludziom, pomijając aspekty techniczne i architekturę.

Polecam wpis @aj:

https://gts.sadauskas.id.au/@aj/statuses/01KHCQFQVEXJKWT7X2HEH5WW1H

#Fedi #Fediverse #Fediwersum #FediTipsPL #FediPomoc

EDIT: the person I contacted replied and the new posts have the correct attribution. So the problem is solved.

There is a Mastodon instance that publishes content from its own PeerTube instance. These contents are narrated aloud, likely by an AI, in several languages, and are based on articles that appear online. Today this happened with an article I shared from my blog.

The problem is that there is no attribution to the original author and or the original source site. On the contrary, it gives the impression that the content was produced directly by whoever runs that site or instance.

This is completely detached from the idea of properly sharing information. Taking inspiration is a wonderful thing. Claiming someone else’s work as your own is not.

I contacted the account in question this morning. I have not received any reply, even though other content has been published in the meantime. A short while ago I also contacted the instance administrator.

I will wait until tomorrow morning. If I do not receive a satisfactory response, I will publicly disclose the instance and the related content and block the entire domain. There are additional details that I prefer not to reveal at this time which further worsen the situation.

This is not how we act in the Fediverse.

In the Fediverse we respect one another.
Let us avoid bringing improper practices here. You are free to use my posts as you wish. You can even make money by applying my advice.
Just do not take away my attribution.

#Fediverse #FediBlock #FediAdmin #HeadsUP

It's time for an #introduction.

I'm glad to meet you! I'm the barista and main administrator of the bsd.cafe and illumos.cafe instances (and other projects), a computer science enthusiast who's been fascinated by technology since childhood. I'm a big supporter of open-source solutions and enjoy working with #BSDs as well as #illumos based OSes and #Linux systems. I enjoy #music and #photography. I've been an avid traveler and am now looking forward to getting back to traveling.I'm married to a wonderful wife and strive to live each day with a positive attitude,making the most of every day to improve our lives.

I like writing blog articles, especially tech ones (https://it-notes.dragas.net) and, from time to time, some of them are widely appreciated, especially in the open-source community.

Thank you for passing by and reading my introduction, enjoy your stay here in the #fediverse

The time is probably right.

Back in 2022, when I was still using iOS, I wasn’t completely happy with the Fediverse apps that were available. I was mostly using Akkoma, and the interface I liked the most was actually its web UI, even on mobile. So I started playing with Xcode and put together the foundations of an app tailored to my needs.

A lot has changed since then and today we have great alternatives like IceCubes, Mona, Ivory, etc. Each one has strengths and weaknesses though, so I picked up my old project again and kept pushing it forward.

So I’m happy to announce that my app will finally see the light: I’ve been using it for the past few days and, in my spare time, I’m fixing bugs and adding missing features. I’m building it around my own needs, so it doesn’t have to “appeal to everyone”. I wouldn’t call it opinionated, but it’s definitely targeted.

The app will have one key trait: #snac2 support will be a first-class feature, not an incidental one. Many apps, especially on iOS, support snac as a side effect, but the experience is often not optimal. In this case, the choice is deliberate and it strictly follows the Mastodon API support implemented by snac. So snac will work properly (within the limits of the platform, of course).

Among the features already implemented: the app is minimal and lightweight (under 10 MB, including debug code), easy on RAM, and privacy-first (for example it strips EXIF data from media before posting, so the server will never see it). On snac it also cleans up the "Boosted by Aoderelay" messages that appear when using a relay, removes the character limit, and supports posting in Markdown.

I also added support for Apple Intelligence to generate alt text, both for the media I post and for media posted by others that is missing alt text.

Everything is processed locally through Apple APIs and only on supported devices. The results aren't amazing, Apple Intelligence is extremely limited, but in my opinion it's the only privacy-friendly and ethical way to approach it. And of course, you can disable it.

On Mastodon it supports all the main features: lists, quote posts, granular notifications (you can choose what you want for each category), notification grouping, multi-account support, and it works.

It's still missing a few things (block, etc.) and has some bugs, which I’m spotting as I keep using it.
As soon as it's stable enough, I'll invite a few people to test it. I still haven't fully decided how I'll distribute it: an Apple Developer account has a yearly cost, and I hope to reuse it for other projects too. So this app might be paid, with a trial period, but if possible (I still need to check what’s feasible) I'd like it to be free if you connect to one of the BSD Cafe instances, illumos Cafe, or any snac instance, including your own.

I don't know how long it will take before it's ready... but I can already tell you what it will be called.
It already has a name, and it's... MastoBlaster.

This name was chosen for personal reasons, and also because of its similarity to Master Blaster by Stevie Wonder, which even today feels relevant and fitting for the Fediverse.

Stay tuned!

#MastoBlaster #Fediverse #Mastodon #iOS #FediverseApp #Announcement #Apple #snac #snac2 #BSDCafe #illumosCafe

Alt...

MastoBlaster, showing my profile on my phone

Thanks @grunfink@comam.es for the #snac server, @stefano@bsd.cafe for the blog posts that pointed me to it, @voron@snac.nya.pub for the theme and @manton@manton.org for motivating me with your book