Mastodon normalizer: Difference between revisions

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== Experimenting with normalization ==

When @futurebird@sauropods.win mentioned the fun idea of a [https://sauropods.win/@futurebird/109971101661561998 customizable timeline] allowing us to check in on our friends' latest posts, I was excited to see how it might be applied. I'm happy with the results so far! You can login to the [https://normalizer.webflux.us/ demo service] using your own Mastodon account and instance.

[[File:Preferences for normalizer v0.2.7.png|thumb|Preferences pane]]When @futurebird@sauropods.win mentioned the fun idea of a [https://sauropods.win/@futurebird/109971101661561998 customizable timeline] allowing us to check in on our friends' latest posts, I was excited to see how it might be applied. I'm happy with the results so far! You can login to the [https://normalizer.webflux.us/ demo service] using your own Mastodon account and instance, or try out the [https://normalizer.webflux.us/help guided tour] as a guest.

Preferences currently look this this. ~~Expect to see many more options here, since customizability is the main point.~~

Preferences currently look this this.<div style="clear: both;"></div>

[[File:~~Preferences for normalizer v0.2.7~~.png|~~center~~|thumb|~~Preferences pane~~]]

[[File:Equal height.png|right|thumb|Equal height for each author]]

The default view is called the "orthogonal" view, which gives each author '''equal vertical space''' in your timeline regardless of how many posts they write or how big their attachments.

A more extreme version of this view is the "Check in" mode which shows only one post from each account. This can be seen as a normalization of both vertical and horizontal space.

~~[[File:Equal height.png|right|thumb|Equal height for each author]]~~

~~The default view is called the "orthogonal" view, which gives each author '''equal vertical space''' in your timeline regardless~~ of ~~how many~~ posts ~~they write~~.

[[File:Normalizer with focused row.png|thumb|Focused and expanded row]]

Clicking on a row of posts will expand and focus. To expand all posts by default, choose the "natural" row height preference.

~~A more extreme version of this view is~~ the "~~Check in~~" ~~mode which shows exactly one recent post from each account you've subscribed to, in other words normalizing both the vertical and horizontal space to a single square for each person~~.

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== Time dimension ==

[[File:Time axis.png|right|thumb|Time axis]]

~~It's possible to~~ reintroduce ~~time,~~ but at 90 degrees running left to right~~. We're showing all the same cards as a regular timeline view, but rearranged on a grid~~.

If we reintroduce the timeline but with its axis tipped by 90 degrees, we can list all of each author's posts as an isolated strip running from left to right.

In the long term, ~~the algorithm should~~ be ~~fully flexible~~ and ~~visually~~-programmable, and ~~there would be a library for sharing your algorithms with others~~.

== Development ==

So far, this software is the labor of one unpaid person acting on friendly suggestions. Contributions, suggestions or other resources are welcome!

Its architecture is a server-side, Elixir [https://hexdocs.pm/phoenix_live_view/welcome.html Phoenix Live View] application which updates the user's browser by sending HTML over a websocket. It's authenticated temporarily to act as the user. Posts and tokens are kept in server memory and kept as state for the session, then forgotten on close.

In the long term, user algorithms will ideally be visually- and script-programmable, and shareable.

== Resources ==

=== Get involved ===

* Try out the [https://normalizer.webflux.us demo site].

* Read and install the [https://gitlab.com/adamwight/mastodon-normalizer source code].

* Write to @a@social.wikimedia.de

=== Similar projects ===

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* Bluesky's [https://blueskyweb.org/blog/7-27-2023-custom-feeds "marketplace of algorithms"].

=== Reporting on the topic ===

=== Reporting related to the topic ===

* Young, Nora (2023-09-08). [https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/eurpoe-digital-services-act-julia-angwin-1.6960911 "As EU law hopes to rein in Big Tech's algorithms, this reporter wants a 'third path'"]. [https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark Spark]. Retrieved 2023-09-11.

~~== Notes ==~~

~~<references />~~

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 == Experimenting with normalization ==
-When @futurebird@sauropods.win mentioned the fun idea of a [https://sauropods.win/@futurebird/109971101661561998 customizable timeline] allowing us to check in on our friends' latest posts, I was excited to see how it might be applied.  I'm happy with the results so far!  You can login to the [https://normalizer.webflux.us/ demo service] using your own Mastodon account and instance.
+[[File:Preferences for normalizer v0.2.7.png|thumb|Preferences pane]]When @futurebird@sauropods.win mentioned the fun idea of a [https://sauropods.win/@futurebird/109971101661561998 customizable timeline] allowing us to check in on our friends' latest posts, I was excited to see how it might be applied.  I'm happy with the results so far!  You can login to the [https://normalizer.webflux.us/ demo service] using your own Mastodon account and instance, or try out the [https://normalizer.webflux.us/help guided tour] as a guest.
-Preferences currently look this this.  Expect to see many more options here, since customizability is the main point.
+Preferences currently look this this.<div style="clear: both;"></div>
-[[File:Preferences for normalizer v0.2.7.png|center|thumb|Preferences pane]]
+[[File:Equal height.png|right|thumb|Equal height for each author]]
+The default view is called the "orthogonal" view, which gives each author '''equal vertical space''' in your timeline regardless of how many posts they write or how big their attachments.
+A more extreme version of this view is the "Check in" mode which shows only one post from each account.  This can be seen as a normalization of both vertical and horizontal space.
 <div style="clear: both;"></div>
-[[File:Equal height.png|right|thumb|Equal height for each author]]
-The default view is called the "orthogonal" view, which gives each author '''equal vertical space''' in your timeline regardless of how many posts they write.
+[[File:Normalizer with focused row.png|thumb|Focused and expanded row]]
+Clicking on a row of posts will expand and focus.  To expand all posts by default, choose the "natural" row height preference.
-A more extreme version of this view is the "Check in" mode which shows exactly one recent post from each account you've subscribed to, in other words normalizing both the vertical and horizontal space to a single square for each person.
 <div style="clear: both;"></div>
@@ Line 20: / Line 22: @@
 == Time dimension ==
 [[File:Time axis.png|right|thumb|Time axis]]
-It's possible to reintroduce time, but at 90 degrees running left to right.  We're showing all the same cards as a regular timeline view, but rearranged on a grid.
+If we reintroduce the timeline but with its axis tipped by 90 degrees, we can list all of each author's posts as an isolated strip running from left to right.
 <div style="clear: both;"></div>
-In the long term, the algorithm should be fully flexible and visually-programmable, and there would be a library for sharing your algorithms with others.
+== Development ==
+So far, this software is the labor of one unpaid person acting on friendly suggestions.  Contributions, suggestions or other resources are welcome!
+Its architecture is a server-side, Elixir [https://hexdocs.pm/phoenix_live_view/welcome.html Phoenix Live View] application which updates the user's browser by sending HTML over a websocket.  It's authenticated temporarily to act as the user.  Posts and tokens are kept in server memory and kept as state for the session, then forgotten on close.
+In the long term, user algorithms will ideally be visually- and script-programmable, and shareable.
 == Resources ==
+=== Get involved ===
+* Try out the [https://normalizer.webflux.us demo site].
+* Read and install the [https://gitlab.com/adamwight/mastodon-normalizer source code].
+* Write to @a@social.wikimedia.de
 === Similar projects ===
@@ Line 31: / Line 44: @@
 * Bluesky's [https://blueskyweb.org/blog/7-27-2023-custom-feeds "marketplace of algorithms"].
-=== Reporting on the topic ===
+=== Reporting related to the topic ===
 * Young, Nora (2023-09-08).  [https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/eurpoe-digital-services-act-julia-angwin-1.6960911 "As EU law hopes to rein in Big Tech's algorithms, this reporter wants a 'third path'"]. [https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark Spark].  Retrieved 2023-09-11.
-== Notes ==
-<references />