# What is Lemmy? Lemmy is open source software used for running individually
hosted social media networks in the style of Reddit. It is built on the
ActivityPub protocol, and is part of the Fediverse. We wrote this introduction
with Apes in mind, but you may also want to check out the introduction and
tutorials at join-lemmy.org [http://join-lemmy.org] located at
https://join-lemmy.org/docs/users/01-getting-started.html
[https://join-lemmy.org/docs/users/01-getting-started.html] # How is Lemmy
structured and moderated compared to Reddit? Lemmy has Instance administrations
and Community moderators The analog is Reddit administrators and Subreddit
moderators Instance admins can perform all mod actions on all communities, just
like Reddit admins can perform all mod actions on all subreddits Meanwhile,
Community/Subreddit mods only moderate their community or subreddit # What is
the Fediverse? The Fediverse refers to a collection of social media software
which all are open source, independently hosted, and can choose to interact with
each other. These software are all built on the same protocol and can interact
with each other and share users. When instances opt in to the broader system,
they are ‘federated’. # Tips for signing up When you make an account on a
federated Lemmy instance like this one, you can interact with all other
instances and communities which are federated. The differences between instances
are up to individual instance admins, who decide who can sign up and what
content is allowed on their instance along with moderation rules.
https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/signup [https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/signup] When
signing up, Lemmy can freeze up if the username you are trying to register
already exists or if you are using a password longer than 63 characters long. As
detailed in the instance policies, limiting data collection means that no email
account recovery is supported. Please ensure that you save your login
information somewhere securely such as a KeePass data file. After signing up,
there is a verification process which is manual. Our DRS instance admins do
their best to check and approve applicants quickly. # Have you reviewed our
Instance Policies? See here: https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/post/1209
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/post/1209] TLDR: Treat everything you submit to
this instance as public. Instance admins (we) will attempt to reduce data
collection as much as practicable, and will maintain open access for anyone to
view posts and comments on this instance. # Different clients you can use, and
how to set them up Once you have your account created and approved, you can
choose to browse Lemmy through an app or other client. You can find some apps
here: https://join-lemmy.org/apps/ [https://join-lemmy.org/apps/] ## Web
https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org [https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org] ## Android - Connect -
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kuroneko.lemmy_connect&gl=us
[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kuroneko.lemmy_connect&gl=us]
- Jerboa - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jerboa&gl=us
[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jerboa&gl=us] ## iPhone -
Voyager app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/voyager-for-lemmy/id6451429762
[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/voyager-for-lemmy/id6451429762] - Alternatively,
how to install Voyager (f.k.a WefWef) as a progressive web app on iOS:
https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/post/10616 [https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/post/10616]
- …and how to add Lemmy to the iOS home screen:
https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/post/4489 [https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/post/4489] #
👀 Following Superstonk via Lemmy The lemmit.online instance replicates a number
of Reddit subs to Lemmy communities through an automated bot which crossposts
content. You can follow those communities through your Lemmy account no matter
which instance you signed up on. For Superstonk specifically, just follow
!Superstonk@lemmit.online [/c/Superstonk@lemmit.online] For other subs, find the
community you are interested in following, and then paste the community’s tag
(listed in the community’s sidebar) into the search function on our instance.
For example:
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/pictrs/image/f81a8d5d-41a7-43fb-b2b4-d74ae8185681.png]
# How to start a new community on this instance Click the Create Community
option along the top. You’ll need to select the community name, the URL, and
optionally can include sidebar content. On Lemmy, Communities are automatically
moderated by the person who creates them. That user can appoint other
moderators, pin stickies, and moderate content on that community. It’s very
similar to how Subreddits are made and operated. On the lemmy.whynotdrs.org
[http://lemmy.whynotdrs.org] instance, we welcome all communities who wish to
discuss the financial markets and surrounding topics including specific stocks,
investing styles, rules and regulations, crypto and web3, and the culture around
money itself. # List of non-local communities you may want to subscribe to You
may want to start your Lemmy journey by browsing some of the largest instances
and subscribing to some of their communities. These are some of the largest
general instances which cover a wide array of topics. - https://lemmy.ml/
[https://lemmy.ml/]
- https://lemmy.world/ [https://lemmy.world/] - https://beehaw.org/
[https://beehaw.org/] Each instance has its own user base. Your login
credentials on your home instance won’t work anywhere else. If you are using the
DRS instance as your home instance, how do you find and subscribe to new
communities through your own instance? # How to find new Communities to follow
If you’re coming over from Reddit, these three resources can help you find
migrations for communities you may have followed on Reddit: - https://sub.rehab/
[https://sub.rehab/] - https://redditmigration.com/
[https://redditmigration.com/] -
https://www.quippd.com/writing/2023/06/15/unofficial-subreddit-migration-list-lemmy-kbin-etc.html
[https://www.quippd.com/writing/2023/06/15/unofficial-subreddit-migration-list-lemmy-kbin-etc.html]
For finding new communities, perhaps the easiest way to find instances and
communities is to search for them on https://lemmyverse.net/
[https://lemmyverse.net/] - at the top of the screen, you can filter for either
instances or for communities. This will parse ALL federated instances and their
associated communities, and is very robust - it will search titles, domains, and
sidebars in order to help you find things you are interested in. Set your home
instance first. At the top right of the screen, hit the house icon and search
for your home instance. Here’s how you can select this DRS instance:
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/pictrs/image/b8c5f3bf-034e-4ccd-a968-574aeabab126.png]
Once your home instance is set, you can easily navigate to communities on any
instance by clicking the community name, which will be a generated link.
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/pictrs/image/a0e6aa16-18ca-4b17-a473-a161817450aa.png]
After that, just hit subscribe on the sidebar and you are good to go!
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/pictrs/image/fde79022-0bff-4090-9ad0-0eb047cd223b.png]
If necessary, you can create and share URLs which will navigate to any community
on any instance from any instance following this formula.
https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/c/games@lemmy.world [/c/games@lemmy.world]
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/c/games@lemmy.world] [home instance url] [/c/]
[community name] @ [hosting instance name] # Views (New vs Active, and
Subscribed vs Local) and setting your default preferences Okay! You have found
some communities to follow - these could be on your home instance, on one of the
largest and universal instances, or niche communities found through the network
search at lemmyverse. Just like with Reddit, you have some choices to make about
how you want to interact with the communities you joined. Your main choices are
the types of posts to display and the communities to display them from. Lemmy’s
own core developers explain it well here:
https://join-lemmy.org/docs/users/03-votes-and-ranking.html
[https://join-lemmy.org/docs/users/03-votes-and-ranking.html] # Blocking Users,
Communities, or Instances which you want to avoid Each user has the ability to
block or hide content from specific users or specific communities.
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/pictrs/image/989e594c-6c68-42eb-ac18-91aa857d0351.png]
In the case of users, you can block them in order to avoid seeing comments or
posts which they make. Click on a user’s name on a comment or post and you’ll
see the option at the top of the screen.
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/pictrs/image/5161eef8-09f8-4162-9c51-3d29ad733136.png]
For communities, you can avoid ever seeing their posts on your various feeds.
While navigating a community, the option to block it will appear on the right
sidebar. # Public Moderation Logs: How they work and how to search them Lemmy’s
moderation logs for all instance administrator actions and community moderator
actions are available for public review at all times - and do not require sign
up to access. https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/modlog
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/modlog] Moderation logs are collected together for
all federated instances, and so can be difficult to parse in real time without
searching for a specific mod. Once you type the name of an individual mod,
select them from the dropdown and you can review all mod or admin actions they
have taken. Posts which were removed can also be viewed and scrutinized here.
There is complete transparency into moderation actions. -
https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/modlog?page=1&modId=2
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/modlog?page=1&modId=2] - admin account admin
history - https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/modlog?page=1&modId=4
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/modlog?page=1&modId=4] - Chives account admin
history - https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/modlog?page=1&modId=487
[https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/modlog?page=1&modId=487] - Bibic account admin
history
Chive and team put together a great primer on using Lemmy, so linking to it from here for new apes on the platform. Thanks Chives!
Happy to help! Lemmy is a fantastic resource that will allow our communities to operate independently, and not face the same risks of deplatforming from Reddit. Both thePPshow and DRSyourGME were growing subs that met the same fate.
The lesson from all of this has been that middlemen are in it for themselves.
I don’t want middlemen holding my assets. I don’t want middlemen controlling my community.
Ross - This may be something to add either to a sticky post or on the community sidebar. As an admin, you are the only person who can do either of those right now!
If anyone has any questions, happy to answer them here. I’m with the team that hosts DRSGME.org, WhyDRS.org and the Lemmy instance over at lemmy.whynotdrs.org.