I've got to say - I can't see how this is really going to take off.... It's so confusing.
Let me try to explain a bit...
- Tried making accounts, got one on lemmy.ml and lemmy.world.
- Saw some interesting feeds, but can't load lemmy.ml (502 error - maybe overloaded). However, the 'Fediverse' is linked up - so surely I should be able to find this user and connect to his post without too much hassle?
- Try to visit - he's on vlemmy.net - I can't interact without logging in. My account doesn't work - is it a different account for every instance?
- Compared to ten minutes on Reddit, after 2 days I still haven't found content and/or interaction that I want. I kind of understand how cool federated stuff is, but I cannot get to the product.
- r/firefox r/linux r/angryupvote r/jokes - you know.... stuff!
I follow a link for the user and end up seeing that I am not logged in, but a note says:
'If you use a Fediverse account that is able to follow users, you can follow this user.'
I don't understand this - How? Where? There's no context menu...
I AM LOGGED IN here and now... What gives?
If it's this hard for me, I'm sure that this rules out 99% of internet users from switching over... as I'm sure that more than 75% of Reddit users are dumber than I am.
Oh, and finally now I see another notice:
If you deselect Undetermined, you will not see most content.
WTF does that mean? Where did I select, or have an option to select 'Undetermined'?
So, I'm on a different instance - https://sh.itjust.works/ - and as the name says, at least for me, it has just worked. It's been very easy for me to understand with the interface. For looking for communities (that are not on ours or that may have more people/interaction/more established to join I have used https://browse.feddit.de/ and I have successfully joined ones that are on other instances (apologies if my terminology is not right!). I have set it to "all" and it shows me posts from all the other places that are on our list we are associated with, as I understand it.
I have also used Jerboa for mobile app browsing (I believe it is Mlem for iOS)
Aaaaand then I mess up, so still learning!
FWIW, your instance is using the lemmy default UI, most instances are. Ive seen templates going around, ive not seen anyone using them though.