Are you using Mastodon through a computer?
Do you wish there was a multi-column TweetDeck-style interface?
There is! It's called the "advanced web interface" and you can activate it any time you want. It lets you add many specialised columns, subscribe to hashtags and all kinds of stuff suited to large wide displays.
Log into the website, go to Preferences > Enable Advanced Web Interface, tick the box and click "Save Changes".
(To restore the default single column interface, do the same thing but untick the box instead.)
This used to be the default interface on Mastodon, and very old articles about the platform will have screenshots of the multicolumn interface.
Yes, you can add more columns (see image).
You add them by pinning existing columns using the slider icon in the top right corner of each column.
@feditips ah yes see it, thanks a lot!
@feditips Interesting.. that's the interface I've always been using.
They didn't switch people to single column when it became default, it was just new members who saw single column by default. Those who signed up before single column existed continued to see multicolumn unless they switched it off.
If you're on multicolumn, you can switch to single column, go to Preferences > Enable Advanced Web Interface, untick it and click "save changes".
@feditips I actually like the multiple column setup.
what is this multiple column of which you speak? 🤔
@paradroyd @feditips I have 4 columns that take almost as much space as the 5 in the pic.
Maybe a screen resolution thing?
@feditips @paradroyd No. It's either how it defaults or how I set things up originally. It's been long enough that I don't remember anymore.
@feditips I wish there was a translator button so I can see what all my Chinese friends are up to.
I think it is being worked on, but I don't know when it will be ready.
@imnotafeline @feditips Firefox has an addon, and I think Vivaldi might have it built in.
@feditips is there a way to schedule toots in advance?
Not within the official Mastodon interface, but you can use third party apps to send scheduled toots such as Fedilab and Tusky.
If you search for a hashtag, you can pin the results as a new column by clicking on the slider icon in that column's top right corner. You can have multiple hashtags in a single column.
That's where the additional columns come from in my examples.
@feditips that works, thanks for the tip!
@feditips
why is this hidden behind a "choose advanced interface" option instead of either the default for wide screens or available as a clear option from the main interface?
Well, it's maybe a bit overwhelming/confusing for some?
(I definitely prefer single column, the multiple columns are too stressful for me.)
It was the default for years, but single column was easier for new people so that became default.
Definitely a matter of taste though.
@feditips
makes sense to me!!! when I see "advanced mode" on interfaces I wonder what scaffolding is in place to show people it exists and to get them there if they want to be. it's a hard problem, definitely, and I get a simpler default. it just seems a shame to me to put choice that could be designed for behind an advanced option, but also respect the work that takes.
@feditips I still don't know what the new interface looks like.
The new (default) interface is the single column one.
The old interface is the multicolumn one.
Pictures of both attached to this post.
@feditips is there a way that you could add another colum? there's loads of whitespace and could at least fit 1 more