If you want to communicate with people on other servers, you can do that from your existing account. You don't need to join a server to communicate with its members. For example you and I are on different servers but we can talk like this

You generally don't need accounts on other servers unless you specifically want to operate multiple accounts (for example a work account and personal account), or if there are special features on other servers you want to use.

#SurrealistArt #Surrealism #Surrealismo #RemediosVaro

On Mastodon the choice of instance doesn't seem to be too relevant for most users. Myself I only rarely check the feed my instance is offering me.

#SurrealistArt #Surrealism #Surrealismo #RemediosVaro

Following and unfollowing are the most important things to do for you. Because there is no machine around to take that piece of work from you.

Follow hashtags for your interests. If you see someone who posts using that hashtag, and you like what they have to say on that topic, then follow them. Hashtags replace the algorithm.

And because of federation, it doesn't matter where you are, you can follow anyone from anywhere, as long as they're good 'netizens' and run instances that aren't a source of trouble.

If your instance has become problematic, and you find yourself following people from a particular instance, you can migrate there without too much trouble.

Good luck!

Also, please feel free to ask if you wany help with anything specific!

The servers are connected together so you can interact with people on other servers.

It's a bit like choosing a phone provider, you can call people who use other providers because they are connected together.

The idea of this place is to provide something similar for social networks.

There's more info about discovering accounts to follow at https://fedi.tips/how-do-i-find-accounts-to-follow-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse-how-do-i-find-my-friends

There's also a guide to Mastodon and the wider Fediverse at https://fedi.tips/what-is-mastodon-what-is-the-fediverse

Similarly, some Mastodon servers allow you to write posts up to 500 characters, others more. Some servers have beautiful alternative color themes, others only the default theme.

The main differentiator is the moderation team.

- If your server has no moderators at all (because the server is just one guy's computer in his basement), then you'll encounter lots of assholes who might harass you
- If your server has assholes as moderators or literally white supremacist Nazis as moderators, that will attract bad people. You shouldn't join such a server.
- If your server has good moderators, your online life will be pleasant. Some moderators are heavily into computers, others heavily into politics or activism, etc.

You'll find out over time, with experience, which instances fall into the second and third categories. If you join a server of the third category, you don't have to worry about the second category (Nazis).

Examples for the third category:

- hachyderm
- kolektiva

Importantly, your posts don't make the move. There are workarounds for picking a few posts to bring along, but it's basically a clean slate.

There are a few things that you have to take extra steps to export, like bookmarks and blocks, but there are step-by-step guides available, including mine:
https://kind.social/@Texan_Reverend/110167270006123376

Some folks find a server they click with and is a manageable size, so they spend time reading the Local Feed and interacting with their neighbors.
Others mostly stick to the Home Feed.

This is a great way of getting posts and accounts you're likely to be interested in to start showing up in your Home Feed.

You can also scroll through the public posts made by people on that server by checking the Live Feeds on the right side of its landing page - for example, https://kind.social
On that page, you should also be able to see the server rules in the center by default.

A good resource for browsing through lots of servers is https://fedi.garden/fediverse-servers-sorted-by-topic/
It's a human-curated collection which is sorted by a variety of different tags. Those indicate topics which are frequently discussed by accounts on that server.

The only reasons I would migrate are: a) to an instance with a bigger toot limit; b) if my instance got so overrun with a**holes and/or SPAM that everybody else decided to defederate it.

Using https://fedi.garden might be one way to check out other servers, either by signing up, or checking out the server feeds (live feeds) if they show them.

However, you need to follow a lot of people (and hashtags) to populate your personal feed regardless of where you are. About 200 people is a good start. Just click on people's profiles, check out what they post, and follow them if they look good to you. You can always unfollow later if need be.