Instance (e.g. lemmy.ml): like an email provider. You pick an instance but can talk to anyone since its the same infrastructure. I’m on the ‘lemmy.ml’ instance, you’re on ‘kbin.social’, and OP is from ‘reddthat.com’, but we’re all experiencing the same thing just like email.
I think part of why it’s confusing is that we don’t have defined names for these things. This is so early in a social media “product” life that there isn’t a common understanding. You’re now part of making those names. It’s a bit exciting but mostly confusing while everyone uses their own terms to mean the same fundamental things. Embrace the chaos!
This is all very confusing to me
Instance (e.g. lemmy.ml): like an email provider. You pick an instance but can talk to anyone since its the same infrastructure. I’m on the ‘lemmy.ml’ instance, you’re on ‘kbin.social’, and OP is from ‘reddthat.com’, but we’re all experiencing the same thing just like email.
Community (e.g. /c/linux): subreddit equivalent.
That’s pretty much it for the basics.
ah Nice! that’s a pretty clear explanation, thanks 👍
I think part of why it’s confusing is that we don’t have defined names for these things. This is so early in a social media “product” life that there isn’t a common understanding. You’re now part of making those names. It’s a bit exciting but mostly confusing while everyone uses their own terms to mean the same fundamental things. Embrace the chaos!
But we do: Communities.
You find that term in the UI, in user documentation, and the /c/ part of the URL also refers to that.
Calling it anything else, especially unrelated to /c/, will only make it harder and more confusing for new people to join.