We aren't really a big instance. We don't even make the top-20. Where we really hit above our weight though is our comment count.

We are medium in size, but we are super engaged.

  • Nath@aussie.zone
    hexagon
    ·
    1 year ago

    It's tricky - I want it to grow, but I don't want to lose the culture we have here. Having run forums 20+ years ago, I know that keeping that balance of culture and growth is super difficult.

    Every time, you hit a critical point and suddenly it's a site of random strangers with no community feeling. Reddit hit that point over a decade ago. I don't want to repeat that here if we can avoid it.

    • 𝚝𝚛𝚔@aussie.zone
      ·
      1 year ago

      On the one hand, yes.

      On the other hand, you need enough content being created to provoke discussion.

      I don't feel we have enough content at the minute. I reckon the active population needs to double. Maybe we need to give away stubbie coolers.

      • Nath@aussie.zone
        hexagon
        ·
        1 year ago

        This is where the avatars come in. I don't pay much attention to the usernames, either. But those little avatars stick in your mind and you start to remember people.

        Yes, everyone is still a stranger, but that doesn't mean there isn't community.

        • 𝚝𝚛𝚔@aussie.zone
          ·
          1 year ago

          Voyager (and Connect by the sounds) don't display avatars or custom usernames so you lose that bit of customisation in at least some of the apps.

          I think I prefer it. Avatars are usually bad anime anyway. I think mines a ghost face lady.

          • Nath@aussie.zone
            hexagon
            ·
            1 year ago

            Huh. You and @Aussiemandeus have probably just answered why I keep defaulting back to Jerboa. I have most of the Lemmy clients installed, and cycle through them. I usually use Jerboa for aussie.zone - I thought that was because it was the first one I had. Now I think it's for the avatar support.

            • Lodion 🇦🇺@aussie.zoneM
              ·
              1 year ago

              Sync also has an option to enable avatars. I can't use any client that doesn't have avatars available. I'm too used to identifying people by their avatars... and now emojis and OP/admin tags.

              • Nath@aussie.zone
                hexagon
                ·
                1 year ago

                Aaaaand Sync has become my default app.
                I'll probably give that one money, because I trust they'll actually incorporate mod tools at some point.