Hey there @cwebber! Welcome to Fediverse network!

First, to answer your question, the "Fediverse" is what we call the broader network of Social Media servers which use the ActivityPub protocol to communicate and share posts with each other: basically, the Fediverse is the network, while Mastodon is just a software. Other servers might use software like Misskey or WordPress to make and display posts, which is why we don't just call it the "Mastodon" network.

Now, some advice to get you started on here...

There is no algorithm here, so we generate our feeds by following people and hashtags. I recommend you search up a few hashtags and follow them now to get started.

I also recommend you make a post talking about yourself, using the hashtag #introduction, and adding further hashtags for the things you intend to post about. That way, you can find some followers right away.

If you have any questions or need any help, feel free to ask! 🙂

Happy posting!