@Gargron your leadership has made this place what it is and I hope that the incoming CEO will share the same values and objectives you’ve shared with us. While I know it can only grow if everyone is in the right position, I worry it’ll become a Mozilla situation where too much overhead is put in and the money becomes a larger priority.

@Gargron Thanks a lot, Eugen, for taking this decision (because I think the whole project will grow thanks to that) and for everything you did during past years. Your work and dedication really helped to build what have been somehow a dream for most: a social network entitled with strong human values.

Good luck with the rest of your journey!

@Gargron I hope you are successful. As an introvert (and autistic) I find the business side of business hard, and I can’t imagine running something as valuable as Mastodon has become. Well played to get it to this point and to know when to pass it on.

@Gargron Thank you for all the hard work you put into Mastodon, it is very much appreciated by hundreds of thousands. I wish you and your wife all peace and happiness.

@Gargron I won't be here today without your work. I , and hope others, will always think of you as the guy who created one of the many fediverse app and was able to stay humble and human. So thank you and I hope you will still hang around .

@Gargron Thank you for everything you've done. I'm sure it wasn't an easy choice, but what you've done is deeply thoughtful and wise.

@Gargron 👍🏻

@Gargron You've done us a great service in what you've built and that won't be forgotten. We've seen what happens when engineers burn out, and we've seen what happens when they try to stay in charge too long, and I think you're making a good choice for yourself, and in allowing Mastodon to fly free and develop further.

@Gargron :ablobfoxbongo:

@Gargron Thank you so much for the lovely product and an opportunity to grow healthy online communities ❤️

@Gargron This all seems like a win for everyone. Thanks for your work and continued efforts to help Mastodon live up to its ideals.

@Gargron this seems like a great move, and good time.

We become less effective the further we're stretched, especially in directions that are not our strengths.

I've been through this, I wish I had learned/admitted it earlier.

@Gargron thank you for everything you have done so far and happy that you still will play an important role. And good that you also prioritize balance and health, which is of vital importance for everyone.

@Gargron Congrats and thank you for your work on this! 🙌

@Gargron If all the world's tech CEOs were more like you, the world would be a better place! Hope you find a new CEO who is still a lot like you

@Gargron Thank you very much for creating something that will last for a very long time. A way for people to interact without any party owning anything. Very much appreciated. Please enjoy your new role and have faith in your team, a great team is more than the sum of its parts.

@Gargron This is so incredibly and admirably self-aware and wise. Thank you again.

@Gargron hm, does it mean more wife and cats photos on film? 🤔

@Gargron

Thanks for what you've done. . . when I landed here two years ago I really had no idea what it was all about. . . . . ! !! :mastodance:

@Gargron It takes fortitude & self-awareness to step aside as founder & bring in someone else to take on the business leadership role.

Its a hard step. Congratulations on taking it.

Piece of advice. Write down the values you want the new company to align to. Gain feedback from those you trust on them.

Use them in the hiring interview process to probe deeply for alignment.

Then think about what happens when you have a conflict & discover you are not values aligned after all.

@Gargron thank you for everything you have made possible so far.

There should be a Nobel prize for this. 🎖️

@Gargron This was the right decision. You cannot please everyone (I did not agree with all your decisions) and everything that evolves around ethics must have took a toll on you. Better to let the new governance reflect on the hard ethical questions and handle the critics and focus on the topics that you find more interesting (more code oriented I believe).

Anyway, all that to say, thank you for your work and good luck.

@Gargron Thank you for giving us this. And the very best of luck for the future.

@Gargron 🤗

@Gargron I want to say thank you for creating an alternative where I get my news and less-toxic banter.

It’s an amazing platform and totally understandable your decision.

You a Giga-Chad.

@Gargron Thank you for everything you've done for the public good, and all the best in the transition to your next adventure!

@Gargron kudos to you for making this decision, I’m sure it wasn’t an easy one but it’s certainly the right path going forward!

@Gargron thank you for doing this and for your vision. I originally joined mastodon back in 2017 and to see it now is like a miracle. 🙏🙏🙏🙏

@Gargron Thank you for creating Mastodon and keeping it afloat and in active development over all these years.

I sincerely hope your organization can find a CEO who shares your values and doesn't do a Mozilla on Mastodon - and that this decision creates room for the software to explore new features for the Fediverse.

@Gargron thank you for creating this place and its awesome communities. As a fellow introvert I totally understand wanting to do more technical work you enjoy. The nonprofit sounds like a great plan, hope the transition is smooth!

@Gargron Dude, you did an amazing job. You’ve taken so much on your shoulders, and made one of the most bustling decentralized social media projects ever.

Congrats on your new role, and I know you’ll rock at it.

@Gargron Thank you for all you have done, Eugen!

@Gargron Eugen, I appreciate you and all the hard work you have done to make Mastodon a success, and look forward to your contributions in your new role. Mastodon should never have competitors, only collaborators, and I hope it will always stay that way.

@Gargron ❤️

@Gargron thank you for bringing us Mastodon and I wish you all the best.

@Gargron Thanks for being a good steward. I bought a Mastodon plushie in, uh, celebration.

@Gargron So wise. Thanks for the incredible job you did. You made Mastodon take root. I hope that with this decision you will find some zenitude.

@Gargron I migrated here from X when Musk took over, ie essentially for a negative reason, but I've found this place to be a much pleasanter environment, as well as having a superior ownership model. What I didn't expect was to discover that the CEO could write such a candid, self-aware and balanced account of why he was moving on. So, thanks for all you have done, good luck in your new role, and may Mastodon continue to go from strength to strength.

@Gargron Congrats, Eugen. You did the right thing, and I'm hoping you inspire WordPress.org and other similar critical #OSS projects to move in this same direction next, too.

@Gargron В этих сетях главное не потерять себя...

@Gargron Mastodon is a fabulous achievement and we are all appreciative of and are all thankful for all your hard work and the gift you've left the world.

@Gargron Thats why you are the GOAT!!!
You will always be loved man, and still are. Glad you will finally have more time to yourself!

@Gargron

It's a truly noble thing you do, here. We don't often get to use that word but it's the only one which works.

@Gargron thanks a lot for all of this !

@Gargron Thanks for your hard work, and for what you have done for all of us. You have built something amazing here.

@Gargron Thank you for creating a sustainable and thoughtful product and letting it grow in a sustainable and thoughtful manner. Mastodon is a rare work of digital artistry.

@Gargron All I can say is thank you! The fact that a vibrant, federated, viable, micro-blogging platform exists brings so much joy to so many people around the world. You deserve balance in your life, and to focus on the the work that you find most rewarding.

@Gargron massive respect. I'm sure this was a *hard* decision to arrive at. I work in open source but the scale of the projects I maintain are tiny in comparison to Mastodon, so I can only imagine the pressure you've been under.

I'm excited about the possibilities of what lies ahead. 🫡✌️

@Gargron It is impossible for me to express how much I respect your work on this, your commitment, what you have sacrificed for it, and I can only wish you all of the best. I hope you find a place where you can recover and restore yourself!!

@Gargron
I appreciate all you’ve done and look forward to your next projects.
Thank you , I know that @JohnMastodon is proud of the work you’ve done, as we all should be.

@Gargron you've created one of the most important social networks so far, and brought it into public focus. You've introduced millions of people to ActivityPub, whether they chose to use Mastodon or not. You've done this at just the right time for people to have somewhere to jump ship to from other networks, while those networks shift their attention towards politics & corporate greed. And now you're deciding to hand over because you've reached your limit.

That's being a great CEO. Be proud. 👍

@Gargron Another pineapple on pizza hater 😂

@Gargron Good for you for looking out for yourself. And thank you for creating a viable alternative to algorithm-driven social networks.

@Gargron
I’ve been very happy with what you’ve created, and you have certainly kept a more even keel on the thing than many might have. Thanks for all that work!

You deserve a good work/life balance at this point. I hope it keeps improving for you, even if it’s somewhat painful at this moment.

@Gargron thanks for personally protecting it as long as you have.

And I just wanted to add, thanks for how easily the "block" feature works. I don't have to tolerate anyone being unpleasant nor do I have to get an admin involved. They don't see me anymore, and I don't see them, and I can let that shit go without even trying to get the last word or waste time defending myself. If it wasn't for this feature I'm not sure I could stay on social media.

@Gargron what you (and the rest of the team) have built is extraordinary, and it brings me joy every day. Please do what you think is best for the project and more importantly for you and your health, you deserve it

@Gargron I hope you take immense pride in this wonderful thing you've created and nurtured — and which I'm so thankful for, every day. I can only imagine the personal toll that being the CEO has taken, and I'm glad you've found a thoughtful way to move forward.

@Gargron Thank you for everything you’ve done. I am thrilled for you that a project you had a passion for grew to matter so much to so many people - because of your own belief in and dedication to it, through *your* work. Wishing you every success going forward, peace, happiness, and fulfillment in whatever adventures and projects you take on. 🙏🏻✌🏻✨

@Gargron thank you for doing this. Thank you for taking care of yourself.

@Gargron Respect.

@Gargron thank you for everything !!

@Gargron thanks a lot for building what you have built and taking such a courageous step to set the project up for a healthy future. Good luck with the transition into the new role.

@Gargron thanks a lot - for your time as a ceo and for taking the decision and for talking about it (I can only imagine howh hard this is but it's also such an important example of how to handle things well!).

@Gargron as much flack as I've given you in the past, you inspired me to to try and push myself out of my comfort zone more and improve as a result

cheers :zerotwo_cozy:

@Gargron

It takes a lot of courage to let your baby go.

I admire you for that, as well as for all the work you have done that made this platform the joyous place it is for all of us.

I hope, you stay connected with the project, but above all a healthy and happy life. You truly deserve that, Eugen!

@Gargron thanks for everything and wishing you more time to visit Scotland.

@Gargron Thank you so much for Mastodon, you gave us a marvellous place and I hope you will get your good work-life balance back soon. Take care and keep in touch!

@Gargron, I'm a latecomer to all this, but man, oh man, do I love it here. You have had a hand in building something special that I feel most fortunate to partake in.

@Gargron
Thanks so much for your dedication and hoping you enjoy your next stage 🔥

@Gargron you da man!! Thank you.

@Gargron Thank you!

@Gargron

What you're doing, no joke, you're saving the world. Or helping us to save it. In any case, you're a hero in my book.

@Gargron Good luck! That's better! Gradually you became the object of hate of the priests of the pure Fediverse doctrine ...