Fedi.Tips π
The latest version of Mastodon (4.2.0) brings full text search, so you can search by words instead of hashtags. However, for privacy reasons this only includes posts by people who have actively opted into full text search. If your server is updated to 4.2.0 and you want to opt into full text search: 1. Log into your server's website 65 comments
ReverendRef
@feditips You lost me at, βLog into your serverβs website.β
Fedi.Tips π
Ah, sorry about that! π Hopefully this helps: Your server's website is usually the name of your server. You can log into your account through your server's website instead of an app. For example your server is ohai.social, so the website for your server is https://ohai.social The settings pages on server websites tend to be updated quicker than the settings pages on the apps. This means when a new option comes out it's often only accessible through the website at first.
immibis
@reverendref @feditips go on the google chromes and go to mastodon and do the thing - instead of using the app
Fedi.Tips π
It's because full text search has been used by trolls and abusers to target victims over on Twitter. There was a lot of opposition to having full text search on Mastodon because of this. In the end the compromise is that there is full text search but it's opt-in, so people with safety concerns can still keep their accounts out of it. Full text search means that you can find a post by typing any word from that post, instead of having to hope it has the right hashtag.
DELETED
@feditips Thank for your time and reply! But even without full-text, someone could simply scroll thru posts, or using the Mastodon API to fetch statuses and build a small database of posts and perform search there. To me, full-text or not, the end result is the same ? I don't want to sound mean or anything, just curious! π Also, I never really were on Twitter, so again maybe I'm missing some clues!
Fedi.Tips π
They could, and some people do, but this is still a significant step away from the search being built into Mastodon itself. It is extra friction that trolls may not bother with. It's like locks, they can all be picked in theory but they're still useful in keeping your house safe. 
Fedi.Tips π
Yeah, your server has to be running at least version 4.2.0 in order for you to opt into the full text search. 
Bruce Mirken
@feditips Since the update, some things don't seem to work as well. If I wanted to tag someone I follow or that follows me in a post, typing just the beginning of their handle would bring up their full name. Now it doesn't.
Fedi.Tips π
Hmm... It's working for me on 4.2.0... I assume you're typing @ before you're typing their name?
Bruce Mirken
@feditips Yes. But now I tried again tagging the same account and it worked. Weird, but maybe a temporary glitch?
Fedi.Tips π
When the update happened on my server, there was a short period where everything was a bit buggy, but after a while it started working normally again. I'm guessing it takes a little time for the server to get back to normal after installation? 
Fedi.Tips π
No, it's not. That option is about whether your posts are indexed by search engines like Google, DuckDuckGo etc. Your server mastodon.cloud isn't on 4.2.0 yet, so you don't have the full text search setting yet. If you ask your admin, they will tell you when/if they are upgrading.
Fedi.Tips π
p.s. Apparently it can take a while for the search databases to build up after the upgrade. Don't worry if your searches aren't showing any results yet. Also, you will only get results from posts by people who have opted into this system. As the system was only released today, it will take time as people find out about it and (possibly) opt in. 
Peter Mount
@feditips it took my personal instance about 10 minutes to get back to showing results in the various timelines & it has only 3 active users. 
Fedi.Tips π
Some servers installed unofficial patches, and some servers ran the test version of 4.2.0. However, this is the first time the official release version of Mastodon includes full text search.
Fedi.Tips π
Yeah, the old one was only for your own toots, or toots you had favourited etc. This one searches all toots of people who have opted into the system. 
Rokosun
Before when I used to use the search functionality in Mastodon it used to show me results from posts I've already interacted with before (boosts, favorites, replies, etc). But now it seems like I'm not able to do that anymore π’ Is this how it's gonna be from now on? Or will there be an option to search for those previously interacted posts? For me that feature was extremely useful for finding posts I've seen before. 
hybrid havoc :1m: :rm:
@futureisfoss @feditips
Rokosun
@hybridhavoc @feditips Thank you so much for the info, I think this search filter does what I want.
Domesticated Pagan
jfml β¨ Jonas Laugs
@feditips Do you know if this includes boosts (that would be terrible) or only posts (and replies?) I made?
Fedi.Tips π
It applies to posts that your server can see which were written by people who have opted into this system. No one's posts will be searchable unless they want their posts to be searchable. So, it would only apply to boosts where the person writing it has specifically opted in to being searchable.
jfml β¨ Jonas Laugs
@feditips Aaaahhh, of course, that makes sense! Thanks for the explanation! ^__^ 
Kevin Karhan :verified:
@feditips Since findability is opt-in for full-text, I've to still rely on Hashtags.
Fedi.Tips π
Thanks, so if I understand correctly you mean disabled the feature completely, so people can't opt in? Or do you mean off by default and they can switch it on? I think it's off by default for everyone?
Fedi.Tips π
That sounds like the same thing on all servers? As far as I know there are no servers where it is on by default?
Fedi.Tips π
@Nihtgenga @Curator@mastodon.art The feature is there by default, but everyone is also opted out of it by default. So, the only search results are posts by people who change the setting to opt into the search.
Mark A. {FalconMarkSix}
@feditips Going forward, if you create a new account on a server/instance that is 4.2.0+, will the new account have this option on or off by default?
Fedi.Tips π
As far as I know, the option is always off by default. It is opt-in, i.e. you have to personally opt in if you want it to work. |
Gregory's Server
@feditips thanks for the update. Does that mean when an individual user opts-in or when the instance their account is hosted on opts-in?