Channel Magic
Why building Channels could bring the Fediverse together.
Channels, custom curated feeds built on Channel.org technology, are pretty fun. Yes, I am biased, but let me tell you why.
I made a Tree Channel and I love it.
No, I am not a tree loving hippie (as far as I am aware). But there is something about seeing a space dedicated to these giant, leafy, symbols of life. Especially amongst all the crap we normally get on social media.
Building
Building the Channel was pretty simple. But, I have had a lot of practise (and a fair amount of say in how we improve the building process).
I actually decided to build this Channel because I wanted to make a how-to video. I wondered, what was quick to build, would work well in the Fedi space, and was more exciting than tech or generic news stories? Trees.
Building a Channel is a four step process.
- Set up an account
- Fill in the Channel details
- Choose how you want to curate your Channel
- Choose what you don't want in your Channel
Those four steps are a very stripped back version of the decisions you can make when building a Channel, but, essentially, that's all there is to it.
You get to choose the direction, each step of the way.
Enjoying
Grab a cold Diet Coke and, before you're back, your Channel should have spun up.
For the Tree Channel, this was instant. Straight away it was ready for leafy green goodness. But, leafy greens don't just magically appear. The Channel needed posts that used the Channel hashtag #TreesChannel.
Channels automatically generate a Channel hashtag based on the Channel username. Whilst this is the Tree Channel, @tree@channel.org didn't sound as good as @trees@channel.org. So, the hashtag become #TreesChannel.
There are ways around this but you need to get permission from the Newsmast Foundation. The last thing we want is seven tech Channels all picking up #tech.
Since I am the Newsmast Foundation (1/3), I can pull the secret leaver and change that. Now, Tree Channel pulls in content using #TreesChannel, #TreeChannel, and - drumroll please - #ThickTrunkTuesday.
Whilst I think it's important to avoid hashtags which could ruin the content of your Channel because they are overused or too generic, ThickTrunkTuesday is not that. It's an opportunity for tree lovers to come together and fill Tree Channel with this weekly celebration of green.
If the regular #ThickTrunkTuesday-ers don't like that, all they have to do is (politely) let me know and I'll remove the hashtag! But, I don't think the tree people are like that. I think, like me, the tree people just want a place to celebrate trees. Not they have Tree Channel.
Possibilities
Channels could be anything and everything.
I envision a future where we have sports Channels, music Channels, hobby Channels, activist Channels. Places where people can come together and find others with similar interests.
It doesn't solve the issue of discovering people to follow and posts to like across the Open Social Web, but it really does help.
It offers the chance for community building, especially for area-based groups. I can't wait until we get out first location focused Channel.
Want to try?
I don't want this post to be a pitch. It's not. I just want to share how excited I am (and hopefully convince you to follow @trees@channel.org).
But, if you did want to try building a Channel, you can either wait until the beta goes public or sign up for the waitlist now by emailing support@newsmast.org.
It is still a beta, so there are issues. But that's why it's so important it gets in your hands, so you can help us find them or tell us if something just doesn't make sense.
I'm so curious to see what others will build and I really really (really) hope that the Fediverse will surprise me and build Channels on something fun before the all the bad stuff in the world.