I have been looking for a while now for an alternative to FakeBook that is decentralized. I came across Friendica and read that ‘If you can run WordPress, you can run Friendica’.
That encouraged me to install it on my shared hosting using version 202.07. I created my account as admin and logged in.
Multi Profiles
The manual that is installed with it has a menu item called ‘Profiles’ when you click that item it goes nowhere. I tried all the different themes, no difference. This even happens at https://forum.friendi.ca/help/Profiles the Home of Friendica! So I had to find the help on another node and already undermined my confidence in this project.
This is what the manual says:
Alternate/ private profiles
To create an alternate profile, select “Profiles” from the menu of your Friendica site. You may edit an existing profile, change the profile photo, or create a new profile.
So I tried to follow this instruction, there is no ‘create’ new profile and I spent many hours trying all the themes to get this option to show. By chance I came across a forum message about ‘multi profiles replaced in version 2019…’ Ughhh!
So that is probably why the Profile link doesn’t work, someday took it out but forgot to update it! Days wasted!
Add a Contact or is it a Friend or is it a Follower?
I added my partner onto this node then wanted to add myself as a Friend.
The manual says:
Connect to other Friendica users
Visit their profile. Just beneath their profile picture will be the word ‘Connect’.
So I find my profile picture but there is no ‘Connect’. I have a ‘Follow’ button, but I want to be a friend. Again I try all themes, nope, no connect button. So bearing in mind the last cock-up I assume the manual is flawed (which it is) and look at other nodes. Yes, some nodes have Connect, some have Follow. Look at the version they are running, yep, the older versions have Connect. So the manual is out of date!
So is Follow the NEW Connect? Is it the same thing?
Identity Address, you can enter it in the “Connect” box on your “Contacts” page. You will have the option of allowing them as a “Follower” or as a “Friend“.
Are Contacts Followers or Friends? Can they be both? either?
Confused I enter account B to Follow account A.
Notification
When somebody requests friendship you will receive a notification.
So I wait for the notification, and wait. After fiddling about (can’t remember what exactly now) it shows up and I approve it. It is now in contacts/all so I go to my profile expecting to see it under my picture where it says Contacts, but no, nothing.
Now the other thing I could not establish is, if I agree to be their friend do I automatically become their friend. Looking into the contacts on account B there is no sign of friends, contacts ,followers or whatever, zilch. So from that I concluded no you don’t become their friend.
Unilateral or bilateral friendships
When you receive a friendship notification from another Friendica member, you will have the option of allowing them as a “Follower” or as a “Friend”.
I saw nowhere where I could make this selection. If I created a post and selected Private/Limited it was always public.
Dica app on Android
I wanted a social network that had a capable app. Dica has some good reviews on Play store. Logged in ok to my node but I find the interface unfriendly. It is not apparent that you slide between layouts. The title of the layout window you are in is over shadowed by the site name.
One layout is called friends but all I get is my posts, not friends listed. There is no settings area either.
Removed 2020.07, installed 2019 3.6
I saved my two accounts, removed 2020.07 and installed ‘The Tazmans Flax-lily’ 3.6. Imported my account and Booooom! my Friend appeared under my profile as a Contact, the help/Profile menu also worked, multi-profiles was available and I now had ‘Connect’ under my profile picture.