In the fall of 2022, the author decided to use Twitter more out of curiosity about how Elon Musk would handle it. They found solace in using third-party apps like Twitterrific and Tweetbot to navigate the platform in a more user-friendly way. However, on January 12, 2023, Elon Musk abruptly shut down third-party API access to Twitter, leaving many fans of these apps disappointed. As a result, people began to leave Twitter and join alternative platforms like Mastodon and Threads. The author accidentally stumbled upon Mastodon through a service called omg.lol and decided to fully embrace it, finding it more engaging and enjoyable than Twitter. Omg.lol offers various features like email forwarding, web pages, blogging platforms, image hosting, and more. The author highlights the strong sense of community on omg.lol and appreciates the creator, Adam Newbold, who actively listens to feedback and constantly works on improving the service. The author also discusses their newfound love for the personal and creative side of the internet, emphasizing the importance of having a personal website. They provide resources for getting started with web design.
https://blakewatson.com/journal/omg-lol-an-oasis-on-the-internet/