I think one thing that makes this place feel so different is the lack of algorithm combined with the lack of numbers.
You’d see the same names over and over, because you weren’t getting what you were seeing filtered by an algorithm or with strange new names shoved in there. If you saw someone new, you’d know who you knew was bringing their post around.
At the same time, you didn’t know what posts you were seeing because they were popular elsewhere on cohost. They’d enter your circle, but if it only showed up once or twice, you just knew this is a cool post one of your friends found, not “this post has 100s of shares.”
It made everything feel more human. Like people hanging out. Like a chat room that moved slower.
Also just the lack of ads shoved in my face.