# Start TTYverse
./ttyverse.pl

# TTYverse loads and shows:
# - Current version and login status
# - Recent timeline posts
# - Direct messages (if any)
# - Ready prompt: TTYverse>

Reading Your Timeline

When TTYverse starts, it automatically loads your home timeline:

a0> {,POST_ID} <username> (2h ago) via Web [Public]
    Content of the post goes here with any links or hashtags

a1> {,POST_ID} <username> (1h ago) via TTYverse [Unlisted]
    Another post with different visibility

Understanding the format:

a0, a1 - Menu codes for referencing posts
username - Who posted it
(2h ago) - How long ago it was posted
via Web - What client was used
[Public] - Visibility level

Loading More Content

# See more posts from timeline
/again

# Refresh timeline for new posts
/refresh

# See posts from cache
/last 15

Reading Different Timelines

Home Timeline (Default)

Your personalized feed from accounts you follow:

/timeline          # Show home timeline

Local Timeline

Posts from your instance/server:

/timeline local    # See what your community is posting

Federated Timeline

Posts from across the fediverse:

/timeline federated    # See the broader conversation

Bookmarks

Posts you've saved:

/timeline bookmarks    # Your saved posts

Interacting with Posts

Basic Interactions

# Like a post
/fav a3

# Share a post (boost/reblog)
/boost a3

# Save for later
/bookmark a3

# Reply to a post
/reply a3 Great point about accessibility!

Opening Links

When posts contain URLs:

# Open the URL from post a3
/url a3

# TTYverse automatically detects your environment:
# - GUI environment: Opens in Firefox, Chrome, etc.
# - Terminal: Opens in w3m, elinks, or lynx

Getting User Information

# Learn about a user
/whois storm@stormux.org

# Shows profile information, follower count, etc.

Creating Content

Simple Text Posts

# Create a public post
/post Just learned about TTYverse - loving the accessibility focus!

# TTYverse creates the post and shows confirmation

Posts with Media

# Upload an image
/media ~/pictures/sunset.jpg

# TTYverse will prompt for:
# 1. Alt-text description (required for images)
# 2. Optional post message

Alt-text example:

Enter alt text for sunset.jpg: Orange and purple clouds over mountains during golden hour
Enter post message (optional): Beautiful evening hike in the local mountains

Creating Polls

TTYverse supports both single and multiple choice polls:

Single choice poll (users pick one option):

/poll What's your favorite season?

Multiple choice poll (users can pick multiple options):

/mpoll Which TTYverse features do you use? (select all that apply)

Interactive poll creation process:

TTYverse> /poll What's your favorite programming language?
Creating single choice poll: What's your favorite programming language?
Poll duration (default 24h): 3d
Enter options (press Enter with no text to finish):
Option 1: Python
Option 2: JavaScript  
Option 3: Rust
Option 4: Go
Option 5: [press Enter to finish]
-- Poll posted successfully

Duration formats:

24h = 24 hours
3d = 3 days
90m = 90 minutes
Empty = 24 hours (default)

Poll limitations:

Each option: maximum 50 characters
Minimum 2 options required
Most instances limit to 4 options

Replying to Conversations

# Reply to someone's post
/reply a5 That's exactly what I was thinking! Have you tried the new media upload feature?

# Your reply appears in the conversation thread

Managing Conversations

Direct Messages

# Check for direct messages
/dms

# Shows recent DMs:
[DM da0][friend@instance.org] (1h ago)
   Hey, saw your post about TTYverse - is it really that accessible?

# Reply to a DM
/reply da0 Yes! It's designed by a blind developer with accessibility as the top priority.

Following Conversations

# Follow an interesting user
/follow @username@instance.com

# Their posts will appear in your home timeline

Searching and Discovery

Finding Content

# Search for hashtags
/search #accessibility

# Find users
/search storm@stormux.org

# Search post content
/search "command line fediverse"

Exploring Communities

# See what your local instance is discussing
/timeline local

# Discover broader conversations
/timeline federated

# Find trending topics (if your server supports it)
/search #trending

Voting in Polls

When you see a poll in your timeline, it appears with numbered options:

b3> {,POST_ID} <username> (30m ago) via Web [Public]
    What's your favorite terminal editor?
    
    Poll (ends in 2 days, 15 votes):
    1. vim (8 votes - 53%)
    2. emacs (4 votes - 27%) 
    3. nano (3 votes - 20%)

Vote using the menu code and option number:

# Vote for option 1 (vim)
/vote b3 1

# For multiple choice polls, vote for multiple options
/vote b3 1,3

Managing Your Experience

Adjusting Settings

# Change how often timeline refreshes (in seconds)
/set effpause 300        # Refresh every 5 minutes

# Set your preferred browsers
/set gui_browser firefox
/set cli_browser w3m

# Check current settings
/get effpause

Getting Information

# See available commands
/help

# Check API rate limits
/rate

# See TTYverse version
/version

Controlling Output

# Enable detailed output
/verbose

# Enable debug information (for troubleshooting)
/debug

Sound Notifications

TTYverse includes audio feedback for different events:

New posts - Gentle notification sound
Mentions - Distinctive alert when someone mentions you
Direct messages - Special sound for private messages
Your posts - Confirmation when your posts appear
Boosts/favorites - Feedback when others interact with your posts

Sound files are stored in ~/.local/share/ttyverse/sounds/default/

Common Workflows

Morning Routine

# Start TTYverse and catch up
./ttyverse.pl           # Shows recent timeline
/dms                    # Check direct messages
/timeline local         # See community activity

Active Participation

# Engage with interesting content
/fav a3                 # Like interesting posts
/boost a5               # Share good content
/reply a7 Great insight! # Join conversations
/post Today I learned... # Share your thoughts

Content Creation

# Share a photo with proper accessibility
/media ~/photo.jpg
# Alt-text: "Golden retriever playing in autumn leaves"
# Message: "Morning walk with the dog - beautiful fall colors!"

Research and Discovery

# Explore topics
/search #photography    # Find photography discussions
/timeline federated     # See broader conversations
/search @expert         # Find knowledgeable users
/follow @expert@domain  # Follow interesting people

End of Session

# Save interesting posts for later
/bookmark a3
/bookmark b7

# Exit cleanly
/quit

Tips for Effective Usage

Use menu codes efficiently - They're faster than scrolling
Bookmark interesting posts - Save them for later reference
Follow local timeline - Discover your community
Use search regularly - Find conversations on topics you care about

Engagement Tips

Always provide alt-text - TTYverse enforces this for good reason
Reply thoughtfully - Add value to conversations
Use appropriate visibility - Consider who should see your posts
Boost good content - Help spread valuable information

Accessibility Tips

TTYverse is screen reader friendly - All output is plain text
Sound notifications help - Audio cues for different events
Consistent structure - Posts always follow the same format
Keyboard-only navigation - No mouse required anywhere

Performance Tips

Adjust refresh rate - Slower connections benefit from longer intervals
Use /last command - Access cached posts without network requests
Bookmark instead of searching - Faster access to interesting content

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Timeline Issues

# Timeline won't load
/refresh                # Force refresh
# Check network: ping 8.8.8.8

# Old posts showing
/timeline               # Reload home timeline

Interaction Problems

# Menu codes not working
# Make sure you're using current codes (they change as new posts load)

# Can't reply or boost
# Check if post is still available: /url a3

Media Upload Issues

# Image upload fails
# Ensure file exists: ls -la ~/path/to/image.jpg
# Check file size (8MB limit for images on most servers)
# Provide meaningful alt-text (required!)

See also: Getting Started | Commands Reference | Media Uploads

Basic Usage

Daily Workflow

Starting TTYverse