@parterrebox @wombat The Mastodon platform implements a decentralized model for social media. There are a large number of servers run by separate organizations or individuals. They are connected and the collection is called the Fediverse. This decentralized model is distinctively different from Twitter. It promotes stronger communities of users at the server level (e.g. Wonkodon) while somewhat hampering things like searching or summarizing the whole network (the Fediverse).

@phoenixdoglover @wombat Thank you, Phoenix. This is beginning to make some sense to me!

@parterrebox @phoenixdoglover @wombat The sites themselves are known as "instances".
Wonkodon is an instance for Wonkette folks, while there are larger instances with more members. Each instance can connect with others but don't have to. You can see other members from instances Wonkodon is connected to by clicking the "federated" option.

@phoenixdoglover @parterrebox @wombat Also see guidetomastodon.com which explains concepts.