Follow request profile link should go directly to the original page

[fluffy-critter]

Pitch

When looking at my follow requests, I want to be able to easily get to the requestor's original page, rather than the page that's run through my local instance's view first. The local view is usually going to be very limited in terms of which toots and behaviors are visible, and there doesn't seem to be any reason to default to showing that view for the purpose of vetting new followers.

Motivation

I would like to reduce the number of clicks and new tabs/browsers/etc. it takes to vet a new follower.

[ChaelCodes]

I built a PR for this, but the flow through the app leaves a lot to be desired.

You cannot approve from a remote server (it doesn't know there's a follow request)
You cannot get back to follow requests without using the browser's back button (the back button goes to remote server's home)

I wonder if we'd be better off adding a big "Review remote profile" button in the Approve/Decline modal on the page?

[fluffy-critter]

I wonder if we'd be better off adding a big "Review remote profile" button in the Approve/Decline modal on the page?

What I was hoping for would just be to have the link on the approval list go to the remote instance, and I guess that could open in a new tab by default? And then I do the approval locally, of course. I don't see any reason for added UX when the link could just, y'know, go to the place you need to look at.

[brendanjones]

Given the problem is a lack of profile content, wouldn't this be better solved by #34? (...if that ever gets solved, of course 😬 )

[fluffy-critter]

How would that interact with the remote instance being silenced, which is the main reason for follow requests happening in the first place? (In my experience anyway)

[brendanjones]

I don’t have the knowledge to answer that, I’m afraid, @fluffy-critter. Was simply pointing out that the proposed solution is potentially not the optimal solution. But I’m also well aware of the unlikelihood of the optimal solution being solved soon, so …

[ThisIsMissEm]

This creates a safety problem of accidentally taking people to potentially untrusted domains; it'd be better to improve fetching of profiles so full information is available

[fluffy-critter]

What if the link makes it clear that it's going to the external site? I think people understand that links to other servers are on other servers.

[ChaelCodes]

Even if we make it clear that this is an external link, the user can't follow from the external server, and there's no in-app navigation to get back to a place they can follow from.

We could have the link open in a new tab on the website, but that leaves the SPA and app experience unsolved.

I made the PR but left it in Draft because it's a very unsatisfying experience as-is.

[fluffy-critter]

Yes, I'm aware that the follow approval needs to be completed locally, which is why I'd suggested that the link be opened in a new tab. The current flow for doing a follow approval from another server requires opening multiple tabs and burrowing down into non-obvious menus, and by just opening up one additional tab and then going back to your follow request list to click the checkbox is way better than the current flow.

It's not perfect but it's better than what exists now.