HIGHLY DISTRIBUTED — PUBLISHER PILOT
Prepared October 4, 2026
https://highlydistributed.net/start

Run one walkthrough for WordPress and one for Ghost. Use a willing reader's
account on a different server. Only publish and reply from accounts you control
or have permission to use. This is a manual test sheet, not certification.

RECORD THE CONTEXT
Publication name:
Platform and version (include ActivityPub plugin version for WordPress):
Hosting provider / operator of ActivityPub:
Public website:
Exact publication handle and public profile URL:
Receiving account and server:
Device, browser, and social app:
Test date, time, and timezone:

FIRST: CAN A NEW VISITOR USE HIGHLY DISTRIBUTED?
[ ] Open Start here. Find the right guide without coaching.
[ ] Add or rename your publication in My publications.
[ ] Follow the guide for your hosting setup. Note any menu that differs.
[ ] Run the connection checker. Confirm the result refers to your profile.
[ ] Explain what the result proves and what it leaves untested.
[ ] Open the first-post workspace and enter the test details.
Confusing wording, missing information, or help needed:

FOLLOW, PUBLISH, REPLY
[ ] Search for the full publication handle from the receiving account.
[ ] Confirm the intended profile and establish a follow before publishing.
[ ] Publish a NEW public test post. Use a distinctive title, a short paragraph,
    one ordinary link, and optionally an image with useful alt text.
    For Ghost, choose web publication; send a newsletter only if intended.
[ ] Record the post URL and publication time.
[ ] Look for the post in the receiving account's feed. Record when you checked.
[ ] Inspect text, title, links, images, and alt text in the receiving app.
[ ] Reply from the receiving account. Find that reply at the publication.
[ ] Reply from the publication. Check the same thread from the reader's account.

WordPress: test the same blog or author identity throughout. Check the relevant
followers list and comment moderation queues. A pending ActivityPub follow does
not await manual approval.
Ghost: record where the social reply appears. Website member comments are a
separate feature. If Notes are part of your workflow, test a Note separately.

Post URL:
Publication time and timezone:
Follow accepted: worked / needs attention / not tested
Post arrival: worked / needs attention / not tested
Content: worked / needs attention / not tested
Reply to publication: worked / needs attention / not tested
Reply to reader: worked / needs attention / not tested
Check time and timezone:
Actual result and platform limitations:

IF SOMETHING FAILS
[ ] Mark the affected observation Needs attention in the workspace.
[ ] Choose Save test and troubleshoot this step.
[ ] Check that the support report contains the correct publication and evidence.
[ ] Record what you tried; download the report before leaving the page.
[ ] Use Prepare a retest. Review the saved record before starting.
[ ] Publish a new post when testing fresh delivery; update its URL and check time.
[ ] Compare the new observations with the original. Leave unchecked work untested.
[ ] Save the new test to history. Do not mark an unresolved step as complete.

No support report is submitted to Highly Distributed. For platform problems,
use the platform's official documentation or your hosting provider's own channel.
Do not include passwords, tokens, private messages, or subscriber data in notes.

CAN YOU KEEP AND REUSE THE RECORD?
[ ] Reload the page. Confirm the current draft and saved history remain.
[ ] Export a JSON backup from My publications.
[ ] In a separate browser, import the backup and review the imported copies.
[ ] Confirm publication names, notes, history, and observations match.
[ ] Build a follow link using the actual handle and profile URL.
[ ] Ask a reader to follow using only that invitation.

USABILITY SPOT CHECKS
[ ] Complete the main journey on an actual phone.
[ ] Navigate forms with a keyboard; confirm focus is visible.
[ ] Increase browser text/zoom to 200%; confirm controls remain usable.
[ ] Record load delays, unreadable text, failed downloads, or broken links.

OUTCOME
Can the publisher and reader complete the intended journey without coaching?
Any unresolved problem that blocks setup, delivery, replies, or data recovery?
Exact steps to reproduce a site problem, expected result, and actual result:

Keep results in your own records and agree privately how to share pilot findings.
Passing on one publication and receiving server does not prove universal delivery.