5 ms·

It seems like it should be easy for that API to provide access to take action on tweets beyond the 3200 threshold, by passing it along to a rate-limited task qu

by beager 8y ago

It seems like it should be easy for that API to provide access to take action on tweets beyond the 3200 threshold, by passing it along to a rate-limited task queue. I imagine there’s an incentive to not provide hot access to old activity data due to infrastructure constraints, but if you just responded HTTP 202 and batched them all later, it’d be gentle enough on the colder shards.

Rjevski 8y ago
But this is Twitter we’re talking about. The API is a relic of their (much better) past and nobody gives a shit about it anymore. It’s a miracle it still works to be honest. I wouldn’t be surprised if this limitation was actually a feature part of their quest to piss off and alienate as many developers as possible.
- koboll 8y ago
  Honestly they were probably too developer-friendly in the past. What other social network gives such comprehensive access via API that you can literally replicate the entire app in a third-party service? I'm not sure why any startup would allow third parties to make an end-run around their entire product.
  - Rjevski 8y ago
    The real value of a social network is in the people using it - whether they use a third-party client doesn’t change anything in this regard. If anything, having third-parties making free/cheap clients for you is actually a bonus.
    - throwaway080383 8y ago
      It matters if the third-party client decides to show their own ads instead of yours.
      - Rjevski 8y ago
        Make API access paid. Most of your users would switch to the official clients and see your ads. The few who wouldn’t click on your ads anyway will keep using the third-party client. Everyone ends up happy as a result.
  - dublinben 8y ago
    Reddit. The most popular and best mobile apps are still made by 3rd parties using the API.
  - ClassyJacket 8y ago
    They changed their attitude significantly. The iPhone App Store had been out for nearly three years before they released an official app (via acquiring a third party one), as they just kept telling people to use one of the third party apps. They didn't want to do the work. https://techcrunch.com/2010/04/09/twitter-acquires-tweetie/ https://techcrunch.com/2010/04/09/twitter-acquires-tweetie/

by beager 8y ago

Rjevski 8y ago

But this is Twitter we’re talking about. The API is a relic of their (much better) past and nobody gives a shit about it anymore. It’s a miracle it still works to be honest. I wouldn’t be surprised if this limitation was actually a feature part of their quest to piss off and alienate as many developers as possible.

koboll 8y ago
Honestly they were probably too developer-friendly in the past. What other social network gives such comprehensive access via API that you can literally replicate the entire app in a third-party service? I'm not sure why any startup would allow third parties to make an end-run around their entire product.
- Rjevski 8y ago
  The real value of a social network is in the people using it - whether they use a third-party client doesn’t change anything in this regard. If anything, having third-parties making free/cheap clients for you is actually a bonus.
  - throwaway080383 8y ago
    It matters if the third-party client decides to show their own ads instead of yours.
    - Rjevski 8y ago
      Make API access paid. Most of your users would switch to the official clients and see your ads. The few who wouldn’t click on your ads anyway will keep using the third-party client. Everyone ends up happy as a result.
- dublinben 8y ago
  Reddit. The most popular and best mobile apps are still made by 3rd parties using the API.
- ClassyJacket 8y ago
  They changed their attitude significantly. The iPhone App Store had been out for nearly three years before they released an official app (via acquiring a third party one), as they just kept telling people to use one of the third party apps. They didn't want to do the work. https://techcrunch.com/2010/04/09/twitter-acquires-tweetie/ https://techcrunch.com/2010/04/09/twitter-acquires-tweetie/