4 ms·

This is off topic, but it’s crazy to me that the current incarnation of Twitter still seems to be the communication platform of choice for a good portion of the

This is off topic, but it’s crazy to me that the current incarnation of Twitter still seems to be the communication platform of choice for a good portion of the tech community. Presumably Jared still considers it to be the best way to share this information despite the fact that the app is so user hostile. Even using nitter to bypass these restrictions, we’re still breaking a paragraph into separate posts, as if sharing text longer than a sentence on the intent is a something we need to handle in a piecemeal fashion. At a time when I can use ML algorithms to create beautiful images from a simple description, Twitter feels positively prehistoric. And yet the people investing in the bleeding edge continue using smoke signals to reach their audience. It’s remarkable.

pixl97 3y ago
Ok, then suggest some other platform that has the network effects of an existing large audience? Technology matters far less than network effects. Not saying it doesn't matter at all, but you have to overcome the audiences stickiness to a platform first.
- lbotos 3y ago
  One tweet link to a blog post on the YC blog? Yeah, sure, there will be some drop off bc people don't click out of the app, but most people not on twitter can't even read this content anymore without workarounds.
  - sahila 3y ago
    It's worse than that, Elon reduces the reach / promotion of tweets that contain external links. Except for users following you, it's difficult to reach a wider audience if you include a link.
    - pembrook 3y ago
      Twitter did that long before Elon. Most social platforms downrank external links and have for years. That’s why all media startups basically died over the past 6 years.
      - sahila 3y ago
        Maybe to an extent but Facebook still shows plenty of news links, I don't see any of them on Twitter.
jeffbee 3y ago
The YC leaders spend half of their time fawning over Elon Musk, so it makes sense that they are captive on his platform.
4death4 3y ago
People like to complain about X's (née Twitter) format, but isn't it possible that X is a good medium _because_ of the restrictions put on the format? Each paragraph needs to make a salient point in 280 characters or less. Personally, I like the direct prose that results from this restriction.
- richbell 3y ago
  I think they're referring to the aggressive rate-limiting that prevents people from reading tweets/threads without an account.
- Retric 3y ago
  No, I’ve seen paragraphs and even single sentences split across multiple posts. It’s literally just bad UI.
tomp 3y ago
> we’re still breaking a paragraph into separate posts Um,... just because OP does that, doesn't mean it's necessary. Here's an example of a long-form post, with embedded images: https://twitter.com/myles_cooks/status/1689022160780791812 https://twitter.com/myles_cooks/status/1689022160780791812
- gochi 3y ago
  Reminds me of those tedious recipe blogs that require so much scrolling, but even worse since there's no easy print on X.
  - tomp 3y ago
    The "tedious recipe blogs that require so much scrolling" usually first start with an emotional story about how the dish reminds the author of their childhood, which is included (presumably) to milk SEO and also annoy readers, followed by a recipe with maybe one photo. This is a recipe with short (but not one-liners) yet helpful instructions, including images of how the cooking process would work. Do you have an example of a better recipe post?
    - b112 3y ago
      There was some guy here a year ago, who made a simple, easily searchable recipe site, but I don't know the link. It was just recipes.
      - subarctic 3y ago
        if you find it let me know
        b112 3y ago
        https://recipe-search.typesense.org/ https://recipe-search.typesense.org/ It seems to pull from other sites, but just give the recipe. Don't click on the link, only the cooking instructions.
talkingtab 3y ago
Twitter is an anti-democratic platform. No one should be using it, period. Twitter acts as a megaphone for sensationalism, extremism and other click-bait ism's. If there is no alternative, just don't use it. As for bleeding edge people using it, if someone is still using this platform they lose all credibility with me. If (you are democrat ) read above post If (you are not democrat ) Twitter is great! If (you are female ) Twitter is sexist If (well you get the picture ) ...
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

pixl97 3y ago

Ok, then suggest some other platform that has the network effects of an existing large audience? Technology matters far less than network effects. Not saying it doesn't matter at all, but you have to overcome the audiences stickiness to a platform first.

lbotos 3y ago
One tweet link to a blog post on the YC blog? Yeah, sure, there will be some drop off bc people don't click out of the app, but most people not on twitter can't even read this content anymore without workarounds.
- sahila 3y ago
  It's worse than that, Elon reduces the reach / promotion of tweets that contain external links. Except for users following you, it's difficult to reach a wider audience if you include a link.
  - pembrook 3y ago
    Twitter did that long before Elon. Most social platforms downrank external links and have for years. That’s why all media startups basically died over the past 6 years.
    - sahila 3y ago
      Maybe to an extent but Facebook still shows plenty of news links, I don't see any of them on Twitter.

jeffbee 3y ago

The YC leaders spend half of their time fawning over Elon Musk, so it makes sense that they are captive on his platform.

4death4 3y ago

People like to complain about X's (née Twitter) format, but isn't it possible that X is a good medium _because_ of the restrictions put on the format? Each paragraph needs to make a salient point in 280 characters or less. Personally, I like the direct prose that results from this restriction.

richbell 3y ago
I think they're referring to the aggressive rate-limiting that prevents people from reading tweets/threads without an account.
Retric 3y ago
No, I’ve seen paragraphs and even single sentences split across multiple posts. It’s literally just bad UI.

tomp 3y ago

> we’re still breaking a paragraph into separate posts Um,... just because OP does that, doesn't mean it's necessary. Here's an example of a long-form post, with embedded images: https://twitter.com/myles_cooks/status/1689022160780791812 https://twitter.com/myles_cooks/status/1689022160780791812

gochi 3y ago
Reminds me of those tedious recipe blogs that require so much scrolling, but even worse since there's no easy print on X.
- tomp 3y ago
  The "tedious recipe blogs that require so much scrolling" usually first start with an emotional story about how the dish reminds the author of their childhood, which is included (presumably) to milk SEO and also annoy readers, followed by a recipe with maybe one photo. This is a recipe with short (but not one-liners) yet helpful instructions, including images of how the cooking process would work. Do you have an example of a better recipe post?
  - b112 3y ago
    There was some guy here a year ago, who made a simple, easily searchable recipe site, but I don't know the link. It was just recipes.
    - subarctic 3y ago
      if you find it let me know
      - b112 3y ago
        https://recipe-search.typesense.org/ https://recipe-search.typesense.org/ It seems to pull from other sites, but just give the recipe. Don't click on the link, only the cooking instructions.

talkingtab 3y ago

Twitter is an anti-democratic platform. No one should be using it, period. Twitter acts as a megaphone for sensationalism, extremism and other click-bait ism's. If there is no alternative, just don't use it. As for bleeding edge people using it, if someone is still using this platform they lose all credibility with me. If (you are democrat ) read above post If (you are not democrat ) Twitter is great! If (you are female ) Twitter is sexist If (well you get the picture ) ...

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]