4 ms·
Using long threads is an abuse of Twitter format. While people do that? Well, because some of them have a large enough audience there. So, better to use a subop
by stared 2y ago
Using long threads is an abuse of Twitter format. While people do that? Well, because some of them have a large enough audience there. So, better to use a suboptimal solution than not being read.
Yet, I think it is both bad for reading (even in the Thread wrapper), for public access (Twitter changed to X, and who knows what will be available only after logging in or disappear forever), and generally for preserving quality content.
So I really, really recommend self-archiving and having a working copy (I admit, I am biased here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43137616 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43137616).
With current LLMs, asking it to edit it for a blog post is easy. I mean, it's not even rewriting, just a minimal edit, so it works as a separate blog post. You can link both ways to get the best of both worlds.
Again, posting is easy. If you like tinkering, there are many great static site generators. If not, Substack looks like the way to go as of 2025.
Also, I often hesitated to post otherwise outstanding content here on the HN, as it was a chaotic mess. Should I post to the core tweet (which is unclear without the context) or to the root one (which does not yet indicate that the content is worth reading)?
- wodenokoto 2y agoI too think that the idealized solution is to post the first tidbit to twitter followed with a link to the rest. The problem is most of the web is trash. And a link might be stupidly slow to open, and then require the user to click away cookie banners, sign up forms and ads before getting to the content. This is a problem on HN as well and imho why so many comments without reading the article. There’s a few more mechanics specific to twitter threads. The format pushes the author to end every paragraph with a hook for engaging the reader to read the next. And the format also baits the reader to continue because “it’s just one more tweet” As to what to post to HN, write a short blog post about the exchange. Summarizes the context, link and quote the core, sprinkle a bit of opinion and save everyone on HN a click to twitter
- timeon 2y ago> The problem is most of the web is trash. And a link might be stupidly slow to open, and then require the user to click away cookie banners, sign up forms and ads before getting to the content. Same goes for Twitter link. If you are not logged-in (like most people are not). You meet nag-ware just after it loads - if it loads at all.
- pjc50 2y agoAlso Twitter specifically penalizes outside link posts, so if you do this you have to put the link in the second comment in the thread.
- johnnyanmac 2y ago>The problem is most of the web is trash no no no. The web is great, and despite my numerous complaints, the base web framework of HTML/CSS/JS is more than fast enough for web. Corporate chose to make it trash because they care nothing for optimization nor decent-mindedness. Even on template blogs you may have defaults jammed with trackers, ads, invasive cookies, and just plain bad code. As well as locking content behind account servers. Those are all man-made problems. That may be another reason why many hackers want a metaphorical "return to form" of web 1.0, before all this junk ruined the free web. Some of those marketing tools can still be put in, but they absolutely cannot bloat the load times by 10,000x+. If you gonna make hooks, make them as subtle as possible.
- Yizahi 2y ago> who knows what will be available only after logging Nothing from Xitter is visible to not registered people, only the top post. Media from the top post is only visible in previews. Lately I don't even bother using xcancel to read linked threads, I just consider xitter a black information hole and never interact with the site, regardless of the supposed quality of the post or the author.
- immibis 2y agoAnd if you're logged in and not paying, you're still only allowed to read a few pages before it tells you to pay or come back tomorrow.
- zahlman 2y agoI don't think people use suboptimal tools provided by social media simply because they "have a large enough audience there". I think they start doing it mainly because it's their best shot to get a large audience anywhere. The kind of archival you describe is tedious for anyone not skilled enough to set up an appropriate automation, and getting audiences to move en masse is also hard.
- johnnyanmac 2y agoBut established people will still do those 20-tweet "articles" instead of linking to a proper blog post. It cuts both ways. You get a large audience easiest on popular platforms, and you keep them by posting on popular platform.
- zahlman 2y agoI was trying to get at that with "getting audiences to move en masse is also hard", but thanks for making it explicit.