8 ms·

This. I don't think App.net would have worked a year ago, maybe even not six months ago. But now, with Twitter actively attacking their developers, I imagine

This. I don't think App.net would have worked a year ago, maybe even not six months ago. But now, with Twitter actively attacking their developers, I imagine we'll be seeing a ton of ports from Twitter to App.net. Twitter definitely considered the risk of cutting off their development community, but I don't think they intended to hand those developers off to a competing platform. Good timing from App.net.

kmfrk 14y ago
The App.net reward program probably motivated them as well: http://blog.app.net/blog/2012/09/27/announcing-the-app-net-developer-incentive-program/ http://blog.app.net/blog/2012/09/27/announcing-the-app-net-d.... I think the App.net guys made an astute observation that the biggest hurdle to attracting developers was doing away with the perception as the platform as a gamble for developers. It doesn't hurt that the Tapbots guys used the Tweetbot apps to piggyback on, of course.
- perishabledave 14y ago
  The reward program was announced a week before Netbot was released (that is, today). Doesn't seem like the reward program was around when they decided to port over Tweetbot.
- msbarnett 14y ago
  Unlikely (read: impossible). Even if they could have ported it in the 6 days since that announcement, there's no way they rammed a new app through App Store approval that fast. They'd probably already have had to have submitted it before the announcement given current wait times.
  - kmfrk 14y ago
    That's a good point. I didn't even consider the approval process in the App Store.
whalesalad 14y ago
App.net will get lots of hackers and people in our community, but in terms of reaching critical mass ... I don't think it will work. People join twitter now out of societal pressure. "What is this thing? What is this ad on the subway that says I should follow them on twitter? Who's this athlete that is now Kobe Bryant with a strange @username at the end of his name?" Developers, techy individuals, and people who consume twitter at a high level are more inclined to pay for it. People who casually use it to help trend the latest hashtag about #whatmenreallywantfromawoman could care less. They're not going to pay a yearly fee for this, especially when the line between this and twitter is very blurry. p.s. I am an app.net user and own a copy of netbot.
- diego 14y ago
  That's like saying that John Deere won't be a successful company because most people won't buy tractors.
  - untog 14y ago
    Sort of. The perception is that app.net is going up against Twitter. In your comparison, that's like saying that John Deere can outsell Ford. However, the more realistic view is that app.net will remain a niche service, but one that suits techies very well. So, yes, John Deere will corner the market in tractors, but never branch out to cars.
    - nitinthewiz 14y ago
      Your perception and inference are both wrong. App.net isn't just going up against twitter, but rather the entire social networking paradigm where I have multiple signups and not enough use. If we use app.net to login to most major services and post, like I have to do with twitter, facebook and linkedin right now, I get away with a single login. What'll drive adoption? The developer incentive program. This also answers your John Deere example... There will be a lot of offsprings from App.net. In a rudimentary tone - a fb-clone, an instagram clone, comments systems (bit.ly/qbdebut)etc...

kmfrk 14y ago

The App.net reward program probably motivated them as well: http://blog.app.net/blog/2012/09/27/announcing-the-app-net-developer-incentive-program/ http://blog.app.net/blog/2012/09/27/announcing-the-app-net-d.... I think the App.net guys made an astute observation that the biggest hurdle to attracting developers was doing away with the perception as the platform as a gamble for developers. It doesn't hurt that the Tapbots guys used the Tweetbot apps to piggyback on, of course.

perishabledave 14y ago
The reward program was announced a week before Netbot was released (that is, today). Doesn't seem like the reward program was around when they decided to port over Tweetbot.
msbarnett 14y ago
Unlikely (read: impossible). Even if they could have ported it in the 6 days since that announcement, there's no way they rammed a new app through App Store approval that fast. They'd probably already have had to have submitted it before the announcement given current wait times.
- kmfrk 14y ago
  That's a good point. I didn't even consider the approval process in the App Store.

whalesalad 14y ago

App.net will get lots of hackers and people in our community, but in terms of reaching critical mass ... I don't think it will work. People join twitter now out of societal pressure. "What is this thing? What is this ad on the subway that says I should follow them on twitter? Who's this athlete that is now Kobe Bryant with a strange @username at the end of his name?" Developers, techy individuals, and people who consume twitter at a high level are more inclined to pay for it. People who casually use it to help trend the latest hashtag about #whatmenreallywantfromawoman could care less. They're not going to pay a yearly fee for this, especially when the line between this and twitter is very blurry. p.s. I am an app.net user and own a copy of netbot.

diego 14y ago
That's like saying that John Deere won't be a successful company because most people won't buy tractors.
- untog 14y ago
  Sort of. The perception is that app.net is going up against Twitter. In your comparison, that's like saying that John Deere can outsell Ford. However, the more realistic view is that app.net will remain a niche service, but one that suits techies very well. So, yes, John Deere will corner the market in tractors, but never branch out to cars.
  - nitinthewiz 14y ago
    Your perception and inference are both wrong. App.net isn't just going up against twitter, but rather the entire social networking paradigm where I have multiple signups and not enough use. If we use app.net to login to most major services and post, like I have to do with twitter, facebook and linkedin right now, I get away with a single login. What'll drive adoption? The developer incentive program. This also answers your John Deere example... There will be a lot of offsprings from App.net. In a rudimentary tone - a fb-clone, an instagram clone, comments systems (bit.ly/qbdebut)etc...