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I'm always a little bit amazed at peoples expectations of a "beta" product or service. I know that the term beta has been somewhat warped to try to mean someth

by brk 18y ago

I'm always a little bit amazed at peoples expectations of a "beta" product or service. I know that the term beta has been somewhat warped to try to mean something more like "not quite complete release seeking attention" lately, but people really shouldn't get that up in arms if a beta (from Twitter no less!) isn't the most stable thing...

teej 18y ago
Being in beta doesn't preclude good communication. Facebook takes a public speakers approach to beta features - they tell you what they're gonna change, change it, and then tell you what they changed. Things still break -all the time-, but they rapidly and openly communicate through blog posts, forum posts, bug tracker entries, and more. They set developer expectations and predictably respond to issues that come up.
- brk 18y ago
  I agree that ideally good communication is a big part of the beta. But I don't think Twitter has set much of a precedent for good communication, as ironic as that is. I just don't think that a beta service from Twitter being down with no status info is all that much of a story. The shock and outrage around this are a little surprising. If my website were my lifeblood right now you can be damn sure I wouldn't bank on a beta feature from Twitter being a cornerstone of my existaece.
jsdalton 18y ago
> I know that the term beta has been somewhat warped... "Somewhat warped"? Try "has warped completely." Gmail still has the word "beta" on its logo, what, five years later? These days, "beta" implies a service that should function dependably, a few kinks aside. "Alpha" is a much better choice to describe an API that is truly unstable or subject to drastic changes without notice. Your point is taken that it's a developer's problem if they chose to rely on a Twitter API, but I think it is absolutely appropriate for developers to be up in arms about the issue and for Twitter to be called out for it.

by brk 18y ago

teej 18y ago

Being in beta doesn't preclude good communication. Facebook takes a public speakers approach to beta features - they tell you what they're gonna change, change it, and then tell you what they changed. Things still break -all the time-, but they rapidly and openly communicate through blog posts, forum posts, bug tracker entries, and more. They set developer expectations and predictably respond to issues that come up.

brk 18y ago
I agree that ideally good communication is a big part of the beta. But I don't think Twitter has set much of a precedent for good communication, as ironic as that is. I just don't think that a beta service from Twitter being down with no status info is all that much of a story. The shock and outrage around this are a little surprising. If my website were my lifeblood right now you can be damn sure I wouldn't bank on a beta feature from Twitter being a cornerstone of my existaece.

jsdalton 18y ago

> I know that the term beta has been somewhat warped... "Somewhat warped"? Try "has warped completely." Gmail still has the word "beta" on its logo, what, five years later? These days, "beta" implies a service that should function dependably, a few kinks aside. "Alpha" is a much better choice to describe an API that is truly unstable or subject to drastic changes without notice. Your point is taken that it's a developer's problem if they chose to rely on a Twitter API, but I think it is absolutely appropriate for developers to be up in arms about the issue and for Twitter to be called out for it.