suNov 29, 2022
Taylor Lorenz
Notable that Marc Andreessen backed Elon’s Twitter takeover and is now also backing Post.news, Twitter’s main competitor outside Mastodon. Once again, you think you’re given a choice but the rich get richer either path you take!
#technology #tech #twitter #elon #musk #twittermigration
Nov 27, 2022 at 8:31amMastodon for iOS
Show threadMike ElyNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz stick with Mastodon, folks...
Show threadBrosephine WiresNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz the post.news thing has been sketchy from the start-- even thought many journalists I love are going there. When it feels that way, my policy is to wait. We'll see things more clearly in the coming months.
Show threadDeb E.Nov 27, 2022
@JoParkerBear Yeah, I didn't love the pyramid scheme feel to it (invite 5 friends & you'll get bumped up the queue)... & then it looks like a pay-to-be-seen + pay-to-read setup which is only really going to make 1 party wealthy...
Show threadDaniel SchildtNov 27, 2022
@debe @JoParkerBear Essentially professional journalists are doing free work for the VC investors on a content creation.
Show threadAndrea Star ReeseNov 28, 2022
@debe @JoParkerBear you prefer slamming into paywalls?
Show threadMatt CockrellNov 28, 2022
@andreastarreese @JoParkerBear @debe Not everyone thinks that cheaper is better. Some things are more important than saving a buck.
Show threadTBQNov 28, 2022
@debe @JoParkerBear there are also people saying they got their invites to join before the person who's referral link they used. As in the referrer is still waiting on their invitation, which means getting those sign-ups doesn't do what they promised.
Show threadpiccolboNov 27, 2022
@JoParkerBear @taylorlorenz I look for the business model for a minute. Without disclosure I assume it's the usual VC dumping scheme that ends in monopoly and abysmal service.
Show threadWiredfire Nov 27, 2022

@taylorlorenz for me I’m not interested in any of the platforms being pushed at the “next Twitter” given they all have an agenda. Even Project Mushroom which is basically a commercial Mastodon instance with its own objectives.

For now I’m happy here. As a technologist I’ll be checking out these various platforms but I’ll not “be” there, so to speak.

Show threadMBNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz I initially signed up for Post, not that I’ve been let in, but at this point I really prefer it here. The more I hear the worse it sounds.
Show threadMysticNov 27, 2022
@MB @taylorlorenz same! I was waiting to sign up and figured why not just sign up for mastodon too but now that I’ve been on here I love it . Don’t think I’ll be signing up for anything else tbh
Show threadMBNov 27, 2022
@mystic4 So far people have all been nice here. Plus there’s not a velvet rope to wait behind to sign up.
Show threadNikLindseyNov 27, 2022
@MB @mystic4 I’ve really been enjoying it here too! It’s relaxing and full of kindness, which I’ve really liked.
Show threadMBNov 27, 2022
@NikLindsey @mystic4 I still go on the bird site, but I agree this is very relaxing.
Show threadNikLindseyNov 27, 2022
@MB @mystic4 Me too, but I find myself coming here more and more. The positivity is a drug, lol
Show threadMBNov 27, 2022
@NikLindsey @mystic4 Yes, it is!
Show threadMysticNov 27, 2022
@MB @NikLindsey I do too but usually doesn’t last long lol also have been thinking about just deleting it. But I’ll hold off. I still like to keep up in the political world and I think that’s the only purpose I have for it now. I can manage to moderate my own TL and what I see rn but we’ll see what happens.
Show threadMBNov 27, 2022
@mystic4 @NikLindsey That’s why I go on. There’s still more news there. Plus I have a pet account that’s not affected by trolling.
Show threadAlanNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz is #post.news even a functioning site? The homepage is just an intro post and a “join the waiting list” button. Looks like someone’s ambition to start a site rather than an actual site.
Show threadCeleryRudeNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz @titchyAlan it’s functioning and getting better. still in beta mode and people are trickling in
Show threadangeNov 27, 2022
@titchyAlan @taylorlorenz post.news is up and running and the appearance is quite good. But the search bar is for searching for accounts only. If someone posts a hashtag, you can click on it and then get posts with the same, ie #Blackpost. There’s an active effort to make sure there are plenty of Black voices on post.
Show threadangeNov 27, 2022
@titchyAlan @taylorlorenz Aplogies, the question was not directed at me, but I’m just trying to play with Mastodon. That was my first post here. Trying to post a photo here of what Post looks like but the photo is not uploading
Show threadangeNov 27, 2022

@titchyAlan @taylorlorenz

Testing a post link. https://post.news/article/2I8FqQiKB8d98AaVnIpIwtU6nBI

Post Article / Post.

Show threadsquirlNov 27, 2022
@angephalange I like the aims, they should integrate into the fediverse though! It would make sense to still have one primary instance so micropayments and stuff would still be workable, but then articles could easily be shared to Mastodon natively through the fediverse.
Show threadangeDec 11, 2022
@squid may I copy and paste your response onto that post article?
Show threadsquirlDec 16, 2022
@angephalange Sorry for the late reply, absolutely!
Show threadangeDec 16, 2022
@squid no worries. i forgot about it... no worries
Show threadAlanNov 27, 2022
@angephalange @taylorlorenz interesting to see, thanks for sharing that
Show threadBuzz AndersenNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz Post News just smells off to me. From the fact that all of its early promoters appear to come from a small group of media Twitter users to the fact that they ask for your LinkedIn profile on their waitlist form.
Show threadmarktaylorNov 27, 2022
@buzz @taylorlorenz Before we judge we should try. There’s $44 billion at stake at the other place if Post succeeds. I’m sure there are many who want to influence against new alternatives. Change is a wonderful thing. It drives innovation, mindfulness and forces one to think about alternatives. Or we can forget about social media altogether and just read more books. lol
Show threadBuzz AndersenNov 27, 2022
@marktaylor @taylorlorenz Yeah, well, I guess we’ll see if they ever let me in.
Show threadAimee GieseNov 27, 2022
@buzz @taylorlorenz that’s the part I don’t like - are they checking credentials?
Show threadShawn WNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz is there a citation for Post being "Twitter's main competitor outside mastodon"? Not doubting per se, just curious how that was determined
Show threadAlanNov 27, 2022
@shawn_dubs @taylorlorenz I’m also curious. I’d never heard of it until 2 days ago, so statements like that smell to me like they should be prefaced with “self-proclaimed”
Show threadScot CloseNov 27, 2022
@shawn_dubs @taylorlorenz I don't know how representative this is, but in Jelani Cobb's editorial about why he left Twitter, he specifically mentions Mastodon and Post. I've also read that a significant number of people are going to Hive.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/why-i-quit-elon-musks-twitter
Why I Quit Elon Musk’s Twitter

Jelani Cobb writes about his recent decision to quit Elon Musk’s Twitter, a social-media platform that once represented the new frontier of digital democracy.

The New Yorker
Show threadphytolipideNov 27, 2022
@shawn_dubs @taylorlorenz I think you're right to be skeptical.
Show threadennyNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz I was initially concerned mastodon wouldn’t be viable because signup is too complicated for the average user, but Tumblr showing interest in ActivityPub might be a game changer in helping make the migration easier for some 🙏🏻
Show threadpiccolboNov 27, 2022
@enny43 @taylorlorenz Remember Tumblr was sold for a song to automattic. Don't think it's the Tumblr of the glory days $1B valuation.
Show threadennyNov 27, 2022
@piccolbo @taylorlorenz oh it’s not, but it’s still very much active with tens of millions of active monthly users.. far more than mastodon currently. ntm brand familiarity and ease of signup
Show threadDanielNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz yeah… I signed up and it’s pretty rough right now. Had to allow extra domains on my ad blocker to have the website function correctly. We will see how it goes but currently I prefer Mastodon.
Show threadFrancois HeinderyckxNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz
Just about every reason one may have to leave Twitter is also a reason to stay away from Post. Moving from one to the other makes about as much sense as switching from Diet Coke to Coke Zero because you resent artificial sweeteners.
Show threadtenoNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz not if you avoid both and build on Mastodon and the Fediverse
Show threadvirkonNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz Interesting. Looks like this Noam Bardy guy has the ear and eyes of the techno bro community. I happen to listen to the Kara Swicher Pivot podcast every once in a while, looks like she is advising and the other one has put money as well.
Show threadCurrentBias & the Open Source EschatonNov 27, 2022

@taylorlorenz took note of (ii) in the terms:

"By providing Content to the Services, User grants Post a non-exclusive, worldwide, assignable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, fully paid license to: (i) publish and make the Content publicly available including in connection with the Services and/or with other social media platforms at your choice, and (ii) use, modify, and make derivatives works of the Content in any way including to develop and enhance the Services."

In *any* way, huh?

Show threadKevinNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz with only 59K users and 300K+ waiting, it's more hype than an actual product.
https://post.news/article/2I79saYeDYNUjLvaHzoJpPFcrPP
Post Article / Post.

Show threadiris ✿ sandwalkerNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz of course they had to come up with some commercial spin-off (namely 'exGoogle employee') as the sheer idea of a free ownerless federated system sends shivers down their banker spines 😬
Show threadE Warren FanNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz not Mastodon though
Show threadRiley S. FaelanNov 27, 2022

@taylorlorenz: There's an ADHD proverb that I repeat time and again: It's bad luck to try to solve a problem in only one way at a time.

The cuprocurrency zillionaire version of it goes It's bad investment strategy to try to get richer by only one investment at a time.

Show threadMonsieur Valentine 🇺🇦Nov 27, 2022

@taylorlorenz That's why open-source social media and open protocols matter.

Also, I think it's wrong to label Masto as the competitor. Fediverse has no competition.

Show threadCincyBlogNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz
Lobbying for or against something isn’t why I am on Mastodon.
Show threadAuthorTOBurnettNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz George Orwell’s 1984 was frighteningly accurate.
Show threadkostadisNov 27, 2022

@taylorlorenz it’s a little bit more aweful when you check out what Elon’s plans are for twitter (post.news without the moderation).

Honestly, post.news/twitter are really just trying to replicate google reader.

Show threadilexNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz I just joined Post! dammit
Show threadFaizan QaziNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz Eventually the monetization strategy will probably lead to the same fate as Twitter. Banking on ads, people buying articles (clearly this isn't working for existing media) and micro tipping all seem questionable in terms of sustainability. Especially if the intersection is more news focused you have to wonder about the effectiveness.
Show threadSCYNov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz we’ll see what happens if they develop an iOS app
Show threadedgeoforever 🍎Nov 27, 2022
@taylorlorenz It’s the $ signs following me around as I scroll. 🥺