Craig Hockenberry

Space Karen induced stress continues, but I'd like to take a moment to thank all of you for the kind words of late. It really means a lot to know that we have the support of an awesome community.

The low point for me was when I updated this blog post from 2011 - I had a really good cry and have been getting better since.

https://furbo.org/2011/03/11/twitterrific-firsts/

Twitterrific firsts • furbo.org

Why are third parties important in the Twitter ecosystem? Let Twitterrific count the ways: First use of “tweet” to describe an update (see page 86 of Dom Sagolla’s book.) First use of a bird icon. First native client on Macintosh. First character counter as you type. First to support replies and conversations (in collaboration with […]

Furbo.org by Craig Hockenberry
Jan 27, 2023 at 12:07amElk
Show threadCraig HockenberryJan 27, 2023

I'm also glad so many of you enjoyed The Talk Show episode. As I remarked to a friend afterwards, it really helped me realize how a couple shitty weeks are completely overshadowed by 16 years of getting to do something I love and be a part of something that literally changed our world.

So thanks for the three hour therapy session, @gruber.

Show threadCraig HockenberryJan 27, 2023

It also feels like something at the end of the show bears repeating: @Gargron, and all the other folks who have been working tirelessly for the past seven years, saved our asses.

To all of you who had the foresight to build Mastodon, a sincere THANK YOU. We're in your debt.

Show threadCraig HockenberryJan 27, 2023

I'm also happy to report that mentions of Space Karen's name netted Black Girls Code a total of $1600. And thanks to @_Davidsmith for doing some Whisper magic to let a machine count that douchebag's name.

We need more diversity in this business. This is a great way to help:

https://wearebgc.org

Home - Black Girls CODE

Black girls all over the world are changing the face of technology. We are training thousands of girls to lead, innovate and create in science, tech, engineering and math.

Black Girls CODE
Show threadCraig HockenberryJan 27, 2023

Finally, we launched our new Mastodon instance a few days ago. We have a lot of new things to learn and this is a first step. Give @Iconfactory a follow if you'd like to stay apprised of what's going on in our little world.

And if you're wondering what the Iconfactory is like in the real world, this piece by Louie Mantia reminded me of what a special place we've made. And yeah, more tears.

https://lmnt.me/post/iconfactory.html

Thanks again for all the well wishes. Onward!

LMNT: The Iconfactory

Show threadDavid J. LoehrJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @Iconfactory Looking forward to what’s next.
Show threadHolly 🚀⚜️Jan 27, 2023

@chockenberry @Iconfactory I know it’s hard right now and emotions are high, but you got this! You did a great thing before, it was unfairly taken from you. Nothing you can do about that, but you *can* influence where and how you go from here. You can continue to do great things (and are)!

❤️

Show threadjphJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @Iconfactory happy to see you making a home here 😊
Show threadSteveJan 27, 2023

@chockenberry @Iconfactory how long did you spend debating which TLD to use? ;)

It’s interesting to see the new ones gain so much traction in the fediverse

Show threadCraig HockenberryJan 27, 2023
@scm @Iconfactory Maybe half a day? I just poked around NameCheap and gave everyone options. Key was to read it out loud: some sounded really dumb.
Show threadChristina WarrenJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @Iconfactory Louie’s post was fantastic! Cheers!
Show threadFederico Viticci Jan 27, 2023
@chockenberry Love to see more and more companies with their own instance and domain. This is the way to go.
Show threadMark G. Davis 💬Jan 27, 2023
@viticci @chockenberry this is the way.
Show threadJanJan 27, 2023
@viticci @chockenberry True, we already hosting Mastodon for 100+ companies as a managed service. 👍
Show threadCraig HockenberryJan 27, 2023
@viticci I’m planning on doing a blog series on how to do it well. Made a bunch of mistakes during install. Still learning, but yeah this feels right.
Show threadEvan K. StoneJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @viticci Looking forward to it! Thank you! 💯👍🏻😃
Show threadGeorge Hammerton Jan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @viticci That would be a really great help - yes please. 🙏
Show threadisaiahJan 27, 2023

@chockenberry @viticci the geek in me wants to try.

but is there some practical upside to running your own instance?

i’d really want to but i need something pragmatic to justifying the time and expense.

Show threadCraig HockenberryJan 27, 2023
@isaiah @viticci I honestly don't know. But I want to find out.
Show threadRui CarmoJan 28, 2023
@chockenberry @isaiah @viticci go and look at @takahe . It works well enough now to have a standalone identity and will be fully Mastodon compatible and allow for migration in the future, while being almost infinitely cheaper to run.
Show threadtredstoneJan 27, 2023
@viticci i wonder if apple will do one. That’d be a power move.
Show threadJeffJan 27, 2023
@viticci @chockenberry I’ve noticed folks like @donieosullivan and @acosta have posted here less since their twitter accounts are working again. I’d honestly hoped there’d at least be some kind of “CNN” instance, let alone one trusted amongst most journalists. Our band just made our own instance yesterday, it was easy! And hosted. Seems like larger Companies could do the same..
Show threadAntony JohnstonJan 27, 2023

@chockenberry Oh man, I just saw the Candybar icon in Louie's piece and experienced a sudden Proustian injection of nostalgia 😂

Looking forward to whatever's next for you guys.

Show threadCraig HockenberryJan 27, 2023

@antonyjohnston You can still run it - useful nostalgia 😄

https://blog.iconfactory.com/2022/04/candybar-sugar-free-edition/

CandyBar – Sugar Free Edition™ • The Breakroom

If you’ve been following our work for awhile, the name CandyBar may ring a bell. It’s an app we worked on with Panic and released in 2002. Twenty years ago! CandyBar did one thing and it did it well: every system icon on your Mac could be changed, including folders and disks, with the click […]

Iconfactory Blog
Show threadAlbert Kinng Jan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @Iconfactory Clown Town was my anxiety / stress reliever. My fidget digital toy. I used it a lot for calming down and think clearly. That “game” saved my life. Don’t ever under estimate an app. Some people see Angry Birds and think is a silly game, but other love how Angry Birds help their children with autism. We as designer have a gift for creation, but our creations have a life of its own.
Show threadOld accountJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @Gargron And that he didn’t quit after that short lived boost in 2018 when Twitter threatened to limit the amount users third party apps could have.
Show threadDon MeltonJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @Gargron This. 💯
Show threadJeremy BurgeJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry yup. I couldn’t make the move in the last without a critical mass of people coming at the same time, but it’s great having this here now there’s such a compelling reason to move
Show threadChristopher ParkerJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @Gargron Honorable mention to the folks who started Diaspora. Let’s hope they get on board with the ActivityPub bandwagon. 🙏🏻🤞🏻
Show threadDanielJan 28, 2023
@chockenberry True, true statement. Thank you, @Gargron
Show threadshyduroffJan 28, 2023
@chockenberry @Gargron … +++ …
Show threadJim ReaJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry i just finished listening to it, great episode!
Show threadTim BroderJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @gruber loved listening to it
Show threadBugfaceJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @gruber love your work, feel the feels, we are all here for you when you are ready. Thank you.
Show threadAdam Bell Jan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @gruber it was absolutely fantastic. Thanks for sharing so many trips down memory lane
Show threadmark dorisonJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry We appreciate you!
Show threadrardk64Jan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @gruber just finished it earlier, what a great episode.
Show threadtambourinemanJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @gruber it was a really great episode. One of the bests of The Talk Show.
Show threadFlatFootFox Moved to HachydermJan 27, 2023

@chockenberry @gruber It was a great episode!

Did we ever find out what made everyone briefly jump onto Mastodon in 2018 before rebounding back to Twitter?

Show threadChris FreeJan 27, 2023

@chockenberry @gruber this was my very favorite episode and that’s saying something.

More regular appearances, please.

Show threadMichael BirenbachJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @gruber I knew those things happened. The naming of things. The pull to refresh. I’ve heard the stories even worked at Apple. To hear it again…all at once. Wow. What an amazing time to be in cell phone processors for me. And you? You did amazing things and they can’t take that away from you. Thanks.
Show threadCesar CavazosJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @gruber thank you for such a great episode. I built many iOS apps between 2009 and 2017 because of joy and love to the platform, you reminded me how much I enjoy it and I have been firing up Xcode in the last week to get back to it. Good luck in your next thing!
Show threadunderfloJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @gruber Initially I was like 3 hours!?!? But I made it through it today. 3 hours of pumping mastodon 😂 I liked it.
Show threadMatt BroughtonJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @gruber I just finished the episode. I really enjoyed that last 30 minutes especially. It was a nice trip down memory lane.
Show threadkweJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry @gruber thanks for the episode. It also reminded me of just how much I missed early Twitter and that feeling of innovation in social communication
Show threadJose VazquezJan 28, 2023
@chockenberry Thank you for all those awesome years. I have been a Twitterific fan from the start. I still can’t (probably won’t) bring myself to removed from my home screen. I always held out hope that Rentzsch’s Twoosh feature would come back. For good while I would obsess to make all my tweets be perfect twooshes. Thanks again
Show threadVJmes 🐤Jan 27, 2023
@chockenberry Probably too early to ask this, but would you consider throwing your expertise behind building a Mastodon client?
Show threadCraig HockenberryJan 27, 2023
@vjmes We're going to update everyone about that tomorrow. As they say, "it's complicated".
Show threadAaronJan 27, 2023

@chockenberry I can’t thank you enough for the contributions you made to Twitter; it would have fallen into obscurity if not for people like you helping Twitter find itself.

I feel like people who aren’t massive corporate entities have this rare opportunity right now to claw back ownership of social media and a more open web, and I hope you get inspired to help craft the next awesome thing.

Show threadGeorge Hammerton Jan 27, 2023
@chockenberry An enormous number of achievements, all to be really proud of. 🙂
Show threadChris De JabetJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry BIG HUGG
Show threadFuturist Jim CarrollJan 27, 2023

@chockenberry 7 Stages of Grief.

You're moving through at speed. That is good.

Show threadTerra FieldJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry that really sucks :( glad you’re doing better
Show threadvktonikJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry some cliche about God not closing a door without opening a window... yadda yadda. So it goes. I had a boss once tell us (video game designers) that a certain type of people will always come and try to find ways to make money off of what we had created but because we create things we'd always be ok and able to create new things where they would never be able to do that.
Show threadAlexJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry You probably don’t know who I am, but I’ve been following you on Twitter since before the iPhone launched. I had decided to learn Objective-C (at a time when very few people did) and you were an invaluable source of inspiration. I was a very early user of Twitterific for Mac, and the way you and the other OG Mac developers worked set the tone for the last 15 years (almost) of my career. 👊🏻
Show threadCraig HockenberryJan 27, 2023
@alesplin Knowing that you helped someone is the best thing. Thank you.
Show threadAlexJan 27, 2023
@chockenberry And thank you. I’ve been in the Apple ecosystem for like 15 years (7 of them at Apple) because of the environment y’all created way back then.