Why the Instagram founders really quit • Hacker News Board

Re: Why the Instagram founders really quit

#21

Post by linuxftw » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 2:01 PM UTC

Perhaps the founders were really just dead weight and were forced out because they contributed no value to the product.

What's so unique about instagram? Only thing I can think of is that it's popular. It doesn't seem to be novel from a technology standpoint. There doesn't seem to be any secret sauce for making it generate cash. What would you say, the founders did successfully after the acquisition? Given unlimited power, what could they have done?

I think the answer is not much. The founders did a good job at getting some capital and making a popular product. Mission accomplished. Time for them to move on.

Re: Why the Instagram founders really quit

#22

Post by pjc50 » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 2:04 PM UTC

chmod775 wrote: post #2

So they crippled a better performing product to protect a lesser product - or rather to protect some egos. I refuse to believe they are that stupid.

Companies do this all the time, and single-product companies are especially vulnerable if the one product is the founder's pet product.

Re: Why the Instagram founders really quit

#23

Post by ineedasername » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 2:06 PM UTC

This article was based on another one written by Wired. [0] That much longer article is well worth the read for a more in-depth look at the politics and challenges that Facebook has gone through recently.

[0] https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-15-mont...

Re: Why the Instagram founders really quit

#24

Post by strict9 » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 2:07 PM UTC

linuxftw wrote: post #21

Perhaps the founders were really just dead weight and were forced out because they contributed no value to the product. What's so unique about instagram? Only thing I can think of is that it's popular. It doesn't seem to be novel from a technology standpoint. There doesn't seem to be any secret sauce for making it generate cash. What would you say, the founders did successfully after the acquisition? Given unlimited…

It's popular because it's not an enormous junk drawer of features that tries to be everything to everyone.

Their success was in keeping a design that was brainlessly simple and easy to use/understand.

Re: Why the Instagram founders really quit

#25

Post by gibspaulding » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 2:08 PM UTC

o10449366 wrote: post #8

javagram wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Facebook app probably has better ad revenue potential? I just opened up instagram and scrolled through for a bit and I didn’t see a single ad. Seems very different from the Facebook experience.

There's a small subset of people on Instagram that have "ad free" accounts. I have two Instagram accounts, a larger and older one, and a newer and smaller one. The larger one has never gotten ads despite following several hundred people. The smaller one has ads even with zero followers and an empty feed.

Mine was completely add free for the first few years that I had it, then suddenly changed one day. Since then I've mostly stopped using it and only scroll through it via their web interface where UBO makes it tolerable.

Re: Why the Instagram founders really quit

#26

Post by blunte » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 2:08 PM UTC

I predict that Zuckerburg, when he's old and seeking new prestige, will abandon his (dirty) capitalistic activities and take on the philanthropist persona that many other tech giants (who we often forget the dirty methods they used to reach their heights) have.

The EU, with its often absurd laws (re: link tax, cookie rules) may be the only threat to the juggernaut that Facebook is (and by extension, the power that a cutthroat nerd holds over others).

As for TFA, by now we should not be surprised. This is what happens when you sell your company to Facebook. You hopefully get a nice cash-out, which maybe you can use to do more and better things, but you certainly give over your dear creation for ultimately dark purposes.

Re: Why the Instagram founders really quit

#27

Post by strict9 » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 2:13 PM UTC

Instagram remains enormously popular because it's not exclusively 1:1 mutual relationships, has a minimal interface/feature set, and most importantly isn't easily susceptible to outrage and anger gawking like twitter/FB are.

They can keep adding hamburgers and FB thirst traps but as long as they don't mess with central idea (big photos only with captions) they won't cede share any time soon.

Re: Why the Instagram founders really quit

#28

Post by morley » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 2:14 PM UTC

ineedasername wrote: post #23

This article was based on another one written by Wired. [0] That much longer article is well worth the read for a more in-depth look at the politics and challenges that Facebook has gone through recently. [0] https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-15-mont...

The linked Verge article has some strange editorialization in it. I find it confusing, because I'm not sure what they're getting at.

> Systrom then immediately peaced out for a few months of paternity leave.

> With Systrom on leave, Facebook began testing location tracking and a disgusting hamburger button inside Instagram, offending Systrom’s delicate sensibilities.

Is the author saying that Systrom was being to sensitive about Facebook's demands? Or are they making fun of Facebook here? It seems like the author tried to inject some attitude into the piece without nailing down their point of view.

Re: Why the Instagram founders really quit

#29

Post by max_wen » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 2:17 PM UTC

bastawhiz wrote: post #5

javagram wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Facebook app probably has better ad revenue potential? I just opened up instagram and scrolled through for a bit and I didn’t see a single ad. Seems very different from the Facebook experience.

I don't know which Instagram you're using, but every two or three posts for me is an ad. The "second person's story" when watching stories is an ad. Instagram has, by far, more ads than any other app that I use.

me too ever since about Nov/Dec? is when I noticed the increase in "sponsored content". and the result has been me spending less time looking at IG

Re: Why the Instagram founders really quit

#30

Post by ineedasername » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 2:21 PM UTC

morley wrote: post #28

ineedasername wrote: post #23

This article was based on another one written by Wired. [0] That much longer article is well worth the read for a more in-depth look at the politics and challenges that Facebook has gone through recently. [0] https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-15-mont...

The linked Verge article has some strange editorialization in it. I find it confusing, because I'm not sure what they're getting at. > Systrom then immediately peaced out for a few months of paternity leave. > With Systrom on leave, Facebook began testing location tracking and a disgusting hamburger button inside Instagram, offending Systrom’s delicate sensibilities. Is the author saying that Systrom was being to sen…

I barely glanced through the Verge piece once I saw they were basing it off a Wire piece they admitted had a lot more depth to it. When another news outlet regurgitates an article in this way I at least want it to be in service or more analysis and interpretation of that original piece, which wasn't really happening here.