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App.net is a nice idea but won’t solve anything

zachinglis.com

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Re: App.net is a nice idea but won’t solve anything

#11
post #8

I feel like people who deny the business model of app.net are trying to refute the existence and success of HBO. You don't need to operate at the scale of Facebook, Twitter or cable networks to be successful, mainly because your criteria for success are very different with a pay-for, ad-free product. Moreover I don't need to be a victim of guns (sorry for referring to a lightning rod of an issue, but bare with me) to…

HBO's success doesn't depend on my friends also watching HBO.

Re: App.net is a nice idea but won’t solve anything

#13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Along a similar line, the first thing I thought when I heard about App.net is how everyone who can afford it will now be cut off from the people who can't. No more news about uprisings in Syria straight from the source, no Occupy news straight from the source, no news from basically anywhere but NYC, SF and random other towns around the US but basically no input from anyone who doesn't have extra expendable income. P…

At first I can see this. It would change if App.net gets crazy relevant. Maybe not as many direct from the source, but groups of dissident people could pool their resources to buy an account. That also doesn't include the idea of sponsored accounts. Where App.net or charities in rich countries buy an account for someone in a conflict zone.

Or, you know, rather than deal with the risk of getting caught through the money trail that creates, they could just use existing free services like they already do.

Re: App.net is a nice idea but won’t solve anything

#14
post #8

I feel like people who deny the business model of app.net are trying to refute the existence and success of HBO. You don't need to operate at the scale of Facebook, Twitter or cable networks to be successful, mainly because your criteria for success are very different with a pay-for, ad-free product. Moreover I don't need to be a victim of guns (sorry for referring to a lightning rod of an issue, but bare with me) to…

HBO's success doesn't depend on my friends also watching HBO.

But you are much more likely to pay for HBO if all your friends watch it and talk about the shows.

Re: App.net is a nice idea but won’t solve anything

#15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Along a similar line, the first thing I thought when I heard about App.net is how everyone who can afford it will now be cut off from the people who can't. No more news about uprisings in Syria straight from the source, no Occupy news straight from the source, no news from basically anywhere but NYC, SF and random other towns around the US but basically no input from anyone who doesn't have extra expendable income. P…

At first I can see this. It would change if App.net gets crazy relevant. Maybe not as many direct from the source, but groups of dissident people could pool their resources to buy an account. That also doesn't include the idea of sponsored accounts. Where App.net or charities in rich countries buy an account for someone in a conflict zone.

Why on earth would a group of people pool money to create an app.net account when they could post a tweet for free? Statements like that make me feel like we are super, super out of touch. We're not talking can't afford to eat at Benu 5 nights a week poor, we're talking can't afford their next meal poor. When its food to keep you alive or a part of an app.net account to broadcast whats going on to americans, the choice is going to be pretty easy.
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