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X confuses the masses by removing all details from links
21–30 of 84 posts
Re: X confuses the masses by removing all details from links
#22Earlier quoted context omitted.
Use of that phrase tends to either signal that the author thinks that their little bubble is larger than it really is or that they have some sort of paternalistic need to inform this not-me-but-most-everyone-else group of people (or be concerned on their behalf). Or both.
Or it's self-aware mockery from a website that deliberately riffs on breathless and overblown British tabloid journalism.
I think Brits will have to get used to outsiders not understanding their culture as much as they did in the past.
Re: X confuses the masses by removing all details from links
#23This is an unpopular opinion, but I think Hacker News would be a worse experience with link previews.
One of the best things about this site, ui-wise, is that it feels "focused". The focus is not on the links posted but on the text surrounding them, if you want to give a preview for what your link is talking about, you just explain it.
It also encourages less lazy discussion, because the title and pictures don't jump through the link into the current context.
It might not be a bad thing for X in the same way it works well here.
Re: X confuses the masses by removing all details from links
#24This is an unpopular opinion, but I think Hacker News would be a worse experience with link previews. One of the best things about this site, ui-wise, is that it feels "focused". The focus is not on the links posted but on the text surrounding them, if you want to give a preview for what your link is talking about, you just explain it. It also encourages less lazy discussion, because the title and pictures don't jump…
What makes you think your opinion is unpopular?
Re: X confuses the masses by removing all details from links
#25> "Our algorithm tries to optimize time spent on X, so links don't get as much attention, because there is less time spent if people click away," the billionaire said. ... at that point he might as well say "maximize" instead of "optimize"
I don’t understand this move at all. “There is less time spent if people click away”
So now people are forced to click every link if they want to see what it’s about? Can’t stay on Twitter and get the headline and lead-in?
I would think these link previews let people stay on twitter but what do I know. I’ve stopped using it a long time ago. The mastodon app I use has link previews so this won’t affect me much.
Re: X confuses the masses by removing all details from links
#26This is an unpopular opinion, but I think Hacker News would be a worse experience with link previews. One of the best things about this site, ui-wise, is that it feels "focused". The focus is not on the links posted but on the text surrounding them, if you want to give a preview for what your link is talking about, you just explain it. It also encourages less lazy discussion, because the title and pictures don't jump…
And yet, we are talking about X. Which currently shows a cover photo and nothing else about a link, so you have no idea what the link / article / page is about.
Many people share links with commentary and without clicking on an article you would have no idea other than a photo, about what the commentary is referring to.
Re: X confuses the masses by removing all details from links
#27What are the consequences for people using screen readers? Are the article details still accessible to those users or do they have go entirely by the tweet text?
It'll certainly make it far more important for people to use the ALT tag for descriptions.
People have already started protesting by making fake headlines for articles about Elon, so I have a feeling this "feature" won't last very long.
Re: X confuses the masses by removing all details from links
#28Control Panel for Twitter can already put them back [1] ^1 ^2
[1] https://github.com/insin/control-panel-for-twitter/releases/...
^1 while Twitter continues to put the headline in the aria-label on the link, given there's no accessibility team left to protect it
^2 unless you're using Firefox, as Firefox Add-ons now takes ~4 days to review new versions
Re: X confuses the masses by removing all details from links
#29While my exposure to Xitter is limited to Xits that others post and very occasionally reading an associated thread I think there's *some* merit here.
URLs can be bulky and making them short has it's merits. However, it also reduces the information--what they are seeing as "engagement" is often going to be people clicking it, seeing it's garbage and closing it. Thus I would favor a middle ground: Short visible URLs but the whole thing is displayed if you hover over it. I have no good answer for mobile.
Re: X confuses the masses by removing all details from links
#30This is an unpopular opinion, but I think Hacker News would be a worse experience with link previews. One of the best things about this site, ui-wise, is that it feels "focused". The focus is not on the links posted but on the text surrounding them, if you want to give a preview for what your link is talking about, you just explain it. It also encourages less lazy discussion, because the title and pictures don't jump…
What makes you think your opinion is unpopular?
Nobody wants to start off their comment with, "this is an utterly banal statement," not enough gravitas.