The idea that App.net is proposing is a better Twitter: one that’s not built around advertising and is focused on making a better product for the users who pay for it.
Noble idea.
Most people who are throwing their $50 at the project are doing it in faith of the theory—something they want to exist and something they want to believe in.
I’m not chipping in my $50 to App.net. Though the theory that Caldwell proposes is interesting, I think it’s invalid so I’m not putting my money behind it. It’s great to see that it’s not vaporware, but what I don’t see yet is this product aligning with the value people get from Twitter.
The core value from Twitter isn’t that I can use whatever client I want, it’s that there are interesting conversations happening there between people I respect. Fifty bucks is too big of a hurdle for any network effect to happen. The value of allowing developers to control the API is irrelevant if there’s no good conversation happening.
Caldwell has it backwards. I believe deeply in charging for a product but his emphasis are on the wrong things. APIs over conversations and developers over friends.
Good for him for giving this a shot. Glad it’s happening and hope that, if this doesn’t work out, Caldwell will reassess his product strategy so it makes more sense to more people.