Comments on: Twitter’s “small settings update” is a big mistake http://jaredwsmith.com/2009/05/12/twitters-small-settings-update-is-a-big-mistake/ Web developer and weather nut based in Charleston, SC. Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:24:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Jared Smithhttp://jaredwsmith.com/2009/05/12/twitters-small-settings-update-is-a-big-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-19965 Jared Smith Wed, 13 May 2009 13:27:29 +0000 http://jaredwsmith.com/?p=1887#comment-19965 Michael, note that your retweets aren't affected -- just public replies directed to a user.Vinnie, imagine following 1100+ and keeping all @replies on. ;) I do realize this is a feature that not a lot of people were using. I'm just always in favor of erring on the side of the user rather than making a centralized change. Maybe Twitter knows something I don't -- perhaps their support was being bombarded with questions about the setting? Tough to say. I wish, if that were the case, that they had explained that as part of the reasoning behind the change. It wasn't well explained and I think that's what's lent fuel to the upset reaction. Michael, note that your retweets aren’t affected — just public replies directed to a user.

Vinnie, imagine following 1100+ and keeping all @replies on. ;) I do realize this is a feature that not a lot of people were using. I’m just always in favor of erring on the side of the user rather than making a centralized change. Maybe Twitter knows something I don’t — perhaps their support was being bombarded with questions about the setting? Tough to say. I wish, if that were the case, that they had explained that as part of the reasoning behind the change. It wasn’t well explained and I think that’s what’s lent fuel to the upset reaction.

]]> By: Michael Yochumhttp://jaredwsmith.com/2009/05/12/twitters-small-settings-update-is-a-big-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-19964 Michael Yochum Wed, 13 May 2009 12:50:09 +0000 http://jaredwsmith.com/?p=1887#comment-19964 One of the primary reasons that Twitter appeals to me is that I van gong out about what is going on the San Francisco art scene and share that information with my followers. Frequently this happens when I read a RT from someone that I follow of a tweet of someone that I do not follow. Also I RT art news & my followers all see it, even if they are not following the person that I RT. Disabling this makes Twitter completely diminishes the service. Another example: I follow food & wine Twitters. Frequently they RT a new restaurant in SF which may be an original tweet by someone that I do not currently follow. Now I do not get that information. This is truly an example of throwing out the baby with the bath water. One of the primary reasons that Twitter appeals to me is that I van gong out about what is going on the San Francisco art scene and share that information with my followers. Frequently this happens when I read a RT from someone that I follow of a tweet of someone that I do not follow. Also I RT art news & my followers all see it, even if they are not following the person that I RT. Disabling this makes Twitter completely diminishes the service. Another example: I follow food & wine Twitters. Frequently they RT a new restaurant in SF which may be an original tweet by someone that I do not currently follow. Now I do not get that information. This is truly an example of throwing out the baby with the bath water.

]]> By: vinniehttp://jaredwsmith.com/2009/05/12/twitters-small-settings-update-is-a-big-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-19962 vinnie Wed, 13 May 2009 11:44:35 +0000 http://jaredwsmith.com/?p=1887#comment-19962 While it sucks for those who did have all @replies turned on, you need to realize that this is like 2% of all twitter users. While 2% of millions is still thousands of people, it's not that significant in the grand scheme of things.I've had all @replies turned on before and switched it back a few months ago. The extra conversations were fun sometimes but because of it I had to keep the number of people I followed down. Since I went back to the default settings I can follow and keep up better with 350-400 people than I ever did with 200-250 people and all their replies to everyone. And I still find good people to follow even on the default setting.I guess I feel the benefit of a wider variety of people and content is better than the drawbacks of not seeing every single thing your friends may say. I don't listen to all of my friends' conversations in real life and I don't think it's necessary to on twitter either. While it sucks for those who did have all @replies turned on, you need to realize that this is like 2% of all twitter users. While 2% of millions is still thousands of people, it’s not that significant in the grand scheme of things.

I’ve had all @replies turned on before and switched it back a few months ago. The extra conversations were fun sometimes but because of it I had to keep the number of people I followed down. Since I went back to the default settings I can follow and keep up better with 350-400 people than I ever did with 200-250 people and all their replies to everyone. And I still find good people to follow even on the default setting.

I guess I feel the benefit of a wider variety of people and content is better than the drawbacks of not seeing every single thing your friends may say. I don’t listen to all of my friends’ conversations in real life and I don’t think it’s necessary to on twitter either.

]]> By: Twitter Kills the Party | Ocell.bloghttp://jaredwsmith.com/2009/05/12/twitters-small-settings-update-is-a-big-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-19961 Twitter Kills the Party | Ocell.blog Wed, 13 May 2009 05:19:45 +0000 http://jaredwsmith.com/?p=1887#comment-19961 [...] couple other blogs have illustrated the issue much better than I have… be sure to read Jared Smith’s post and Read Write Web’s post about the [...] [...] couple other blogs have illustrated the issue much better than I have… be sure to read Jared Smith’s post and Read Write Web’s post about the [...]

]]> By: Patrickhttp://jaredwsmith.com/2009/05/12/twitters-small-settings-update-is-a-big-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-19960 Patrick Wed, 13 May 2009 04:34:10 +0000 http://jaredwsmith.com/?p=1887#comment-19960 I agree, I'm not a fan of this change, really. I agree, I’m not a fan of this change, really.

]]> By: Jared Smithhttp://jaredwsmith.com/2009/05/12/twitters-small-settings-update-is-a-big-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-19958 Jared Smith Wed, 13 May 2009 03:52:02 +0000 http://jaredwsmith.com/?p=1887#comment-19958 I'll agree that the setting was a bit tough to explain, Jonathan -- heck, I had to reword my post a couple times after publishing because what I said didn't make sense. :) However, no harm in simply moving some of those power-user features to an Advanced tab. I’ll agree that the setting was a bit tough to explain, Jonathan — heck, I had to reword my post a couple times after publishing because what I said didn’t make sense. :) However, no harm in simply moving some of those power-user features to an Advanced tab.

]]> By: Stuhttp://jaredwsmith.com/2009/05/12/twitters-small-settings-update-is-a-big-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-19957 Stu Wed, 13 May 2009 03:50:24 +0000 http://jaredwsmith.com/?p=1887#comment-19957 I agree. It is a great way to find new people to follow. I've found mutual friends of those that I follow, that I didn't know were using Twitter, and added them to my follow list.Hey Twitter... Put it back the way it was. I agree. It is a great way to find new people to follow. I’ve found mutual friends of those that I follow, that I didn’t know were using Twitter, and added them to my follow list.

Hey Twitter… Put it back the way it was.

]]> By: Jonathan Coffmanhttp://jaredwsmith.com/2009/05/12/twitters-small-settings-update-is-a-big-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-19956 Jonathan Coffman Wed, 13 May 2009 03:41:54 +0000 http://jaredwsmith.com/?p=1887#comment-19956 I agree, it seems counter-intuitive to take an option out of the product when the default was already Twitter's 'preferred' method or setting. They've stripped out a very powerful tool for finding new people, something that it likely especially important what with Neilson's data that nearly half of new Twitter users abandon the site in the first month after signing up.I suspect the decision on this setting change was because it's difficult to explain the value in 'half conversations' to people who barely understand 'how to Twitter' in the first place. Getting rid of the @replies from others appeals to keeping things within your own social graph without trying to expand. I agree, it seems counter-intuitive to take an option out of the product when the default was already Twitter’s ‘preferred’ method or setting. They’ve stripped out a very powerful tool for finding new people, something that it likely especially important what with Neilson’s data that nearly half of new Twitter users abandon the site in the first month after signing up.

I suspect the decision on this setting change was because it’s difficult to explain the value in ‘half conversations’ to people who barely understand ‘how to Twitter’ in the first place. Getting rid of the @replies from others appeals to keeping things within your own social graph without trying to expand.

]]> By: CruiseSourcehttp://jaredwsmith.com/2009/05/12/twitters-small-settings-update-is-a-big-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-19955 CruiseSource Wed, 13 May 2009 03:34:05 +0000 http://jaredwsmith.com/?p=1887#comment-19955 It appears there are many who agree with you on Twitter...it will be interesting to see Twitter response.Rich Tucker It appears there are many who agree with you on Twitter…it will be interesting to see Twitter response.

Rich Tucker

]]> By: Mikehttp://jaredwsmith.com/2009/05/12/twitters-small-settings-update-is-a-big-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-19954 Mike Wed, 13 May 2009 03:30:40 +0000 http://jaredwsmith.com/?p=1887#comment-19954 I'm with you. This new change really sucks. I’m with you. This new change really sucks.

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