When I started building Micro.blog, I tried to limit dependencies on external platforms. The main connection is via cross-posting, which is an optional feature and not what I consider the core platform. So for example, I resisted integrating tweets into Micro.blog’s timeline, even as many people asked for it.
We are seeing now with Twitter’s implosion why that matters. I didn’t think Twitter was going to last forever, but Elon Musk has greatly accelerated Twitter’s fall beyond what I expected even when I was most pessimistic about massive, centralized platforms.
Even so, I find myself this week investing time into keeping Twitter cross-posting in Micro.blog going for a little longer. I’ve rewritten the API from version 1.1 to 2.0. Auth has to change to make that work, and an unfortunate side effect is that photo upload also has to change. I’m forced to simplify tweets so that they link back to your blog for photos.
Twitter’s paid API rollout have been chaotic. Bridgy developer Ryan Barrett found that Bridgy’s API access was shut off already, weeks ahead of the expected April 29th deadline:
The silver lining is, after all the chaos and destruction and flight to the fediverse, Twitter doesn’t feel nearly as important now as it did half a year ago.
Back in 2012 when I stopped using Twitter, I would never have guessed that 10+ years later I might be paying Twitter $100/month for the privilege of using the API. But I don’t like shutting off a feature without warning. The compromise I’ve come up with is to continue supporting Twitter cross-posting for a limited time.
Here’s where I see things going from here:
- After I finish testing the new Twitter code, I will deploy it to Micro.blog. This will happen within a few days.
- I will email every Micro.blog user who currently has Twitter cross-posting enabled, letting them know they will need to sign in to re-enable Twitter posting, and that the feature is winding down.
- We will update the documentation and provide some tips for moving away from Twitter.
- After 2-3 months, the Twitter feature will be turned off.
In a bit of “lemonade from lemons” good news, I’m working on something new for Twitter users that we can control. Tweet archive import! We had a version of this feature a few years ago in Micro.blog but had to disable it because it wasn’t quite right. I’m taking those lessons and also my experience building Tweet Library to make something that will last.
Greg Higgins I didn’t realize they were charging you to use their API. That’s insane! I don’t blame you for shutting down the cross posting.
Manton Reece @pratik Good point. I’m hesitant to promise a specific length of time just because so much is uncertain.
Numeric Citizen the Twitter archive library is such a great proposition… I can see myself importing my tweets and optionally make the most interesting ones available on my timeline and / or display a link on my website pointing to my archive.
Simon Woods @pratik Agree with Manton. A hard deadline is a bad idea until the platform is well positioned to complete the whole change.
Attached warnings, transparency, and good messaging overall is the best anyone can do in this situation. Unfortunately for tiny companies even that is difficult to achieve, which is why we should all be as understanding as possible whilst indies finally draw a line under Twitter.
Luke M. Perez Bummed to see the crossposting go—I’m among the few that still find value in Twitter—but given the new price scheme of Twitter’s API, and how many on Microblog really don’t use it, it makes sense.
Simon Woods @pratik Micro.blog is: the website, iOS app, Android app, Mac app, Sunlit, Wavelength, Epilogue, Snippets, APIs, hosted blogs, themes, plug-ins, ActivityPub… and probably some other things I’ve forgotten. I don’t think it’s so simple as you describe.
The extent to which Twitter is intertwined is not something that I know fully off the top of my head but my guess is that if it was just anything then Manton would not be taking such care with the roadmap.
Manton Reece @lukemperez That’s good to know, thanks.
Avanceé.Agency :nodding-emoji: (all makes sense to me)
Simon Woods @pratik I must be missing something. Why does this need to be justified? I’d much rather the resources of the team was spent elsewhere than continually talking about something that is going away, and as Manton said has never been a part of the core feature set.
I’m hesitant to promise a specific length of time just because so much is uncertain.
This is more than enough. Everything else I can imagine would be useless speculation and empty promises.
💬 John Philpin Said it before - saying it again.
Anyone who is so dependent on MicroBlog’s cross posting to Twitter that cutting it off will cause a problem has surely been very aware of what Musk has been doing for a while now - definitely measured in months. Hell - even my Mum god rest her soul wouldn’t have missed the issue.
As such, I would expect them to have been making there plan Bs for a while now. It isn’t the job of … is it?
Meanwhile there is a LOT to do in and with MicroBlog and resources are limited.
Why on earth spend time helping keep something going - much less money with a douche like Musk - to keep a few customers happy when there are many more customers who couldn’t care less about it - and have other pressing needs - like - oh I don’t know their site ‘rebuilding’ for over four days?
Not only that - but whatever this rewrite is - ( and unlike @SimonWoods - i know less than nothing about how deeply Twitter is intertwined ), I am not expecting the rewrite to have much resuse. (Tell me I’m wrong).
On a separate note over in Feedland @dave has seen all of this coming and removed his twitter authentication dependency a while back.
Copying everyone on this thread - and not copying the hundreds - if not thousands - that are on MicroBlog and seemingly not interested enough to make a comment.
// @pratik @lukemperez @avancee @greghiggins @numericcitizen
Simon Woods @pratik … barge? Really? I thought it was an interesting conversation in a public thread.
I’m sorry, I didn’t realise your replies weren’t open to other people. I’ll make sure to avoid getting involved in the future.
Numeric Citizen @JohnPhilpin well, I don’t care about Twitter. But I’m not the only ine… for some, it could be another story.
Matt Huyck You say:
I find myself this week investing time into keeping Twitter cross-posting in Micro.blog going for a little longer.
Even though I have left Twitter far behind I say good for you. This is not about Twitter. It’s about respect for the people using it. Rise above the fracas and treat people right.
💬 John Philpin @pratik I know .. my point is that he saw a problem and worked to mitigate as fast as he could before it was too late
Clay Lowe This is most unfortunate. Cross-posting is one of the main reasons I use Micro.blog. I’ve used apps like Hypefury and Buffer to syndicate my Wordpress blogposts. I love the ethos of Micro.blog and have been with you off and on over the years. I love the agility of Micro.blog vs the sluggishness of Wordpress or the chaos of Tumblr as blogging platforms. It’s the potential reach that keeps me in bed with the likes of Twitter and Meta. I prefer to touch those apps at a distance, through cross-posting. Anyway, I understand your decision and would probably do the same if I was in your position.
Manton Reece @clowe Thanks for the feedback. It’s good to hear from people who use the cross-posting. I don’t want to cut it off right away, even if it can’t last forever.
Thibault Lemaitre thanks for the comprehensive update! Now I just need to figure it a way to use Micro.Blog in collaboration with Mastodon & Ivory (at the moment I can follow and get replies, but I feel like there is more and I’ve just scratched the surface)
Kimberly Hirsh Thanks for the update, Manton!