As I understand it (please correct me if I'm wrong), App.net users pay a yearly subscription to be a part of the service.
We'll get a far better reading of the service once that year is up. In my experience of using annual subscription services/products the hype tends to fizzle out when the core group decide whether their initial investment was worth it. Given its current state I doubt it'll topple its closed competitors in twelve months and I see a large section of its core users ditching it for the next flavour of the week.
It reminds me a lot of MyFootballClub, a website that bought a English football team in the lower leagues with the promise of the community being completely responsible for player contracts, transfers and day-to-day running of the football club. A lot of people coughed up the cash for the site to buy Ebbsfleet United, but after a year most of them realised that what they were sold wasn't necessarily what they got and most decided not to renew. It's not an exact comparison, but I'll give App.net at least another year before I decide whether it's worth my time any more than Twitter.
Well you weren't wrong, its the subject of this blog post that App.net has added a monthly model and they've adjusted prices. I agree with you that if the initial wave of folks jump ship it will have failed to reach critical mass.
I expect it will be all about the client capture, which is to say compelling client experiences based on App.net which will drive new development their way.
We'll get a far better reading of the service once that year is up. In my experience of using annual subscription services/products the hype tends to fizzle out when the core group decide whether their initial investment was worth it. Given its current state I doubt it'll topple its closed competitors in twelve months and I see a large section of its core users ditching it for the next flavour of the week.
It reminds me a lot of MyFootballClub, a website that bought a English football team in the lower leagues with the promise of the community being completely responsible for player contracts, transfers and day-to-day running of the football club. A lot of people coughed up the cash for the site to buy Ebbsfleet United, but after a year most of them realised that what they were sold wasn't necessarily what they got and most decided not to renew. It's not an exact comparison, but I'll give App.net at least another year before I decide whether it's worth my time any more than Twitter.