Ftrain, by Paul Ford
May 2020
Maybe Twitter is just a big sci fi story in which an entire...
Web nerds in 2005: You know, blogs are great, you hear so...
Web nerds in 2005: You know, blogs are great, you hear so many voices you can't hear elsewhere. But we should get rid of the comments, they're awful.
Social media: Got it, get rid of blogs, leave comments section.
➛Social media: Got it, get rid of blogs, leave comments section.
“Then he resumed. ‘If we are going to make progress, we’ve...
“Then he resumed. ‘If we are going to make progress, we’ve got to address these things, and if this painful process is going to help us address this — there’s the yellow warbler!’” nytimes.com/...
➛That is incredibly accurate.
Wow and I was just sitting here wondering how much...
Wow and I was just sitting here wondering how much inflation-adjusted gross domestic product per person grew during each generation's first fifteen years in the workforce, starting at age 18, averaged across all the birth years within each generation. washingtonpost.com/...
➛It's powered by Khoros!
@textfiles It's powered by Khoros!
➛All the time. With the penny? On that random street. And...
@AGoldmund All the time. With the penny? On that random street. And she was so happy.
➛Every now and then they give you a haircut for free!
imagine twitter combined with a bank
imagine twitter combined with a bank
restofworld.org/...
➛restofworld.org/...
I have in the past!
@danielmintz I have in the past!
➛She...huh. She really does.
@troutgirl She...huh. She really does.
➛Thank you, Jeff!
@codinghorror Thank you, Jeff!
➛About as dark as this moist corpse blanket is dank.
That whole book is so metal
@waxpancake That whole book is so metal
➛Boooooo hisssss
@valoscope Boooooo hisssss
➛sleepy newsletter time
sleepy newsletter time ftrain.substack.com/...
➛It's confusing because this is merely an “opinion,” yet...
@tomscocca It's confusing because this is merely an “opinion,” yet it's irrefutable and correct.
➛With I love you sound
@xxbobbyzxx With I love you sound
➛He was 16.
@jackrusher He was 16.
➛Claire... ... ... ...yes.
A bored kid sat at my desk and moved everything around,...
A bored kid sat at my desk and moved everything around, including the USB dongle that makes my mouse work. It was found after an hour stuck to the back of the iPad I use as a spare monitor. Like in Empire Strikes Back when the Millennium Falcon was stuck to a Star Destroyer.
➛You just gotta let the dough rise and do things and then it...
@tonygill99 You just gotta let the dough rise and do things and then it rises more and you smack it, etc. It's a lot!
➛The recipe makes two loaves!
@arigesher The recipe makes two loaves!
➛alas me too
@merveille alas me too
➛baking bread is kind of a lot of waiting around huh
baking bread is kind of a lot of waiting around huh
➛Not knocking it!
@BrandonEsWolf Not knocking it!
➛I have been looking at web engagement funnels for 20 years...
I have been looking at web engagement funnels for 20 years and I have no idea how to interpret that ratio. It's basically LOL NOTHING MATTERS in web stats form.
➛Google family plan has been good for us.
I mean I'm fine, and this website is free. I am blessed...
I mean I'm fine, and this website is free. I am blessed with more attention than I can process. It's just that 1.5 million humans checked something out and TWO thought it was worth hearing more. I would expect people accidentally clicking “follow” to yield more.
➛I am so truly fascinated by the Twitter follower funnel....
I am so truly fascinated by the Twitter follower funnel. I've had tweets go actually viral maybe three or four times. The ratio is 750k-1mm impressions per follower and feels pretty consistent. It's just this comically bad human-engagement payoff compared to, idk, newsletters.
The Amazon series The Boys. All about the wreckage...
@modernserf The Amazon series The Boys. All about the wreckage superheros leave behind.
➛They kept it simple and let it reveal itself. It's so hard...
Cherished family, gave freely of time and money, and made...
@Grady_Booch @nytimes Cherished family, gave freely of time and money, and made people laugh.
➛And, not to seem ridiculous, and maybe it's a stretch, but...
@mimismartypants And, not to seem ridiculous, and maybe it's a stretch, but also to do something.
➛guys guys guys i'm a consultant and you're right
My 8yo daughter told me she wants to be a writer when she...
My 8yo daughter told me she wants to be a writer when she grows up, and I just sat in silence staring and terrified that the next thing I said might encourage her.
➛As Jared said to Jensen, I'm a frayed knot.
@elizabethminkel As Jared said to Jensen, I'm a frayed knot.
➛I'm assuming that article is going to result in an...
@elizabethminkel I'm assuming that article is going to result in an emergency six hour podcast.
➛The Alpha penises are knotty but the plots are not!
@tinysubversions The Alpha penises are knotty but the plots are not!
➛subscribe to my newsletter!
subscribe to my newsletter! ftrain.substack.com
➛little newsletter to ease you into the long weekend
little newsletter to ease you into the long weekend ftrain.substack.com/...
➛The Tleilaxu control TikTok that's all I'm allowed to say.
I'm like Cassandra, but fun.
I'm happy here on Ix.
Tweet
Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Tweet
There was never an encyclopedia of conspiracy theories,...
(Random memory—it was very nicely printed, good stock...
@kevinbaker (Random memory—it was very nicely printed, good stock paper, glossy. They were really going hard for quality at high cost.)
➛AmigaWorld had a really specific aesthetic and some...
@kevinbaker AmigaWorld had a really specific aesthetic and some absolutely great illustration. It's not groundbreaking exactly but it's definitely much better than it had to be compared to PC pubs.
➛This is basically everything I love.
This is basically everything I love. typography.com/...
➛Mornin!
@davidhsiegel Mornin!
➛Or if you have family members who can help you live for...
newwwwwsletter time
newwwwwsletter time ftrain.substack.com/...
➛When your future self needs the help.
perfect
@drewtoothpaste @NanoRaptor perfect
➛Tweet
is a new project from @Postlight Labs. It lets you make fun...
textmoji.app is a new project from @Postlight Labs. It lets you make fun little “textmojis” for @SlackHQ that you can quickly add to any conversation. It's ridiculous and good.
➛Same basic deal, and I have a little notes file I peck at...
that is just the nicest chart I've ever seen
@jeffgreco that is just the nicest chart I've ever seen
➛I wrote another newsletter post, this time it's about...
I wrote another newsletter post, this time it's about sketching graphs ftrain.substack.com/...
➛man...it's free
@jeffgreco man...it's free
➛see if only someone would write an article about THAT
@BradyDale @Postlight see if only someone would write an article about THAT
➛I saw that in the theater and no one would believe me that...
@jgee @FindingNewmo @jeffgreco @monsterLUNCH I saw that in the theater and no one would believe me that it was amazing.
➛more accurately I rambled, chose a topic, rambled
more accurately I rambled, chose a topic, rambled
➛Well I keep updating my newsletter today it was because...
Well I keep updating my newsletter
ftrain.substack.com/...
today it was because I had time since am baking bread which takes forever and is STILL NOT DONE but I finally stopped rambling and documented an artifact
➛ftrain.substack.com/...
today it was because I had time since am baking bread which takes forever and is STILL NOT DONE but I finally stopped rambling and documented an artifact
hooooo told you
welcome to 1995
@SaraJChipps @jennschiffer welcome to 1995
➛I'm going to let you down
@brunohaid I'm going to let you down
➛Oh god
@jackrusher Oh god
➛I nearly set up gnu mailman so let's take it a step at a...
@buttondown @craigmod I nearly set up gnu mailman so let's take it a step at a time
➛first and hopefully last issue of my newsletter
first and hopefully last issue of my newsletter ftrain.substack.com/...
➛i'm absolutely going to bail on this in a month is the...
i'm absolutely going to bail on this in a month is the title of my newsletter ftrain.substack.com/...
➛I feel terrible for poets because if they had proper...
@phyllisstein I feel terrible for poets because if they had proper musical sense they'd already be singers or jazz guitarists, and if they'd been really hot they'd be actors, but they lack erotically significant talents, so they're poets, and when they succeed they are expected to compensate.
➛I've never run into problems with FUSE for MacOSX plus...
I'm almost finished writing this email to Zeno.
I'm almost finished writing this email to Zeno.
➛Please apply! If it makes sense we will figure things out.
@tevih @Postlight Please apply! If it makes sense we will figure things out.
➛I got to go to my dad's office once or twice a year and I...
I got to go to my dad's office once or twice a year and I still remember being amazed that the common area had a little fridge.
➛“I'm bored.”—My kids, who were watching our office virtual...
“I'm bored.”—My kids, who were watching our office virtual video drinks which included a livestream of a mini-donkey.
➛We are looking to hire a number of people @Postlight,...
We are looking to hire a number of people @Postlight, especially skilled designers and experienced product managers. Those departments used to be NYC-only, but we're adapting, and are glad to talk to people from anywhere in the US. postlight.com/...
➛bout the same
@jeffgreco @Postlight bout the same
➛Tweet
PR accepted!
Not right or wrong but in that context they can't really...
@troutgirl Not right or wrong but in that context they can't really communicate/share much, it's a very artificial environment focused on risk management. If you say you're a fan—that could signal risk (not serious/just wanted to check us out/don't know if she cares about what we do, etc.)
➛Tweet
I'm AMAZED at the speed at which this was resolved.
@kzwa @silviakillings I'm AMAZED at the speed at which this was resolved.
➛Tweet
Do you like WEBINARS about MEDIA TECH? (I do, alas.)...
Do you like WEBINARS about MEDIA TECH? (I do, alas.) @matlock + many others have been working for months defining the “Public Media Stack“—i.e. media frameworks that aren't run/controlled by giant firms. Tuesday May 19 noon ET they're sharing their stacks.
us02web.zoom.us/...
➛us02web.zoom.us/...
Attention @mmcwatters
@jessfraz Attention @mmcwatters
➛Perfect articulation of our strategy.
Google is rebranding Don't Be Evil as Hangouts Evil.
Google is rebranding Don't Be Evil as Hangouts Evil.
➛I've been waiting for this and it's REALLY GOOD, looks...
I've been waiting for this and it's REALLY GOOD, looks good, and is super relevant to my interests. restofworld.org
➛wow that had some technical challenges
wow that had some technical challenges
➛I'm streamer.
How are NYC parents going to deal with daycampless summer?
How are NYC parents going to deal with daycampless summer?
➛You can tell which kind by the platform. Product-focused?...
@robinsloan @jarrettfuller @byedit @frank_chimero You can tell which kind by the platform.
Product-focused? Medium, 30 min read. "Exploring Android Map Color Spaces"
Content-focused? 15 handcrafted HTML pages sans CMS. Title: "Befriending the Ocelot."
Theory-focused? PDF you can download off Google Drive, "--M?A?T?H?--.pdf".
➛Product-focused? Medium, 30 min read. "Exploring Android Map Color Spaces"
Content-focused? 15 handcrafted HTML pages sans CMS. Title: "Befriending the Ocelot."
Theory-focused? PDF you can download off Google Drive, "--M?A?T?H?--.pdf".
Yeah this is where I'd start too. I think there are three...
@robinsloan @jarrettfuller @byedit @frank_chimero Yeah this is where I'd start too. I think there are three major schools:
- Product-focused, about shipping to millions on big platforms. SV roots.
- Content-focused, about organizing information. Print/web roots.
- Theory-focused, design as a value system. Academic roots.
➛- Product-focused, about shipping to millions on big platforms. SV roots.
- Content-focused, about organizing information. Print/web roots.
- Theory-focused, design as a value system. Academic roots.
oh man i'm not a designer i don't want the designers to...
@byedit @frank_chimero @robinsloan oh man i'm not a designer i don't want the designers to come for me
➛That haircut encourages social distancing.
Yep it really is.
@theodoreross @maureenflaherty Yep it really is.
➛Gerritsen.
@theodoreross Gerritsen.
➛Low tide today, so you can actually see the whole car.
Well I'll be damned
It hurts me to be so seen.
You can do striped tables in org-mode?
No need, they won.
@BradyDale No need, they won.
➛(Chef's kiss.)
@tammieetc (Chef's kiss.)
➛You could create custom icons of arbitrary size on early...
@ecormany @NanoRaptor You could create custom icons of arbitrary size on early Workbenches so in theory you could ... well I don't know what you could do.
➛It's been a long and challenging time in NYC but it's...
It's been a long and challenging time in NYC but it's finally starting to feel like Christmas.
➛Patrick
What other calculators should we do?
@chochinov @Postlight What other calculators should we do?
➛ezra make a calculator about votes
@ezramechaber ezra make a calculator about votes
➛oh both are new to me thank you
@_naveenmishra oh both are new to me thank you
➛i think i fixed this by rounding up to 0.0000001.
@hyperpape i think i fixed this by rounding up to 0.0000001.
➛This is really cool—Account is on Glitch, so you can remix...
This is really cool—Account is on Glitch, so you can remix the repo and edit the little calculators and play around in an interactive way. glitch.com/...
➛Oh Tangle is for way more complex stuff. This is just a...
@cwervo @Postlight Oh Tangle is for way more complex stuff. This is just a dumb calculator.
➛no that's a bug in MATH essentially i fixed the other bug
@hyperpape no that's a bug in MATH essentially i fixed the other bug
➛It's a divide by zero bug which is built into the very...
@toomuchnick @Postlight It's a divide by zero bug which is built into the very equation, the nature of math itself. HMMMM.
➛Oh yeah this has a very goofy bug.
Oh yeah this has a very goofy bug.
➛Since the idea of a SLIDER is too complicated for you all I...
Since the idea of a SLIDER is too complicated for you all I have lowered the returns on the fund.
➛Which phone?
It's open-sourced under the MIT license if you want to play...
It's open-sourced under the MIT license if you want to play around and tell me what I did wrong. Or EVEN BETTER if you want to make little calculators yourself. Pull requests welcome.
github.com/...
➛github.com/...
Here's a little @Postlight Labs web experiment I've been...
Here's a little @Postlight Labs web experiment I've been building over the last two weekends. It lets you tell stories with simple embedded math and sliders. Give it a whirl and yell at me.
account-account.netlify.app
account-account.netlify.app
yesssssss
@textfiles yesssssss
➛In a moment of nerd extreme even for myself I zoomed in to...
Oh wow an immediate sense memory of perl -pi.bak, something...
@troutgirl Oh wow an immediate sense memory of perl -pi.bak, something I have not typed in a LONG time.
➛A good tool for mutual aid is...CRM. But one where you can...
A good tool for mutual aid is...CRM. But one where you can iterate on workflow and have hundreds of people moving in and out on the volunteer side.
➛I don't have ANY conclusions. There's something a lot of...
I don't have ANY conclusions. There's something a lot of purpose-built tools miss I think which is that people grab Airtable or Google Sheets because they don't understand their challenges yet, so those tools let them experiment and adapt to their communities.
➛Once people find each other and train each other up the...
Once people find each other and train each other up the tools are great. But it's a long, long way from where a digital product could be for helping people help other people and for whatever reason the platforms that do this stuff don't scale down to local efforts.
➛Once things get set up there is a vast range of mutual aid...
Once things get set up there is a vast range of mutual aid scripts and community patterns that can be applied and are roughly effective for running meetings or calling people to arrange food. In general the social technologies are far along.
➛It's still hard for people to find each other and...
It's still hard for people to find each other and coordinate.
It's hard for people who need help to be found. They use different platforms.
It's hard to accept donations, and so individuals have tens of thousands land in their bank accounts to deal with the taxes later.
➛It's hard for people who need help to be found. They use different platforms.
It's hard to accept donations, and so individuals have tens of thousands land in their bank accounts to deal with the taxes later.
The infrastructure to do digital mutual aid is much much...
The infrastructure to do digital mutual aid is much much better. Low code tools like Airtable are very powerful but still complex.
➛I went back and read this thing I wrote in 2012 because...
I went back and read this thing I wrote in 2012 nymag.com/... because now we are trying to get food out again. It's interesting to compare.
➛Exactly, it's like angry 8yo Naruto.
@beccajopechin Exactly, it's like angry 8yo Naruto.
➛If your Mac is constantly resetting its audio input level...
If your Mac is constantly resetting its audio input level (like when you're quiet on a call) you can make a little bash script called "volume" and run it when the levels get screwy.
#!/bin/bash
osascript -e "set volume input volume 20" ;
➛#!/bin/bash
osascript -e "set volume input volume 20" ;
Tweet
When kids are angry they run away without moving their arms.
When kids are angry they run away without moving their arms.
➛Tweet
A 20-oz-er at a bodega in Manhattan during a normal...
@alexrubner A 20-oz-er at a bodega in Manhattan during a normal workday...is $2.25. Crime pays.
➛A dumb weekend project that is on its second weekend.
@etienneshrdlu A dumb weekend project that is on its second weekend.
➛I'm starting to hate this thing.
I don't know who needs to hear this right now, but each...
I don't know who needs to hear this right now, but each child in a list should have a unique "key" prop.
➛The actual sentence was, “This shoughs a log of thought.“
The actual sentence was, “This shoughs a log of thought.“
➛I just spelled “show“ as “shough.”
I just spelled “show“ as “shough.”
➛