Posted by Using social media sites has always felt to us a little like building a user base for someone else’s website. We did however enjoy using Twitter in a casual, in-the-moment, thinking-out-loud kind of way and we always felt that worked well while games were actually in progress. But now it doesn’t work so well. So what next?
The comedian Frank Skinner used to tell a story about a gig he once did in Bournemouth. When he asked an audience member what life was like in the town, the response was so negative that Skinner asked whether he’d ever thought of leaving. In utter confusion, the guy replied: “But my house is here.”
The point here is that you are in fact free to leave rubbish places.
We’ve never been to Bournemouth, but we know what a faded seaside town feels like. For quite a while now, that’s essentially what Twitter’s been. It’s conspicuously quiet and nothing works quite right. You can sort of see what the place once was, but the general atmosphere is that life has moved on. It’s all a bit ghostly and empty – although before too long you’ll probably bump into a racist.
We’ve been keen to leave, but no-one’s really been sure where to go: Threads, Mastodon, Bluesky? Instagram? TikTok? Back to Facebook?
We therefore settled on the course of action we always adopt when people argue about where to go next. We sat still and waited without at any point venturing an opinion of our own.
In the last day or so, it’s felt like the balance might have tipped towards Bluesky. Even with only about 3% of the followers we have on Twitter, it’s seemed more active and people are clearly pouring through the doors right now.
These things always turn sour eventually, but for the time being at least, we’re going to give it a whirl. Here’s our Bluesky profile if you fancy following us.
It’ll mostly amount to early access to the same jokes we make on here but with a greater number of typos. We’ll follow you back because we’re pretty sure it’s the same rules as situations where you feel obliged to say ‘morning’ to a fellow tribesperson (hiker/parent/cyclist or whatever).
We do have a Mastodon account as well, but that’s just a placeholder thing really should Bluesky at some point develop an unsavoury musk.
Obviously sign up for this website’s email as well, which is the main, obvious way to follow us in a world where social network eras are shorter than the careers of England seam bowlers.
Some other things to watch out for
Partly off the back of this, we’re currently having a bit of a tidy-up around here. As we remove Twitter links from menus, sidebars and email templates, we’re unavoidably spotting other stuff that could do with a lick of paint (or being chucked away).
The goal here is obviously to make the website work smoothly and correctly. But, you know… goals are there to be missed. In our experience, you start mucking about with this stuff and some component or other will fall over or explode. Apologies in advance for any resultant shrapnel.
We’re not doing anything major, but if there are any changes you don’t like, just let us know. We figure we can’t please everyone, but we may as well strive for a decent breadth of grumpy tolerance.
Another organisation I’m a member of has just this week started on Bluesky. Coincidence?
Probably.
The biggest – only really – thing I’ve missed on Bluesky from what was Twitter has been Funny Cricket Twitter. Very glad to see you making the leap.
Now to hope Dave Tickner and Vish Ehantarajah do the same.
Dave’s on there.
So he is, and I have remedied my previous grotesque lack of Dave.
Can’t believe the handle isn’t ‘The King’s Skeets’
Chapeau for ‘Unsavoury musk’.
Surely someone has to say, ‘Fantastic, we applaud such Bluesky thinking in our favourite, loosely cricket related, weekly(ish) email “news”letter’
Anyone? No? Just me then. Consider my coat self-gotten
Not really pertinent, but that’s one of the more striking monster gravatars you’ve been issued with there, Jaspos.
I deactivated my Twitter/X account about a month ago, and have similarly been hanging around waiting to see what might replace it. Ive taken this as a call to action, so if the platform turns out to be crap I’m holding you solely responsible
Rightly so!
I’ve replaced Twitter with real human interaction. The jury is still out.
Interesting. I am tempted to give Bluesky a try, KC. Rumour has it that my alter ego has already done so.
Love your comments on Bournemouth & thought some of your readers might enjoy my reflections on the place from 1980. The true but comedic story within, Master Blaser Jamming Revolving Doors, is worth the price of admission alone:
https://ianlouisharris.com/1980/09/27/a-week-in-bournemouth-nothing-to-do-here-apart-from-master-blaster-jamming-21-to-27-september-1980/
Further, I shared this piece with colleagues at work, as a debate on this topic, coincidentally, kicked off the day before you published this article.
One wag, whose name I shall shield from here (GDPR and all that) chimed in to say:
“[KC’s piece] captures my feelings precisely. ‘Whereof we cannot tweet we must remain silent’, Twittgenstein”
I have always had high regard for the irreverence and general intelligence of this blog. I can now add admiration for the decision of our king to upsticks from what is now frankly a toxic and vile place owned by someone who befits the same description, and then some.
I’m not on Bluesky, but a few friends are, and all seems good. As I also understand it, since the re-election of the great Orange One, masses have left that toxic, vile place to other outlets, mainly Bluesky.
…and with what has been going on elsewhere in the mainstream media (most manifestly last week), such platforms are only going to become more relevant, and important.
I miss orange: https://i.imgur.com/5ZvWRB3.png
I really dislike reading time estimates. It makes me feel like there’s a roshi looming over my shoulder, ready to clobber me when I go over the limit.