Jake Gold
@jacob.gold
Infra eng leader, SF Bay Area. Helped launch and scale Bluesky. Prev: Nuro, Docker, Google, founder.
Currently working on AI codegen.
Obsessed with history, computers, and open systems.
Happy to chat: bluesky@jacob.gold
Currently working on AI codegen.
Obsessed with history, computers, and open systems.
Happy to chat: bluesky@jacob.gold
Bluesky after all the proprietary social apps fully succumb to the incentives of brainrot and AI slop content:
November 8, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Bluesky after all the proprietary social apps fully succumb to the incentives of brainrot and AI slop content:
Okay, I’m still in denial about having a cat but it’s getting harder.
He’s spending most of the day in the backyard, I made him a makeshift house, and I’m giving him food.
If this keeps up I’m definitely going to have a cat.
He’s spending most of the day in the backyard, I made him a makeshift house, and I’m giving him food.
If this keeps up I’m definitely going to have a cat.
November 6, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Okay, I’m still in denial about having a cat but it’s getting harder.
He’s spending most of the day in the backyard, I made him a makeshift house, and I’m giving him food.
If this keeps up I’m definitely going to have a cat.
He’s spending most of the day in the backyard, I made him a makeshift house, and I’m giving him food.
If this keeps up I’m definitely going to have a cat.
Looks like X is juicing web visit numbers by opening a browser WebView in the background whether the user visits the link or not.
They've re-invented pop-under fraud (allegedly).
news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4580...
They've re-invented pop-under fraud (allegedly).
news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4580...
![Tell HN: X is opening any tweet link in a webview whether you press it or not
247 points by stillatit 10 hours ago | hide | past | favorite | 200 comments
Just saw the CEO of Substack celebrating traffic from X/Twitter shooting up thinking they stopped suppressing tweets with links[0]. Actually, this traffic is because now any time you open a tweet with a link, the in-app webview loads in the background, and displays when you press the link.
I run an ecom store that gets a lot of its customers from Twitter. I was also shocked to see my traffic double or triple overnight and thought the algorithm had blessed me and my business. Soon realized what was actually happening. Thought other traffic-monitors might appreciate this explanation.
Meanwhile Nikita Bier is pretending they never suppressed tweets with links to begin with, offering the alternative explanation: "a common complaint is that posts with links tend to get lower reach. This is because the web browser covers the post and people forget to Like or Reply. So X doesn't get a clear signal whether the content is any good"[1]. A bit of a rewriting of history since Elon and his mom both tweeted about how it wasn't fair to use his platform to promote other links/platforms, even banning people who shared profiles of other social networks (including Paul Graham for a period). They suppressed all links shortly after.
[0] https://x.com/cjgbest/status/1985464687350485092
[1] https://x.com/nikitabier/status/1979994223224209709](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:tpg43qhh4lw4ksiffs4nbda3/bafkreia62cq7p2dn2o76cjuuzl5dpwaatnf5m5cl5bm7lmoprsavebgl4q@jpeg)
November 4, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Looks like X is juicing web visit numbers by opening a browser WebView in the background whether the user visits the link or not.
They've re-invented pop-under fraud (allegedly).
news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4580...
They've re-invented pop-under fraud (allegedly).
news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4580...
"I oil my teeth twice a day and see a mechanic every six months"
October 31, 2025 at 2:39 AM
"I oil my teeth twice a day and see a mechanic every six months"
Have apparently been adopted by a stray cat.
Went from hanging out in the backyard every few days, to hanging out every day, to expecting a spot on the sofa?
I didn’t sign up for this!
Went from hanging out in the backyard every few days, to hanging out every day, to expecting a spot on the sofa?
I didn’t sign up for this!
October 28, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Have apparently been adopted by a stray cat.
Went from hanging out in the backyard every few days, to hanging out every day, to expecting a spot on the sofa?
I didn’t sign up for this!
Went from hanging out in the backyard every few days, to hanging out every day, to expecting a spot on the sofa?
I didn’t sign up for this!
Mark Twain in Nikola Tesla's lab is such a cool photo.
It was taken with Tesla's own electric fluorescent lamp and photo setup.
It was taken with Tesla's own electric fluorescent lamp and photo setup.
October 3, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Mark Twain in Nikola Tesla's lab is such a cool photo.
It was taken with Tesla's own electric fluorescent lamp and photo setup.
It was taken with Tesla's own electric fluorescent lamp and photo setup.
Waffles are nice. Pancakes are better. Crepes are betterer.
And cheese blintzes are the best breakfast cake.
And cheese blintzes are the best breakfast cake.
October 2, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Waffles are nice. Pancakes are better. Crepes are betterer.
And cheese blintzes are the best breakfast cake.
And cheese blintzes are the best breakfast cake.
Someone must be shooting a heist movie here in SF.
September 22, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Someone must be shooting a heist movie here in SF.
3/ The person who coined the term one of best, smartest, and kindest people on this planet, so no shade.
And the concept was exactly what we needed to build at Bluesky Social, PBC for the app. The mistake was thinking it should be standardized. IMHO.
I remember Dan writing "app view" down here:
And the concept was exactly what we needed to build at Bluesky Social, PBC for the app. The mistake was thinking it should be standardized. IMHO.
I remember Dan writing "app view" down here:
September 16, 2025 at 1:07 AM
3/ The person who coined the term one of best, smartest, and kindest people on this planet, so no shade.
And the concept was exactly what we needed to build at Bluesky Social, PBC for the app. The mistake was thinking it should be standardized. IMHO.
I remember Dan writing "app view" down here:
And the concept was exactly what we needed to build at Bluesky Social, PBC for the app. The mistake was thinking it should be standardized. IMHO.
I remember Dan writing "app view" down here:
I’ve been on Reddit since it launched in 2005.
August 26, 2025 at 10:26 PM
I’ve been on Reddit since it launched in 2005.
This is what Twitter was like when I started using it and it was a “pure” microblogging platform.
It didn’t even have asymmetric Follows or Likes, or RTs, or at mentions, Lists, embedded photos or videos, etc.
It was improved by adding things and then it started stagnating and usage declined.
It didn’t even have asymmetric Follows or Likes, or RTs, or at mentions, Lists, embedded photos or videos, etc.
It was improved by adding things and then it started stagnating and usage declined.
August 25, 2025 at 3:41 PM
This is what Twitter was like when I started using it and it was a “pure” microblogging platform.
It didn’t even have asymmetric Follows or Likes, or RTs, or at mentions, Lists, embedded photos or videos, etc.
It was improved by adding things and then it started stagnating and usage declined.
It didn’t even have asymmetric Follows or Likes, or RTs, or at mentions, Lists, embedded photos or videos, etc.
It was improved by adding things and then it started stagnating and usage declined.
Depends of course on what one means by "dying" but it's certainly not thriving, at least in the way many people hoped it would.
Bluesky also has a long way to go but it's doing much better in almost any measurable way.
Bluesky also has a long way to go but it's doing much better in almost any measurable way.
August 25, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Depends of course on what one means by "dying" but it's certainly not thriving, at least in the way many people hoped it would.
Bluesky also has a long way to go but it's doing much better in almost any measurable way.
Bluesky also has a long way to go but it's doing much better in almost any measurable way.
Yup, it's such an important part of atproto/Bluesky. It's half the reason atproto was created!
The ActivityPub-based Fediverse completely missed this critical feature and still hasn't successfully copied it, which I wish it would.
I'll be very excited when the Bluesky app to finally utilizes it.
The ActivityPub-based Fediverse completely missed this critical feature and still hasn't successfully copied it, which I wish it would.
I'll be very excited when the Bluesky app to finally utilizes it.
August 24, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Yup, it's such an important part of atproto/Bluesky. It's half the reason atproto was created!
The ActivityPub-based Fediverse completely missed this critical feature and still hasn't successfully copied it, which I wish it would.
I'll be very excited when the Bluesky app to finally utilizes it.
The ActivityPub-based Fediverse completely missed this critical feature and still hasn't successfully copied it, which I wish it would.
I'll be very excited when the Bluesky app to finally utilizes it.
This is already possible for technical users but the Bluesky app doesn't have this + PDS migrations built in yet.
It was discussed extensively when I was on the team but never prioritized for reasons unknown to me.
IMHO, it should be added ASAP and enabled by default.
github.com/FiloSottile/...
It was discussed extensively when I was on the team but never prioritized for reasons unknown to me.
IMHO, it should be added ASAP and enabled by default.
github.com/FiloSottile/...
August 24, 2025 at 2:04 AM
This is already possible for technical users but the Bluesky app doesn't have this + PDS migrations built in yet.
It was discussed extensively when I was on the team but never prioritized for reasons unknown to me.
IMHO, it should be added ASAP and enabled by default.
github.com/FiloSottile/...
It was discussed extensively when I was on the team but never prioritized for reasons unknown to me.
IMHO, it should be added ASAP and enabled by default.
github.com/FiloSottile/...
What the overly paranoid part of my brain thinks is going on when I mumble OTP passcodes to myself.
August 22, 2025 at 11:46 PM
What the overly paranoid part of my brain thinks is going on when I mumble OTP passcodes to myself.
I agree that clustering around people is *different* from clustering around interests but not *fundamentally* different.
For example, if follow an Formula 1 driver like Lewis Hamilton, you're probably into Formula 1 generally.
And yes, Twitter was always terrible at retention. Most people bounced.
For example, if follow an Formula 1 driver like Lewis Hamilton, you're probably into Formula 1 generally.
And yes, Twitter was always terrible at retention. Most people bounced.
August 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM
I agree that clustering around people is *different* from clustering around interests but not *fundamentally* different.
For example, if follow an Formula 1 driver like Lewis Hamilton, you're probably into Formula 1 generally.
And yes, Twitter was always terrible at retention. Most people bounced.
For example, if follow an Formula 1 driver like Lewis Hamilton, you're probably into Formula 1 generally.
And yes, Twitter was always terrible at retention. Most people bounced.
Totally respect the difference of opinion but the idea that Twitter didn't need this (or something) is certainly incorrect.
Because Twitter peaked 15 years ago and kept falling. For the same reason Bluesky's engagement has suffered.
Twitter didn't evolve.
Bluesky shouldn't make the same mistake.
Because Twitter peaked 15 years ago and kept falling. For the same reason Bluesky's engagement has suffered.
Twitter didn't evolve.
Bluesky shouldn't make the same mistake.
August 15, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Totally respect the difference of opinion but the idea that Twitter didn't need this (or something) is certainly incorrect.
Because Twitter peaked 15 years ago and kept falling. For the same reason Bluesky's engagement has suffered.
Twitter didn't evolve.
Bluesky shouldn't make the same mistake.
Because Twitter peaked 15 years ago and kept falling. For the same reason Bluesky's engagement has suffered.
Twitter didn't evolve.
Bluesky shouldn't make the same mistake.
The mobile app could sync your atproto repo from your PDS and store the data locally w/nice iCloud-style sync screen.
When moving PDS, the app uploads repo data to new PDS and updates your DID doc.
Very similar to how you might sync email to your phone w/IMAP and sync it to a new email provider.
When moving PDS, the app uploads repo data to new PDS and updates your DID doc.
Very similar to how you might sync email to your phone w/IMAP and sync it to a new email provider.
August 14, 2025 at 4:16 PM
The mobile app could sync your atproto repo from your PDS and store the data locally w/nice iCloud-style sync screen.
When moving PDS, the app uploads repo data to new PDS and updates your DID doc.
Very similar to how you might sync email to your phone w/IMAP and sync it to a new email provider.
When moving PDS, the app uploads repo data to new PDS and updates your DID doc.
Very similar to how you might sync email to your phone w/IMAP and sync it to a new email provider.
