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Comment by barredo | Hacker News Reader

Twitter can be dramatic https://twitter.com/SteveStreza/status/327550484745445376

This is classic Marco, nothing to see here. He's just a child who starts this stuff over nothing, from what I've seen.

I would have done the same as Marco. It was unasked for and unnecessary. Pocket is a great app but so its Instapaper and Marco has done a tremendous job over the years by keeping it in shape by himself (with exception of the Android app). This is a way on pissing all over the the efforts of a independent developer. Just because.

C'mon, that tweet from Steve is exactly the kind of thing Marco would post if Pocket or any of his other competitors were getting bad press.

In fact, this behavior is the very same reason people venerate Pinboard's Twitter account.

Yes, everything popular you don't like is because people just love assholes.

It wasn't directed at Marco. There actually were [1] tweets prior to this one where Instapaper users talked about switching to Pocket because of the news. Marketing to people using competing products is everyday business.

Ex 1: https://twitter.com/SocialJerm/status/327547885308739584

Why? Seems like the perfect time to promote an alternative.

It's a "royal dick move" to allow users to copy data between competing applications? Uh, OK.

No, it's a royal dick move to announce it right when the competitor just switch hands, especially in this case when your competitor happens to be -up to this moment- an independent guy that has done this project for years on his own.

The service is not being terminated, that info has been posted for a long time... so again, unnecessary and unasked for. That's all.

No, it's a royal dick move to announce it right when the competitor just switch hands [sic]

Really? This is an interesting post on what is ostensibly a website about entrepreneurship, especially one that constantly discusses customer acquisition.

We are not arguing that is a bad business tactic or that its not a good move if you want to attract customers. Just that it is a dick move.

It can be both a dick move AND a good boost for Pocket.

Dick move?

Hmm, last time I checked this is still business and it's a good tactical move to take your main competitor's customers/users when there's a good opportunity.

That doesn't mean its not a dick move. Especially considering the way it was phrased.

Again. I'm not saying that this is not something Pocket shouldn't do, just that in this case, and considering Marco's dedication to this, it's rude. But business is business, I get that.

Dick move and good-for-business moves aren't mutually exclusive.

so an independent guy worked so hard on a project for years, i should just let him be, and work on some thing else..

I'm glad he does things like this on such a regular frequency as it reminds me to avoid his next project.

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