Yes, I paid $50 to get access to the App.net alpha test with “boles” as my username and yes, I’m an Old White Guy who had money burning in his pocket to make him feel special.  I was finally granted access to the App.net site this morning and, after a password reset or two, I was able to get into App.net and poke around a bit — and let me tell you right now — it’s one lonesome place… and that’s the excitement of it all!

I have no idea how to find people or how to see what other alpha testers are saying — all I know is I am still thrilling on the email notifying me my account would soon be set up that arrived a day or so ago:

Here’s the PR blurp on what App.Net is meant to be:

App.net is a different kind of social platform.

We’re building a real-time social service where users and developers come first, not advertisers.

Our team has more than 9 years of experience building social services, developer platforms, mobile applications and more.

We believe that advertising-supported social services are so consistently and inextricably at odds with the interests of users and developers that something must be done.

Help us create the service we all wish existed.

I decided to join App.net because I liked the idea of a whole new “Twitter-like” service that would become what Twitter was supposed to be.  I missed the early bird boat on Twitter and I still, even at this late date, have no idea what Twitter wants to be except an advertising pipeline as a bodily fluids update streaming service.

I believe App.net hopes to be something grander and something other than Twitter — and the first hurdle into the greatness of that exclusion is the $50.00USD per year membership fee you have to pay to get in the door and stanch the advertising meme.  I like saying “yes.”  I like founding things.  I enjoy the pioneer spirit.  I’ll put my money where my hope belongs.

Sure, that fee is elitist and stratifying — but I don’t mind that mark if it means the nonsense level that makes Twitter into a White Noise bullhorn will be missing from App.net.  I am happy to pay for something that adds reliability and calmness and focus to my life, and I am hoping App.net will become a serious resource for thoughtful people.

If you’re on App.net — be sure to find me — look for boles — and I’ll look for you, too!

9 Comments

    1. The money gets you in the door, the money gets you no advertising, the money gets the service started up so it is self-sustaining by its own community.

    1. Oh, it’s worth it, Mr. Gordon! Especially, because, at this early date with only around 11,000 users — you have a great chance to get the username you want — I was too late for Twitter, but not for App.net!

      I signed up Janna earlier today for that very reason.

      As of this moment — gordond — looks available:

      https://alpha.app.net/gordond

  3. The prevalence of FB is what makes it so useful. It’s the common network for ‘everybody’. Even if I did have $50, my family and local friends is what I use FB for the most. And I dare say most of ‘my people’ wouldn’t spend money for the sake of social networking alone. However, I love the premise of NO ADS. That is a specific draw.
    On a side note: you may want to fix the url (http://http//ihave50dollars.com/) it goes nowhere. 🙂

    1. Hi Lillian!

      Yes, not having Ads or Spam on App.net is a key draw. I do agree they need to somehow lower the price for wider adoption. I hope that happens soon.

      I fixed the URL, thanks! There’s a bug in WordPress.com that inserts that extra set of code that messes up the links.

  5. Pingback: HIDE: The NSA are Mentioning Us! « Boles Blogs

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