AI has made it easier to build software but we still talk about software like the goal is always to make an app people use forever
imo a lot of new software will be more like media
you make it quickly, share it in a feed, people use it in the moment, remix it, discard it, maybe fork it, maybe forget it existed by dinner
feels wrong if you grew up thinking every useful piece of software needs a pricing page, onboarding flow, or a roadmap
but most things consumed on the internet are already ephemeral
memes are ephemeral
posts are ephemeral
videos are ephemeral
group chats are mostly noise with occasional alpha
software has been expensive enough that we expect it to justify its own existence
as it gets even cheaper to make, software will become content. and social feeds are a much better surface for this than app stores
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apparently not drake
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re: mobile app performance
this is likely one of the most annoying issues we have looked at. expo 53 reached its official end of life when expo 55 was announced. farcaster apps were on 53 and needed the 55 upgrade, this was a known thing even from late last year.
the upgrade had many breaking changes. one of those changes has introduced a memory leak that happens as you keep using the app longer. this results in various performance issues where the
- app scrolling might lag
- replies might have screen flashing up and down
etc.
our iOS update was blocked on Apple reviews for more than a week so we couldn't land a lot of the native build changes that would solve the root cause
it should finally start going out shortly. it's unlikely it will fix everything but should should get to a spot where we can then solve over the next week, appreciate all the reports and bearing through the temporary bugginess
major version upgrades are never fun and it's no surprise why companies wait as long as they can before making such changes
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Top casts
Excited to share that Neynar is acquiring Farcaster from Merkle.
This means we will now maintain the Farcaster protocol, run the Farcaster client and operate Clanker. As part of this change - @dish and part of the Clanker team will be joining Neynar.
@neynar is the software platform for the @farcaster ecosystem. A significant portion of Farcaster products run on our infrastructure. We’ve been focused on this community throughout Neynar’s lifetime and this is the next step in that journey. Over the last 5+ years, Merkle has done incredible work. We are excited to take up the mantle from here.
I am sharing some high level thoughts below on our vision, what comes next, and specific information about the product. We are very grateful to everyone who has made this community what it is today and are energized about what we can build together moving forward. I will continue to answer more questions as they come.
Alright, FAQ time:
1) What is the vision?
**Enable builders to go from idea to recurring revenue, supported by a builder-first network.**
Farcaster, at its core, is a community of builders deliberately cultivated over many years - the “scenius”. This community has consistently driven the network’s most meaningful moments - Frames, Degen, Warplets and more. The value of Farcaster is not just the products, but the people who experiment, share knowledge, and build in public. New ideas tend to gain their first traction here because they are shaped directly by feedback from builders who actively use and extend them. As building software becomes more accessible, we are going to merge
1. software generation
2. crypto native rails
3. builder focused ecosystem
Products built on Farcaster will be usable anywhere. With crypto rails, they'll incorporate global transactions, asset issuance, and onchain ecosystems from day one. Builders will distribute their products to a network that thrives on experimenting with new technology. The network will remain open so builders will own their distribution.
We are entering a period where building software is becoming dramatically more accessible. Farcaster is well positioned for this shift. It offers a place where people can explore ideas, build products, get early feedback, and launch into the world from a single environment.
Our goal is to make this entire process easier by providing an experience that helps builders move from initial idea all the way to recurring revenue.
2) Why is Neynar acquiring Farcaster specifically?
Neynar’s core mission is to make building software simpler. Extending that to a network that values building new things is a natural extension. Since our inception, we have been a “Farcaster company” - so much so that many users mistake Farcaster and Neynar to be one company. Well, now they are the one company. We’re excited for this next chapter and we hope you are too!
3) Are there any immediate product changes to Farcaster, Neynar or Clanker?
No. If you have been reading rumors on your timeline about Farcaster client, protocol or Clanker shutting down, those are false. W.r.t. product iterations, we want to get feedback from all of you as we start on that journey. Neynar developer platform will also continue to exist. Building on Farcaster will only get easier from here.
4) Is the vision only about about building software?
No. Farcaster thrives on builders of all kinds - software, art, music, literature. Software is the glue that ties things together - musicians use hosting platforms, writers use publishing tools, etc. If you’re passionate about making something new - Farcaster will support you.
5) What about the trader first approach?
Traders can continue to trade, no changes to the wallet. No changes to the low fee for pro subscription holders it’ll still support best prices. All swap capabilities will continue to be supported. We think financial rails are important for builders regardless of trading.
6) What is next on the product roadmap?
We are going to start with a prioritization exercise that helps us achieve the vision above. We have a small team so we will walk before we run as we go through this process.
If you have more questions, feel free to drop them below. I will also do dedicated AMA threads over the next few days.
https://farcaster.xyz/dwr/0x72aab3a5
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Maybe Farcaster tried to be Base and Base tried to be Farcaster
Now Farcaster is Farcaster and Base is Base
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What is the sentiment on collectible casts?
How long will you fight with someone to keep the feature in the app?
[ Assume no data loss on casts collected thus far no matter the answer to the above question ]
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I agree with the thesis but who's getting good output by running an agent all night on a large codebase rn?
https://x.com/ryancarson/status/2016922825462854011?s=46
