We recently dropped iOS 5 so we could use the new 6+ APIs without backwards compatibility.
It makes me smile every time I notice IGListKit at work in Instagram. We put a lot of work into making and improving it. Proud to see it holding up 4 years later.
🧵 with some memories on how it was built:
We recently dropped iOS 5 so we could use the new 6+ APIs without backwards compatibility.
Except two things bugged the hell out of me:
1. No animated changes (duh)
2. Images could flicker and the like animation could cancel
If something triggered another reload after the animation started, the cell cancelled the animation (thus the UI bug)
When an image cell is reused set the background to grey, async load the image (cache or network), set the image. The async time between reuse and fetch/set from cache is where the flicker came from.
Enter UICV performBatchUpdates
So how the hell do I write a diffing algorithm? I literally had never done this.
I settled on Paul Heckel’s https://t.co/jpxuHNlpXg
Why?
1. It’s output matched UICV’s APIs: inserts, deletes, updates, and moves
2. There were example implementations I could actually understand
Foundation hashes can collide
https://t.co/h9eVHO342U
Or are too basic for diffing
https://t.co/Pp0eVFRS5e https://t.co/ZNPJnXlXa4
https://t.co/BACvyI2l08+
With profile done, I submitted a -12k change to remove the old infra.
Throughout this the eng team 10x’d and users 4x’d, we launched tons of products (Stories!), IG opened a NY office, UICV got diffable data sources, and more.
More from Social media
The goal?
Learn how to craft interesting threads, and grow a following. It (mostly) worked.
- New followers: +2.5K (+100% MoM)
- Top thread: 373K impressions
- Top tweet: 2.5K likes
Here's what I learned. Quick thread 👇👇
To start, here's the most popular thread I've written.
Thoughts on what made it work, below.
Nikola Tesla was the greatest inventor of his era. He died penniless and alone, swindled by both Thomas Edison and JP Morgan.
— Mario \U0001f98a (@mariodgabriele) September 2, 2020
A thread \U0001f447\U0001f447\U0001f447 pic.twitter.com/80Gco1e6uq
1. Quality
The threads that performed best were (usually) the ones I put the most effort into.
One example is this one about Jeff Bezos's origins. I spent hours researching and drafting it.
It's worth taking the time to craft your
[Story time]
— Mario \U0001f98a (@mariodgabriele) July 30, 2020
Yesterday, Jeff Bezos testified in front of Congress. It was almost exactly 15 yrs ago that Amazon introduced itself to the world.
We have all heard some version of his story. But in investigating his childhood, I was surprised to find much that has gone unshared. pic.twitter.com/CDaIAA0Fzj
2. Timeliness
Capitalizing on the news can be one way to expand viewership.
When Fornite launched its #FreeFortnite campaign, I wrote this thread.
At the time, it was my 2nd best performing thread. It also introduced me to the lovely
Fortnite is standing up to Google and Apple.
— Mario \U0001f98a (@mariodgabriele) August 13, 2020
They're offering 20% discounts to players that buy digital currency in the app, bypassing the payment systems of Big Tech.
This is a thread about the game's humble beginnings. \U0001f447
(All likes + RTs appreciated! \U0001f64f) pic.twitter.com/Zg5Lr3hDRu
3. Narrative Arc
Have a clear start and end in your mind.
I made this mistake with a few Amazon threads. I thought because my first one worked, I could keep the story going. But they didn't have as clear a narrative arc and were much less popular.
A book about lichen saved Amazon from going out of business.
— Mario \U0001f98a (@mariodgabriele) August 10, 2020
A thread \U0001f447 pic.twitter.com/kgfmBf4Dsj
We’re counting down 13 of the best ways to Halloween on Snapchat. First up – matching Lens costumes for you and your pet.
https://t.co/J0Zn7CfM1q
Tis the season to slay some ghouls. Grab some friends and dive in to Zombie Rescue Squad from @PikPokGames. How long can you survive?
https://t.co/FC9dvafUiV
Is it even Halloween if you're not FREAKED OUT? Scare yourself silly with a Dead of Night S1 rewatch.
https://t.co/LtoE7yHgaG
Be careful! Things aren’t always what they seem. Our Lenses start off cute, but are filled with spooky surprises!
https://t.co/xq45JlYeQ7
Craving candy early? Our new stickers were made to satisfy your sweet tooth.
If you thought disinformation on Facebook was a problem during our election, just wait until you see how it is shredding the fabric of our democracy in the days after.
— Bill Russo (@BillR) November 10, 2020
Look at what has happened in just the past week.
In other words, the Social Media monopoly Facebook commands globally has gone full fascist in an attempt to preserve the corrupt and criminal hold on power by Republicans and Trump Administration.
Aiding and abetting a coup d’état.
As if there weren’t enough other reasons to dismantle Facebook’s monopoly, Zuckerberg is playing his cards and revealing clearly that Cambridge Analytica election interference was not just a onetime anomaly, but is now a feature of Facebook’s business model.
Megalomaniac Marc has now revealed the true colours of Fascist Facebook.
Facebook is a weapon to manipulate the masses. A tool to carry out disinformation campaigns with impunity.
And the response of the left... is to delete their Facebook account.
As if the deletion of a Facebook account will do anything. It might send a message that your virtues are principled, your morality superior. But it enables the weapon to be continued to gaslight and manipulate the electorate.
An inherent flaw in the left’s critical thinking.
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Please add your own.
2/ The Magic Question: "What would need to be true for you
1/\u201cWhat would need to be true for you to\u2026.X\u201d
— Erik Torenberg (@eriktorenberg) December 4, 2018
Why is this the most powerful question you can ask when attempting to reach an agreement with another human being or organization?
A thread, co-written by @deanmbrody: https://t.co/Yo6jHbSit9
3/ On evaluating where someone’s head is at regarding a topic they are being wishy-washy about or delaying.
“Gun to the head—what would you decide now?”
“Fast forward 6 months after your sabbatical--how would you decide: what criteria is most important to you?”
4/ Other Q’s re: decisions:
“Putting aside a list of pros/cons, what’s the *one* reason you’re doing this?” “Why is that the most important reason?”
“What’s end-game here?”
“What does success look like in a world where you pick that path?”
5/ When listening, after empathizing, and wanting to help them make their own decisions without imposing your world view:
“What would the best version of yourself do”?