Tumblr’s lead dev: “Scoble doesn’t know what he’s talking about”

December 15, 2008 By

Oh, Tumblr‘s lead developer, Marco Arment, said yesterday on his Tumblelog that he doesn’t listen to me because he doesn’t think I know what I’m talking about. Oh, that’s a bummer, cause I was just about to tell the world a few things:

1. That Tumblr is doing the most innovative stuff out there in the world of blogging.
2. That I expect that in 2009 Tumblr will come out on top of the growth curve for services like Twitter, FriendFeed, etc.
3. That Marco is brilliant.
4. That Tumblr is well positioned to make a ton of money over next couple of years, even with the bad economy factored in because they were going to charge their users, something that SmugMug has done and done quite well with. (Of course, that’s probably why they picked up $4.5 million in venture last week).

But, like Marco said, I don’t know what I’m talking about, so you can move along and go back to Facebook.
:-)

Oh, and I subscribed. Why? Cause I like following brilliant people who don’t listen to me. They tend to change the world.

UPDATE: Marco answered. Wait a second, how did he see this post if he isn’t listening to me? Funny, he learned about it from a Facebook friend.

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  • http://galaxyspectrum.com/ AD PR NY

    Where you REALLY going to write those things, or where you just joking? :-?

    If you really want to feel good, read this!

    valleywag.com/380182/tumblr-security-breakdown-leaves-scenesters-exposed-for-40-minutes

  • http://galaxyspectrum.com/ AD PR NY

    Where you REALLY going to write those things, or where you just joking? :-?

    If you really want to feel good, read this!

    valleywag.com/380182/tumblr-security-breakdown-leaves-scenesters-exposed-for-40-minutes

  • http://www.internetbusinessblogger.com/ Internet Business Blogger

    Thanks Robert, My tumblog sucks because I had no idea what to do with it. I will have to look again but sometimes it takes no forms a while to become useful to the individual. Look at Twitter, for a year I, and many others I am sure, had no idea what to do with Twitter and just “didn’t get twitter”, and don’t even get me started on Friendfeed.

    In normal avenues blogs and even messageboards and forums are a lot easier of a form to understand and use to interact with the masses that are interested in the same topics.

  • haimschlesinger

    Actually, doesn’t what he said implies that he does listen to you ;)

  • haimschlesinger

    Actually, doesn’t what he said implies that he does listen to you ;)

  • http://www.internetbusinessblogger.com Internet Business Blogger

    Thanks Robert, My tumblog sucks because I had no idea what to do with it. I will have to look again but sometimes it takes no forms a while to become useful to the individual. Look at Twitter, for a year I, and many others I am sure, had no idea what to do with Twitter and just “didn’t get twitter”, and don’t even get me started on Friendfeed.

    In normal avenues blogs and even messageboards and forums are a lot easier of a form to understand and use to interact with the masses that are interested in the same topics.

  • errant

    Well you say that NOW ;)

  • errant

    Well you say that NOW ;)

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    >AD PR NY: I would have said everything except that he’s brilliant. I just added that on to have some fun!

  • http://www.samlevin.com/ Sam Levin

    This is a great piece Robert. Sad that Marco feels this way.. cheers, sam

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    >AD PR NY: I would have said everything except that he’s brilliant. I just added that on to have some fun!

  • http://www.samlevin.com Sam Levin

    This is a great piece Robert. Sad that Marco feels this way.. cheers, sam

  • http://memegator.com/ stewbagz

    Just file away that handy phrase “I told you so” – and when you get the opportunity to use it, don’t use it – we’ll all remember what you said anyway ;-)

  • http://memegator.com stewbagz

    Just file away that handy phrase “I told you so” – and when you get the opportunity to use it, don’t use it – we’ll all remember what you said anyway ;-)

  • Brian Wilson

    I kinda like this new social media stuff. It’s a lot more fun and entertaining than just reading the paper or TV. There’s actually a dialogue going on, and even if it isn’t verbal or auditory per se, it’s a great dialogue. Keep up the good work Scoble, and if Tumblr asks tell them this post alone got them page views they would have never received–whether or not your opinion about them was positive or negative.

  • Brian Wilson

    I kinda like this new social media stuff. It’s a lot more fun and entertaining than just reading the paper or TV. There’s actually a dialogue going on, and even if it isn’t verbal or auditory per se, it’s a great dialogue. Keep up the good work Scoble, and if Tumblr asks tell them this post alone got them page views they would have never received–whether or not your opinion about them was positive or negative.

  • http://www.emmanuelmota.com/ Emmanuel Mota

    Thats too bad that someone would openly say the things marco said, your response was very eloquent.

    Keep up the good work.

  • http://www.emmanuelmota.com Emmanuel Mota

    Thats too bad that someone would openly say the things marco said, your response was very eloquent.

    Keep up the good work.

  • steve

    Does anyone have any idea how much hardcore porn is in tumblr and how much traffic it drives to the site? There is A LOT of it and their re-blogging feature causes it to multiply within the site like over-active bunnies. I have no idea how much traffic it creates, but I’m guessing it’s not insignificant. But one thing’s for sure — there are no “are you 18 or over” questions when you come across it so if you have kids, you might want to block the domain.

  • steve

    Does anyone have any idea how much hardcore porn is in tumblr and how much traffic it drives to the site? There is A LOT of it and their re-blogging feature causes it to multiply within the site like over-active bunnies. I have no idea how much traffic it creates, but I’m guessing it’s not insignificant. But one thing’s for sure — there are no “are you 18 or over” questions when you come across it so if you have kids, you might want to block the domain.

  • http://www.joedawsons.com/ Joe Dawson

    @Brian Wilson I agree about the dialogue as it’s a million miles from automated and heartless responses. There is meaning, passion, opinion and that for me speaks volumes!

  • http://www.joedawsons.com Joe Dawson

    @Brian Wilson I agree about the dialogue as it’s a million miles from automated and heartless responses. There is meaning, passion, opinion and that for me speaks volumes!

  • http://fredwilson.vc/ fred wilson

    robert,

    my tumblog is at fredwilson.vc so you can follow me there

    do you have a tumblog and if so, what is the url?

    thanks

    fred

  • http://fredwilson.vc fred wilson

    robert,

    my tumblog is at fredwilson.vc so you can follow me there

    do you have a tumblog and if so, what is the url?

    thanks

    fred

  • http://found.boxofjunk.ws/ Liam

    Thought I was on LiveJournal for a second there.

  • http://found.boxofjunk.ws/ Liam

    Thought I was on LiveJournal for a second there.

  • http://OpenAjax.Com/ Ric Johnson

    “It’s like RAIN on your wedding day ….”
    THE reason to listen to scoble: cuz he writes about kewl stuff even against the grain.
    _I_ read scoble and so do MANY others – which is another reason why I appreciate his work.

  • http://OpenAjax.Com Ric Johnson

    “It’s like RAIN on your wedding day ….”
    THE reason to listen to scoble: cuz he writes about kewl stuff even against the grain.
    _I_ read scoble and so do MANY others – which is another reason why I appreciate his work.

  • http://staynalive.com/ Jesse Stay

    Robert, if you need me to come over there to go visit them with you like we did Twitter, I’m all game. :-) (did I mention that was one of the highlights of my life?)

  • http://staynalive.com Jesse Stay

    Robert, if you need me to come over there to go visit them with you like we did Twitter, I’m all game. :-) (did I mention that was one of the highlights of my life?)

  • warning

    marco,

    don’t let scoble’s praise go to your head. he has said very similar things regarding just about every lead developer working for a social media site in the last five years. he’ll change his mind when he finds that tumblr has a 10,000 connection limit, or changes the background to some color he dislikes, or some such thing.

    your initial impressions were spot on.

  • warning

    marco,

    don’t let scoble’s praise go to your head. he has said very similar things regarding just about every lead developer working for a social media site in the last five years. he’ll change his mind when he finds that tumblr has a 10,000 connection limit, or changes the background to some color he dislikes, or some such thing.

    your initial impressions were spot on.

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  • http://socialevangeli.st/ Paul Papadimitriou

    Using Tumblr for my personal blog. This is by far the best mini-blogging tool out there. I would be ready to pay a premium to get a self-hosted Tumblr (or, at least, buy storage so my archives would be safe).

    http://tumblelog.papadimitriou.jp for those interested :-)

  • Christopher Coulter

    But see, they change the world precisely because they don’t listen to you.

    As for the mish-mash mash-up whatnot Hungarian ‘Web 2 point Zero’ casserole pre-fab spamhausish blog maker blah blah that is “Tumblr”, it’s doomed already, double so if you like it. Union Square Spark-Plug burn-rate countdown ahoy. Honestly, giving a social reject code-kid drop-out bags of money and going ‘Boy Wonder Uber Wunderkind’ is sooo dumb-press 1997.

  • http://socialevangeli.st Paul Papadimitriou

    Using Tumblr for my personal blog. This is by far the best mini-blogging tool out there. I would be ready to pay a premium to get a self-hosted Tumblr (or, at least, buy storage so my archives would be safe).

    http://tumblelog.papadimitriou.jp for those interested :-)

  • Christopher Coulter

    But see, they change the world precisely because they don’t listen to you.

    As for the mish-mash mash-up whatnot Hungarian ‘Web 2 point Zero’ casserole pre-fab spamhausish blog maker blah blah that is “Tumblr”, it’s doomed already, double so if you like it. Union Square Spark-Plug burn-rate countdown ahoy. Honestly, giving a social reject code-kid drop-out bags of money and going ‘Boy Wonder Uber Wunderkind’ is sooo dumb-press 1997.

  • Foo

    Scoble doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Nobody of consequence listens to him. That is all.

  • Foo

    Scoble doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Nobody of consequence listens to him. That is all.

  • Guest

    @ Christopher; well said!

  • marc

    @ Christopher; well said!

  • http://www.topmaxtech.net/ توب

    thanks

    they change the world precisely because they don’t listen to you

  • http://www.topmaxtech.net توب

    thanks

    they change the world precisely because they don’t listen to you

  • http://annieandersonblog.com/ annieanderson

    Robert -

    I appreciate your random link to my blog of possibly related posts. ;-) That’s awesome!

    ~ Annie from http://silverlunace.wordpress.com/2007/08/21/review-tumblr-part-2/

  • http://annieandersonblog.com annieanderson

    Robert -

    I appreciate your random link to my blog of possibly related posts. ;-) That’s awesome!

    ~ Annie from http://silverlunace.wordpress.com/2007/08/21/review-tumblr-part-2/

  • Jim

    Bigger news would have been if someone, anywhere, had said that Scoble did know what he was talking about.

  • Jim

    Bigger news would have been if someone, anywhere, had said that Scoble did know what he was talking about.

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  • http://www.amid.com/werd/ Rudy Amid

    As a micro-blogging platform, Tumblr has a more sophisticated set of users than Twitter. They don’t automatically follow me when I follow them. It’s all about creative content for Tumblrists. This is the reason why I’m on Tumblr: To find unique material.

    For business related topics, I do tend to go with Twitter and good ol’ blogs, like Robert’s.

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