The dream scenario might involve apps that couple Twitter and App.net streams in a single place, so that folks transitioning from one service to the other neednt check two places. As you might have guessed, however, Twitters new, stricter policies prohibit third-party developers from showing posts from another service alongside tweets in a timeline. Developers who aim to do so will have their Twitter access revoked.

Whats clear, though, is that folks for whom Twitters increasing third-party crackdown proves irksome will either grin and bear it or abandon the service. Twitters determined that its comfortable with either outcome, assumingpossibly quite rightlythat the bulk of its users wont care about the new rules. Facebook users complain about each new redesign of that social network, and its increasing injection of sponsored stories into your newsfeed, but most of them keep on using the service anyway.

For years now, Twitters been the cool place to be. Right now, App.nets a nerdy place to be. Twitter, like Rome, wasnt built in a day. And App.nets potential success neednt come directly at Twitters expense. The one thing we know for certain is that whatever happens next in this space will be interesting to watch. And post about.

Somewhere.