With the API v1 script, I could style every single element of the panel. I could make each tweet dance in its own bubble on my site. I could give alternating tweets different colors. The fonts could match the fonts of the page. I could knock out the background. I could dispense with the border entirely. I had absolute control over my scrollbar. I could set my own width, as small or as big as I wanted. Anything was possible and I did a lot of awesome things with my twitter panel.
Now, with this new twitter script, I have this big f’ing brick-of-a-box on my site that’s IMPERVIOUS to styling.
You have taken something away from me, the designer, and I am damn mad about it.
I was hoping the Facebook panel would start to go in the direction of styling freedom like the Twitter panel. Instead, Twitter devs have followed in the douchebag anti-designer footsteps of Facebook developers, opting to put me in the same straightjacket Facebook wants me in.
Well, a pox on you, Twitter devs. You forced me to have this conversation with about three dozen clients over the past eight weeks:
“Yes, I am aware your twitter stream isn’t there anymore. I’m so sorry, I had to remove it”
…
“Well, you see, Twitter made the old script not work anymore, and the new script could not be styled to match your page like the old one. Also, the little icons could not be made invisible. The whole panel had to go. So I had to remove it. Again, I’m sorry.”
…
“No, like I said, the new twitter widget cannot be styled. That means it will stand out like a sore thumb in the sidebar. We won’t be able to make it display the way it used to. The new panel was a detriment to the site, so it had to go.”
…
“No, I’m sorry, I don’t know why they did this.”
…
"No, I don’t believe they would be willing to reimburse you for the development costs to style the twitter panel. I’m afraid that money is in the toilet.
…
