If you’ve entered your email to get a BlueSky invite to join that network, expect to wait a long time. Mine took several months!
Over the weekend, I received my official BlueSky invite. The invite consists of an alphanumeric code. I have to enter that code when I create an account on the platform.
BlueSky is new enough that you can’t, for some reason, just click “Join” and set up an account right away. (You can do that with almost all of the other services hoping to topple X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.)
Once you’re in, it feels a lot like X. It doesn’t have direct messaging or clickable hashtags, yet. But it does at least have a search function so you can search for topics of interest. It also doesn’t have a post scheduling option, although its alternative to Tweetdeck recently suggested post scheduling is coming soon, but it looks like that will be for its patrons only.
But whether you decide to go that route or not, you have to start with that BlueSky invite code. Without it, you’re locked out.
Overall, I like it so far…but I’ll like it a lot more when there are more people who’ve managed to get in so that you can interact with them.
I suppose they’re trying to manage the amount of new signups and any related growing pains. But people aren’t patient these days…and BlueSky’s leaders may be shooting themselves in the foot with the delays.
But the BlueSky invite shouldn’t take so long to arrive
Back in July, I posted a question on X asking how long it was taking to receive the code.
I didn’t receive a direct answer to the question. It seems interaction was one of the main casualties of Musk’s changes to the platform. In any case, I asked on July 24 about the missing BlueSky invite.
But as far as I can recall, I applied for the code some time in May. It was about two months at the time I tweeted.
When you attempt to sign up for a new account, you receive this message about joining the waitlist:
Bluesky uses invites to build a healthier community. If you don’t know anybody with an invite, you can sign up for the waitlist and we’ll send one soon.
Their idea of “soon” seems to be about six months. That’s not my idea of “soon.”
Fortunately, a colleague of mine had an invite code (which you accumulate after so many days on the platform). So he sent me one of his. I’ve been on the app since Aug. 6.
Even more frustrating than the outrageous amount of time is the fact that they can’t see when an email account on the waitlist gets in by an invite code. They could have taken me off the list back in August and moved someone else up.
A post on Reddit claims there are over 2 million users on the waiting list. I don’t know about you, but that tells me they desperately need to speed up their process. If there are that many users still waiting to get in, that’s a major problem. It’s a problem for the users who can’t get in and it’s a problem for the users who are in and are missing on on interactions from so many who are held in limbo.
They also need a decent logo. But the waiting list problem should definitely be their top priority!
