Why is it any more interesting than any of the other thousands of people that dislike the idea of hiding dislikes?

Because he was a cofounder. It’s like saying who cares what Sergei Brin opines about Googles direction.

What input do either of them have in the current direction of their former companies?

None, which is presumably the problem.

When you sell the product you co-founded, you no longer get to have say. You can have opinions, but those opinions are no more important than those actually in charge. Those opinions might lean in the direciton of the general opinion or not, but it's just another tear drop in the rain.

If that opinion was so important that caused the co-founder to launch a campaign to wrestle control back, then let's get the popcorn. Now we have something interesting and that former co-founder's opinion suddenly has meaning. Otherwise, they really don't care and are just mouthing their opinons to see their like counts go up (but not their dislikes because, phew, those are hidden now)

> [Co-founders who sold] can have opinions, but those opinions are no more important than those actually in charge

Many HN readers think the visionaries who actually create billion dollar businesses have more valuable opinions/insights than the visionless corporate bureaucrats who ultimately end up in charge.

>"Why is it any more interesting than any of the other thousands of people that dislike the idea of hiding dislikes?"

Because it's from the co-founder of YouTube? Surely that gives their opinion more weight and notability than the Average Joe/Jane online?

Woz wanted an open hardware platform. He co-created Apple, but got silenced by his co-founder. Yeah, and, so, what? Just because a co-founder has an opinion just means another person with an opinion.

What is this co-founder's current position at YT? "When the site was introduced in February 2005, Karim agreed not to be an employee and simply be an informal adviser, and that he was focusing on his studies."--wikipedia So, not very influential.

Again, it's just another person's opinion.

* Also from wiki: "In November of 2021, Jawed updated the description of "Me at the zoo" to "When every YouTuber agrees that removing dislikes is a stupid idea, it probably is. Try again, YouTube ".

When Woz speaks about Apple inc or technology in general with regards to privacy people tend to lend him an ear.

What people? Fellow tech nerds? Of course, he has a cult-like following of people. Apple decision makers? Hardly. I love Woz, but I'm just looking at this realistically and not dream-a-dream-with-rainbows-and-unicorns level of what-if outlooks.

People build up this mystique around founders/co-founders that borders on religious. I don't drink that kool-aid. I've been in/around too many cults in my life to fall into that trap.

> Fellow tech nerds

I think you've answered your own question "why is it any more interesting" in this (HN) context.

Mr Wozniak is a thoughtful, intelligent guy who can clearly articulate his position on many topics and the reasoning behind it. Jawed Karim says it is stupid to remove dislikes.

Not like he's worked there for a decade though, the problems of social scale aren't something he's had to deal with

are you having a bad day? sorry :/

source?

"In November of 2021, Jawed updated the description of "Me at the zoo" to "When every YouTuber agrees that removing dislikes is a stupid idea, it probably is. Try again, YouTube ". --wikipedia

For reference, "Me at the zoo" was the very first video uploaded to YT.

Pretty much all the major channels I watch have said similar.

The best argument I've seen so far is that it just makes all videos look "liked", and none "disliked" because likes are still shown.

Dumbing down the platform in pursuit of simpler interfaces (however you want to justify it) isn't always what actual users want and or need.