Duolingo just removed its best feature

Removal of Sentence Discussions Tab

The speaker expresses their dissatisfaction with Duolingo's decision to remove the sentence discussions tab, which they believe is the worst decision made by the platform. They highlight that this removal negatively impacts the learning experience and removes a vital feature.

Reasons for Discontent

• The removal of the sentence discussions tab is seen as a significant negative change.

• This removal hinders the learning experience and does not improve anyone's language learning journey.

• The speaker emphasizes that this is not just an aesthetic change but rather the elimination of a feature that has been crucial since day one.

Importance of Sentence Discussions Tab

• The sentence discussions tab allowed learners to engage in social interactions related to specific sentences.

• Learners could ask questions, share thoughts, and receive help from others at their level.

• It provided a valuable resource for understanding difficult grammar concepts and finding additional explanations beyond what Duolingo offers.

Impact on Language Learning

• The sentence discussions tab was particularly useful for languages like German, where conveying certain rules can be challenging through an app alone.

• Examples are given where users shared links to external resources that helped clarify confusing concepts.

• Removing this feature takes away the sense of community and togetherness that language learning often provides.

Benefits of Sentence Discussions Tab

The speaker highlights how beneficial the sentence discussions tab was during their language learning journey, providing examples of its usefulness in understanding complex grammar concepts.

Personal Experience with German Learning

• The speaker shares their personal experience using Duolingo for German language learning over several years.

• They mention having a seven-year streak on Duolingo and being featured in the app for success with German.

• At one point, they struggled with differentiating between similar words in German and found help through the sentence discussions tab.

Assistance with Difficult Concepts

• The sentence discussions tab provided links to external resources that explained challenging grammar concepts.

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of these resources, as Duolingo alone cannot cover all aspects of language learning.

• They express gratitude for the user-generated content that helped them overcome difficulties in their language journey.

Loss of Community and Togetherness

The speaker discusses the psychological impact of removing the sentence discussions tab, highlighting how it takes away the sense of community and togetherness that is crucial for motivation and engagement in language learning.

Importance of Community in Language Learning

• The speaker draws a parallel between language learning and other activities like meditation or exercise apps.

• They explain how the feeling of doing something together with others enhances motivation and commitment.

• Removing the sentence discussions tab contradicts the social nature of language learning, leaving learners feeling isolated.

Irony in Removing Social Element

• Despite language learning being inherently social, Duolingo's decision removes the opportunity for learners to engage with others.

• This decision goes against basic human psychology and diminishes the sense of support and camaraderie among learners.

Addressing Possible Reasons for Removal

The speaker addresses potential reasons given by others for removing the sentence discussions tab, expressing skepticism towards these justifications.

Dismissing Negative Comments

• Some argue that sentence discussions were filled with negative comments, but the speaker disagrees with this reasoning.

• They assert that negative comments were not prevalent enough to justify removing an entire feature used by many learners.

Lack of Resources vs. Feature Removal

• Others suggest that Duolingo removed this feature due to limited resources or inability to maintain quality control.

• However, instead of improving their app, Duolingo has chosen to remove helpful features, which the speaker finds counterproductive.

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Sentence Discussions and Negative Comments

This section discusses the issue of negative comments in the sentence discussions on Duolingo's Spanish course and how it was addressed.

Addressing Negative Comments

• A sentence in the Spanish course sparked negative comments, leading to the decision to lock the thread to prevent further negativity.

• Some comments in the sentence discussion tab provided incorrect advice, but intelligent users would downvote and correct them.

• The community self-regulated by providing detailed explanations or linking external threads to correct misinformation.

Safety Concerns for Children

This section highlights concerns about children using Duolingo due to unmoderated comment sections and potentially unsafe content.

Unmoderated Comment Sections

• The comment section on Duolingo was seen as an unmoderated wasteland, raising safety concerns for children using the app.

• Turning off internet access for children or implementing filters and moderation were suggested solutions.

• However, this is not a significant problem as the community generally regulates itself.

Speculations on Duolingo's Decision

This section explores speculations regarding why Duolingo made the decision to lock sentence discussions.

Money as a Motive

• One speculation is that Duolingo made this decision due to financial reasons, prioritizing profit over user experience.

• Embarrassing comments pointing out incorrect answers may have influenced higher-ups at Duolingo.

• Fixing sentences based on community feedback gave a sense of collaboration among learners.

Importance of Sentence Discussions

This section discusses the significance of sentence discussions in language learning apps like Duolingo.

Counterpoint on Sentence Discussions

• The absence of sentence discussions in Duolingo's competitors raises the question of their necessity.

• While not vital, sentence discussions add a social element and improve the learning experience by helping users understand sentences better.

Communication Issues and App Changes

This section addresses communication issues with Duolingo and the negative impact of removing sentence discussions.

Communication Problems

• Duolingo has communication issues despite being an app focused on language learning and communication.

• When sentence discussions were removed, users expected an explanation but found it lacking in the feed tab meant for communication.

Conclusion on App Changes

This section concludes the discussion on Duolingo's decision to remove sentence discussions.

Negative Impact of Removal

• Removing sentence discussions made the app worse as it took away a valuable feature that enhanced user experience.

• Despite attempts to monetize this feature, it was originally part of social media-like interaction within the app.

• The removal of sentence discussions is seen as a final blow to community engagement on Duolingo.

The Decision to Remove Sentence Discussions

This section discusses the decision made by the Dango team to remove sentence discussions and the negative response it received from users.

Tracy's Comment on Changes Communication

• Tracy from Dango acknowledges the need for better communication about changes.

• A post was made on a subreddit, but it was not easily accessible to most users.

• The decision to post on a subreddit with limited reach is seen as a small step in the right direction.

Experimenting with Sentence Discussions

• Dango announces an experiment to understand the use of sentence discussions.

• Changes will be noticed as they roll out the experiment, and some learners may have sentence discussions removed altogether during this period.

Code Issues and Resource Allocation

• Outdated code causes difficulties in fixing issues.

• Dango aims to allocate resources in ways that benefit as many learners as possible.

Importance of Sentence Discussions

• Many language learners find sentence discussions important for their learning experience.

• Removing them feels like a form of gaslighting, taking away something valuable without proper alternatives.

Reddit as a Community Platform

• Reddit is not seen as an ideal community platform by the speaker.

• Individual sentences could have comments within the app itself instead of relying on external platforms like Reddit.

Impact on Beginner Learners

• The removal of sentence discussions affects beginner language learners more than advanced learners.

• Frustrations are shared by other users who express concerns about how long this experiment will last.

Addressing User Feedback and Communication Improvements

This section focuses on user feedback, communication improvements, and expectations for further updates from Dango.

Working on Communication Methods

• Dango acknowledges user feedback and expresses intentions to improve communication methods.

• Posting updates in communities like Reddit is seen as a first step, but more is expected.

Going Outside the App for Discussions

• The speaker understands that going outside the app to platforms like Reddit requires additional effort from users.

• It is suggested that having comments directly within the app would be more convenient and efficient.

Request for More Updates

• Users express the need for more frequent and substantial updates from Dango.

• The current communication efforts are appreciated but considered insufficient.

Code Challenges and Recipe Changes

This section discusses challenges with code maintenance, recipe changes, and the impact on user experience.

Code Maintenance Challenges

• The speaker acknowledges the difficulties of maintaining old code while adapting to new features.

• Fixing code issues may take time due to complex dependencies.

Experimentation Approach

• The speaker criticizes Dango's approach of conducting experiments without proper user input or consent.

• Analogies are used to highlight how this experimentation feels like adding sawdust to hamburgers without considering customer satisfaction.

Importance of Sentence Discussions

• Despite claims about communities like Reddit being available for discussions, individual sentence comments within the app are preferred by users.

• Beginner learners are particularly affected by the removal of sentence discussions.

Impact on Language Learners and User Frustrations

This section highlights user frustrations regarding the impact on language learners and their desire for more information about the experiment's duration.

Impact on Language Learners

• The removal of sentence discussions disproportionately affects beginner language learners who rely on them for learning grammar and comprehension.

• Advanced learners may adapt better to these changes compared to beginners.

User Frustrations Expressed in Comments

• A user named lant expresses frustrations similar to those discussed in this video.

• They raise an important question about how long they will have no access to sentence discussions.

Dango's Response

• Tracy from Dango acknowledges the feedback and expresses intentions to improve communication.

• The need for more updates and information about the experiment's duration is emphasized.

The transcript provided does not cover the entire video, so the summary may not include all the content.

The Value of Sentence Discussions

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of sentence discussions and the value they bring to the learning experience.

Importance of Sentence Discussions

• Sentence discussions are valuable for enhancing the learning experience.

• They ensure that resources are utilized effectively to provide maximum value.

• The speaker acknowledges that they don't have information on experiment duration or outcomes but promises to update the community as soon as possible.

Responding to Feedback

This section focuses on how feedback should be addressed and highlights the need for effective communication.

Appropriate Response to Feedback

• It is unacceptable to dismiss complaints by not addressing them at all.

• The speaker compares this response to being grounded without knowing why or for how long.

• Effective communication is essential in responding to feedback and resolving issues.

Dingo's Communication and Code Update

This section discusses Dingo's communication strategy and a code update that has caused issues.

Communication Strategy and Code Update

• All previous communications from Dingo have been true so far.

• The speaker questions whether marketing and public relations teams at Dingo would have flagged any visibility issues with removing a loved feature from the app.

• There seems to be a coincidence in releasing it again under a paid system after causing inconvenience.

Introduction of Dual Lingo AI Functionality

This section introduces Dual Lingo's new AI functionality and raises concerns about its value compared to human assistance.

Introduction of Dual Lingo AI Functionality

• Dual Lingo introduces an AI language model that explains why answers are wrong, which was previously done by humans for free.

• The speaker questions the reliability of an AI model compared to a helpful community of language learners.

• It appears that monetizing this feature may not provide the same level of value as before.

Monetization and Customer Experience

This section discusses the monetization strategy and its impact on customer experience.

Monetization Strategy and Impact

• The speaker compares Dingo's approach to that of a fictional burger restaurant, where additional payment is required for a robot to fix mistakes in burgers.

• The focus on profits seems to have taken priority over providing a better customer experience.

• Shareholders may benefit from these decisions, but it raises questions about Dingo's original mission statement.

Dingo's Mission Statement

This section reflects on Dingo's mission statement and how it aligns with their current actions.

Reflection on Dingo's Mission Statement

• While acknowledging that individuals at Dingo are not evil or bad people, the speaker questions if they have lost sight of their original mission statement.

• Developing the best education and making it universally available seems to have taken a backseat to profit-driven decisions.

• The hope remains that individuals at Dingo still believe in spreading good education and making it accessible to more people.

Evolution of Dingo's Language Learning App

This section highlights the evolution of Dingo's language learning app from being free to introducing paid features.

Evolution of Dingo's Language Learning App

• Initially, anyone could access and learn languages for free through the app.

• Over time, paid features were introduced, gradually reducing the availability of certain functionalities.

• Currently, users need to pay £20 for certain privileges within the app.

Dualingo's Business Model

The speaker criticizes Dualingo's business model, which involves removing core functionality from the game and selling it separately. This results in users having to pay extra to access the full experience.

Dualingo's Shady Practices

• The speaker expresses disappointment with Dualingo's approach of removing core features and putting them behind a paywall.

• They highlight how this practice is not only prevalent in gaming but also in language learning apps like Dualingo.

• The speaker hopes that Dualingo will reconsider their strategy and focus on providing enticing offers for their AI subscription instead of removing features.

User Feedback and Feature Requests

• The speaker acknowledges that Dualingo does listen to user feedback and has implemented some feature requests made by the community.

• They mention two specific feature requests they made in a previous video that were added to the app: holding the two times multiplier and click-and-drag functionality on web.

• Despite frustrations with certain aspects of Dualingo, the speaker still finds it enjoyable but less effective than before.

Importance of Community and Language Learning

• The speaker emphasizes that the community aspect is one of Dualingo's strongest assets for effective language learning.

• They express concern about potentially losing this valuable community aspect due to changes in the app's business model.

Comparing Dualingo Education with American and British High School Systems

The speaker mentions an upcoming video where they will compare the educational approach of Dualingo with that of American and British high schools. They have done extensive research on this topic.

Upcoming Video Comparison

• The speaker announces an upcoming video where they will compare how education is delivered through Dualingo versus traditional high school systems in America and Britain.

• They mention conducting thorough research for this video, making it an interesting and informative watch.

• The video is expected to be released in the next month or two, and the speaker encourages viewers to subscribe to their channel for updates.

Sponsorship by Deutsch Academy

The speaker acknowledges that this video is sponsored by Deutsch Academy, a language learning institution. They share their positive experience with the academy's courses.

Sponsorship and Positive Experience

• The speaker reveals that they have been taking a language course with Deutsch Academy in Berlin for the past month.

• They express gratitude towards Deutsch Academy for sponsoring the video after initially paying for their course without revealing their identity.

• The speaker highlights reasons why they chose Deutsch Academy, including affordability, multiple locations, and previous positive experiences with their courses.

• They mention the benefits of immersive language learning through daily classes and homework assignments.

• Additionally, they mention that Deutsch Academy offers online courses for those unable to attend physical locations.

This summary provides an overview of the main points discussed in the transcript. It is important to refer to the original transcript for complete accuracy.