Dear Software Makers

YouTube is introducing an A/B testing feature that allows creators to publish different video variants to see which performs best, but YouTuber Marques Brownlee argues against using it, warning that it undermines the shared viewing experience that makes videos cultural phenomena and breaks the unspoken community rule that everyone watches the same content. Brownlee's broader critique applies to software makers generally: optimizing metrics often removes creative elements, and creators should focus on storytelling and conviction rather than obsessively chasing performance data, as YouTube's own insecurity about its identity led to this feature in the first place.