Whether by grand design or coincidence, Twitter seems to be going through some interesting changes recently, saying goodbye to some important figures from its past and making us wonder just what kind of updates we should be expecting, in 140 characters or less.
Last week, the company lost its Chief Scientist, as Abdur Chowdhury announced his departure via – what else? – a tweet that referenced Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:
“So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish @twitter was an amazing experience & even greater set of people.”
Chowdhury’s departure is only the latest in an increasingly long line of original Twitter staff leaving the company. Not only have co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams left within the last year, but so has former VP Jason Goldman.
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Perhaps more unexpectedly, half of the money raised by Twitter during its last round of fundraising – $400 million – is going not towards new technology, but cashing out early investors, with two of those investors also stepping down from their positions on Twitter’s board of directors.
Whether these changes will bring more stability to a company that’s been known for behind-the-scenes drama in its short career to date, or simply herald an all-new era of infighting and squabbles, remains to be seen.
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Graeme McMillan is a reporter at TIME. Find him on Twitter at @Graemem or on Facebook at Facebook/Graeme.McMillan. You can also continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.