-
Website
http://www.mobileindustryreview.com/ -
Original page
http://www.mobileindustryreview.com/2008/12/a_twitter_debate_with_james_whatley.html -
Subscribe
All Comments -
Community
-
-
Top Commenters
-
Popular Threads
Given how unfriendly the whole experience is to newbies I'm amazed that they have as many users as they do, and at the same time not surprised. I *want* to join in, but it's just too hard.
/m
£0.02.
/m
It isn't the place to go if you want to focus on conversations that are all interesting to you, but neither's the pub.
I like the idea of it but again, I haven't the foggiest whats going on with it most of the time...
....
In other news, one of our chickens escaped! OMG! (just knew y'all needed to know that)
....
(I'll get me coat - mine's the one that updates all its fellow items of clothing as to where it's being worn)
Twitter has lots of people, but you need to learn how to get the best from Twitter.
Don't feel bad if it does not make sense, the biggest question around twitter, after "how will they ever make money?", is "what is the point of this?"
That sounds suspiciously like an order. And I tend to respond to them badly!
Tools are used for whatever people find them useful for - if you dislike the way someone uses their pencil case then (notwithstanding legal considerations), you are completely within your rights to do di*k all about it.
If we want to apply rules to twitter, shouldn't we assess in terms of the home page of Twitter itself,...
"Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?"
What you're suggesting seems to run contrary to Twitter's understanding of it's own purpose - so, essentially, you're proposing that we modify the use of a tool. And if you can do it, so can everyone else.
High horse no longer required - dismount.
Twitter works for a couple of reasons, and one of them is that it's simple. Simple tools can often work well for lots of purposes: a screwdriver can screw in screws (or out) or it can be used to open a can of paint.
Let people decide how they want to use it. That way we get exciting things like http://www.stocktwits.com/ and hashtags and stuff like that.
2) In the way that light behaves like a particle AND like a wave, Twitter behaves partly like a chatroom (as you discovered last night) and partly like a bulletin board (yes - "bulletin board", not the more sophisticated "forum".) This ambiguity can be confusing at first, but only if you're trying to apply linear narrative analytic techniques (I so want to add the words "bourgeois" and "patriarchal" in there -- but shall resist.)
Go - as they say - with the flow. It will help you if you use something like Twhirl with the Growl notifier (PC users - I don't know what the Windows equivalent of Growl is, I'm afraid). That way you'll see little notes pop up in your peripheral vision. Ambient messaging. Very nice.
Hope this is useful
For those that just don't get Twitter, why it can be useful and generally positive you should read this Wired article on how Twitter creates a 'Social Sixth Sense' - http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/magazine/15-...
And for those who are convinced Twitter is a waste of time, only for attention seekers who want to share what they had for breakfast, you'll love 'Twitter Whore' - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ALbH63Ali9U&featu...
You can experiment with the @ replies in your account settings to filter the noise, if that's what you're looking for. You can choose to not see @ replies directed towards people you do not follow. However, seeing those @ replies is also a good way to find new people to follow. You never know, you may just see something or someone interesting in one of those tweets that makes the rest of the chatter totally worthwhile.
@adelemcalear