A solution in search of a problem?
Could someone, please, tell me the draw of Twitter? I've heard chirpings (heheh) about it over the last couple months so I know it's an up-and-coming web-based social networking... thing... but, just, why?
I went up there yesterday (and again today) because I was supposed to be tracking client coverage there (how, exactly? There is no search feature...) and nearly as I can tell, the only thing people are doing is posting what they're doing. Which would be... posting something to the Internet? I just can't see why anyone would want to spend time posting what they're doing to the Internet when they could, I don't know, actually be DOING the thing it is they're posting about? Chicken and egg, anyone?
Seriously, I'm either social-network challenged or I'm missing something. Or both. Probably both. :) Or, at a minimum, leading a very dull life, because I can't seem to find enough material to post on my blog daily, let alone once an hour or every ten minutes. My twitter entries would go something like this:
"Working!"
"Still Working!"
"Eating dried apricots! and working!"
"Taking the dog out!"
"Working."
I don't know about the rest of you, but *I* don't find that terribly interesting. Somebody please, clue me in!
Comments
That dried apricot thing was fascinating! I think it's like blogging for people who (literally) can't string two sentences together, right? (Well, sort-of literally. There's no actual string involved.)
Posted by: Scott![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.rathnait.net/blog/nav-commenters.gif)
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May 1, 2007 04:27 PM
I dunno, I signed up today just to see what it was. My jury's still out...so far I'm like *shrug*
Posted by: Yogamum | May 1, 2007 04:48 PM
I had never heard of it but it sorta looks like a weird combo of IM & blogging - I've got enough other stuff to keep me busy!
Posted by: Ra | May 2, 2007 01:29 AM
I am seriously in love with Twitter. But it's not really about what you post - it's more about following like-minded people; getting news updates, and tapping into a stream of information that's easily digestible.
For example, when the hailstorm hit this afternoon, I saw a flurry of twitter posts from other PDX people & could track the storm's progress. Shortly after, I got an update from the local daily, with video.
And it's also how I've learned about breaking news: the VT massacre, Google buying Doubleclick, and other news.
The trick is to start following people - and then follow via IM or a standalone client - I use Twitterific for the Mac. It's just a little window that updates constantly, and it's a great way to stay in touch with the outside world/other people, but it's not as distracting as reading blogs/RSS reader.
Posted by: Betsy | May 2, 2007 07:58 PM
i just heard about it recently but to me it just seems like next generation blog software, the natural progression of a blog. or maybe actually a complement to blogging, for short, instaneous updates when things are happening. i think that something like this (if not twitter itself) is going to become commonplace like flickr or myspace.
my dad doesn't understand why anyone would want to post what they are doing to the internet either, but by that he means he doesn't understand why anyone blogs. most of us would have probably said the same thing 10 years ago.
Posted by: jen | May 3, 2007 09:44 AM
I have a twitter acct. & have no idea why! ~F
Posted by: FrancesM | May 5, 2007 01:02 PM