How does Twitter work?

nancy sv · May 16, 2008

How does Twitter Work? And Twitter tools and toys and whatnot...

I opened an account a week or so ago, but I really don't get it. Can someone explain what it's all about? Why would anyone want to read a bunch of one-sentence blurbs about what someone is doing right now?

Dawno · May 16, 2008

nancy sv said:
I opened an account a week or so ago, but I really don't get it. Can someone explain what it's all about? Why would anyone want to read a bunch of one-sentence blurbs about what someone is doing right now?

Heh - good question. I'm just a lemming.

NJFoster · May 17, 2008

nancy sv said:
I opened an account a week or so ago, but I really don't get it. Can someone explain what it's all about? Why would anyone want to read a bunch of one-sentence blurbs about what someone is doing right now?

I agree, I keep reading about it but just don't 'get it'

nancy sv · May 17, 2008

I'm sure it would be great for us on our trip - if I was willing to send in a little message every couple of hours. But I'm not willing to do that...

mjlpsu · May 17, 2008

I use it a bit. I have it connected to the blog, so my feed posts as well. I mostly put up little things that I wouldn't otherwise include in the blog.
I'm ChinaMatt.

Adam Israel · May 17, 2008

For those that don't get it, I'll do my best to explain it from my perspective.

It's the flash fiction of blogging, in bite-sized chunks of 140 characters or less.

It's another method of networking. A way for friends, family, or fans to get more of a glimpse into the portion of your life you're willing to share.

laffarsmith · May 25, 2008

I have a Twitter account but never have gotten into the habit of tweeting. I've just never seen much point. The conversations don't seem to gel together because it only shows the tweets from each individual and not the other tweeted responses. It's like blog comments that don't interact with each other, loveless.

Still, with it's popularity is always sounds like something we should all be into from a marketing perspective. I guess the real question is do you feel you would gain more from time committed to twitter than you would with whatever else you spend that time doing?

At the moment at least, my answer is no.

Adam Israel · May 25, 2008

laffarsmith said:
The conversations don't seem to gel together because it only shows the tweets from each individual and not the other tweeted responses. It's like blog comments that don't interact with each other, loveless.

That depends on the client you use, I think. The one I use, Twitterific, does that but it's Mac-only.

Ava Jarvis · May 28, 2008

I often get into conversations with others on Twitter. It's not just about your updates, and it's not just about someone else's updates---it's about updates from people you're interested in.

The Twitter conversations I've had are kind of like broadcast IMs---and if you're a follower of both people involved in a conversation, you see both ends if you like.

If you follow people, many of them will follow you back, and you'll get to see plenty of conversation.

If you twitter interesting things, people will find you and follow you.

Twitter goes beyond little updates every few minutes, or just twittering what you're doing. It's micro-blogging and networking with people. Especially networking is important.

And then there's FriendFeed.

I'm

http://twitter.com/ArachneJericho

and

http://friendfeed.com/arachnejericho

wordsmith · Jun 1, 2008

I tweet.

I'm emsgeiss over there. I also use twitterfeed, which tweets recent blog posts. It probably works like FriendFeed above, which I will now have to check out.

NJFoster · Jun 20, 2008

actually I think I am understanding it now.

For those of us that blog it can be quite a powerful tool, and for those looking to network

There is a link to a free ebook about it on my blog here

follow the links, its a very interesting read.

p.s. my twitter account http://twitter.com/recruitmentnick

LIVIN · Jun 20, 2008

Should I Twitter? Or, Tweet, as it were?

L M Ashton · Jul 15, 2008

I'm thinking about it. Convince me?

Dawno · Jul 15, 2008

Twitter is much in the tech blogs and feeds recently - lots of problems with scaling, downtime, features fitzing out. Don't know what they're going to do - get some venture cap.? Doesn't hurt to sign up. There are some folk who use it a lot and love it.

Dawno · Jul 16, 2008

L M Ashton said:
Yeah, see, Dawno, that post just wasn't altogether convincing, ya know? And yet, I signed up anyway. And now I'm ~~stalking~~ following a whole bunches of yous...

I plan to tweet from WorldCon in August, but unless I'm doing something like that, I haven't used it much. I could do it from my cell phone, I just keep forgetting! Which makes me think that Twitter isn't particularly the right medium for an ol' fart with chronic CRS.

L M Ashton · Jul 16, 2008

Dawno, what's CRS?

Deleted member 42 · Jul 16, 2008

Dawno said:
I could do it from my cell phone, I just keep forgetting! Which makes me think that Twitter isn't particularly the right medium for an ol' fart with chronic CRS.

Well, no, but it should work fine for you Dawno.

Dawno · Jul 16, 2008

L M Ashton said:
Dawno, what's CRS?

Can't Remember Sh!t

Medievalist said:
Well, no, but it should work fine for you Dawno.

Ha!! Do I know you? You're that guy who got the MFA in Faulkner studies, right?

writergirl08 · Jul 16, 2008

Fun thread! I just joined Twitter this week and haven't even sent a "tweet" out yet, I'm such a newbie! I'll go through and add the people on this thread. Here's mine: http://twitter.com/stephaniedube

Btw, how do you attach your blog to twitter for blog updates? I haven't figured out much about Twitter except how to follow people.

L M Ashton · Jul 16, 2008

Yeah, I see that. I just got a notification that you're following me.

As for your question - uh, I dunno. *shrugs* I just got there myself.

Dawno said:
Can't Remember Sh!t

Ah, that. I couldn't remember what it was called.

art nerd · Jul 16, 2008

Dawno said:
I plan to tweet from WorldCon in August, but unless I'm doing something like that, I haven't used it much. I could do it from my cell phone, I just keep forgetting! Which makes me think that Twitter isn't particularly the right medium for an ol' fart with chronic CRS.

I plan to tweet from San Diego Comic-Con which is next week. At least that's the plan. I don't know if I'll be able to tweet, buy stuff, and take pictures at the same time.

art nerd · Jul 16, 2008

writergirl08 said:
Btw, how do you attach your blog to twitter for blog updates? I haven't figured out much about Twitter except how to follow people.

I just link my blog posts manually. You can link your RSS feed via TwitterFeed.com, but the site is down at the moment.

L M Ashton · Jul 17, 2008

Nancy, I hadn't realized you'd already left on your bike trip. Until I started following you on Twitter and now I can see that you're in Whitehorse.

Have a great trip, eh?

Also, and I sent this to you via Twitter as well, you can put your Twitter feed on your blog/website if you want. Just so you're aware of the possibilities.

Amynta · Jul 19, 2008

I tweet: http://twitter.com/workingtitlecms

I also use the TwitterFox addon to keep track of tweets.

Nicki B · Jul 23, 2008

How useful do you guys find it is to tweet?

How does Twitter work?

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