Two Slashes

I think it’s been somewhere around two or three weeks since I got my Twitter account.  And since then, I’ve either found that people already have an account and are more than happy to follow me (especially the fine folk in #hak5…), or they don’t (most commonly because they don’t have a clue what it is or see a point).

So perhaps it’s within reason for me to clarify A) what Twitter is and B) why, even though it’s intended to show off what you’re doing, it’s nothing to do with your typical social networking status.

So, first things, first…what is Twitter?  In the service’s own words:

What is it?
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? Bloggers can use it as a mini-blogging tool. Developers can use the API to make Twitter tools of their own. Possibilities are endless!

While this might be the “official” response, I think it’s a little skewed from what actually goes on “inside the club”.  If I had to write their blurb, it would probably read something more like this:

What is it?
Twitter allows groups of interconnected individuals to share their thoughts, actions, discoveries, and other [Internet-based] content they might find interesting.  The uses of Twitter extend from the occasional mini-blog post to a more flexible and involving alternative to RSS feeds, to even providing a platform for publicly-interactive applications.

(I know, I should be their press writer.)  Anyway, most of the outsiders (like Justin here) see the post field (with the 140-character limit), the extensive lists of previous posts (called “tweets” in Twitterese), and the equivalent to “friending” someone and instantly see it as a glorified Facebook status.  While that may be what the original intention was, the platform has quickly expanded into a monster of its own.

Perhaps what sets Twitter apart from my usual definition of statuses is that it has become more interactive, more like an ongoing, open-air conversation.  For example, the public timeline is like walking through a crowded room and catching glimpses of conversations.  Naturally, something’s going to pique your interest at some point, and it’s then and there that you can investigate further.  Yes, there are the people who announce that they’re going to pilates, but you also get a group of people who respond to each other.  Did you just share a link?  Well, perhaps @someone found it useful and has a recommendation for you too.

When you compare the two, MySpace, Facebook, and the other typical networks are all about drawing your circle in the sand, and inviting all of your friends to step inside; if you’re not in the circle, you’re not worth listening to and your opinions are irrelevant.  Twitter, Jaiku, and some of the other alternatives erase that circle; yes, you can surround yourself with your friends, but at the end of the day, there are plenty of other (usually friendly) people who can hear you…and you can hear them too.

And I didn’t even get into the expandability aspect yet.  Sure, Facebook lets you update via text message, but I haven’t seen any really interesting applications that integrate so nicely as some of the Twitter applications do.  Seriously, will Facebook let you know about your packages?  And some people find it a rather adaptable alternative to RSS feeds; no reader (or associated configuration) required, it’s accessible anywhere you are, and you still get the notifications about what’s new at your favorite site you’re looking for.  (If you’re a Twitter user, you might have noticed that sometimes I plug TechCentric or my new posts from here…same idea.)

You can blame Web 2.0 for even coming up with an idea along the lines of Twitter.  But even if the idea isn’t catchy to you, apparently it was to the bigwigs considered to be the forefront of all things tech, like Leo Laporte or Kevin Rose, or any of the newer media faces.  And you know what mob mentality is like…

Unfortunately, even I think I sound like a raving lunatic.  Call it my effort to make myself universally accessible, whatever you like, but I really recommend that you at least try it out.  The service is free, and if anything else…you can follow me.