Twitter

[Giovanni Schwartz]

Chh... No you're not. Barack Obama has a Twitter! So does John McCain! If they can do it, so can you! (Plus we like you better.)

[C is for]

If I joined Twitter everyone would hate me because I would be all in everyone's conversations all the time. I've got my secret way of looking at things but won't post using it and won't get my own. Answergirl, we can stay strong. Unless you feel like you have things to tweet about. In which case, I look forward to seeing them.

[Giovanni Schwartz]

Are you even able to stalk me? Or does Twitter simply fail at being private?

[C is for]

I'm not telling you my secret.

[Laser Jock]

Slightly off-topic, but man, I really fail to see the appeal of Twitter. I've been trying ever since I found out about it a while back, and I still don't get it. Not to criticize anyone who uses it (which, it would appear, includes a large number of people here); I guess social media just isn't my thing.

Would anyone like to try to explain, though, what the allure is? Why does anyone care? Also, is there any reasonable way of reading a whole conversation? The few times I've glanced at someone's Twitter feed, it's been full of random replies to various other people's feeds, and it was really annoying to try to find the specific messages that were replying to each other and actually trace the conversation.

[bobtheenchantedone]

I don't really like the whole conversation part of it, because yeah, it can be very difficult to read. I mainly use mine for the times I feel compelled to write something on the internet but don't have much to say.

[yellow m&m]

I love twitter, but I can't really explain why. It just rocks. and makes me happy.

(I'm here if anyone cares)

[Dragon Lady]

Slightly off-topic, but man, I really fail to see the appeal of Twitter. I've been trying ever since I found out about it a while back, and I still don't get it. Not to criticize anyone who uses it (which, it would appear, includes a large number of people here); I guess social media just isn't my thing.

Would anyone like to try to explain, though, what the allure is? Why does anyone care? Also, is there any reasonable way of reading a whole conversation? The few times I've glanced at someone's Twitter feed, it's been full of random replies to various other people's feeds, and it was really annoying to try to find the specific messages that were replying to each other and actually trace the conversation.

Yeah, but you also don't get the appeal of writing a blog, either. And since Twitter is like a mini-blog, why would you expect to see the appeal? It's like when you just want to tell the world at large something, you'd typically write a blog about it. Like, a rant about how people shouldn't substitute for butter in baking because it is JUST NOT RIGHT! (That was for you. ) You could also post a new thread in this forum. Though, that might be better suited for a rant about misusing statistics as seen on a Board question. (Y'know, since this IS a Board board.) But sometimes you just want to tell the world something small. Something that, perhaps, takes up 140 characters or less. Sure, you could post it on the Random Ramblings thread, but what if you want a different or more broad audience? Twitter!

Yeah, the conversations are a bit annoying, especially if you don't follow everyone in the conversation, so you're only getting part of a conversation. Or if you're looking at just their page so you only get one part of a conversation. If you do follow all of them (like all of the @byuAliasHere) and you have a program like Tweetie, you can get the conversation in, well, a conversation-esque form. But it's still a wee bit annoying, because who cares about reading a conversation between two people that has nothing to do with you? Use the Direct Messaging for that, friends. Replying is fun for once or twice. Retweeting something awesome is good, too.

Oh, another great use for it. Sending the world at large the most awesome website you just came across. A new favorite game or great pictures, or a cartoon, or a ridiculous news article. You don't have to chat at all the friends you think might be interested. You don't even require a reply. You just want to share the awesomeness. Twitter!

And do you know how hard it is to make up examples without saying things I've actually shared on Twitter because it'd be a dead giveaway of my identity for anyone who knows how to search on Twitter? [sigh] You know how to find me on Twitter. Go to and read my last several posts to get examples for the above reasons.

[ahem.]

Oh, another great use for it. Sending the world at large the most awesome website you just came across. A new favorite game or great pictures, or a cartoon, or a ridiculous news article. You don't have to chat at all the friends you think might be interested. You don't even require a reply. You just want to share the awesomeness. Twitter!

This actually bugs me a tiny bit. Mostly because most of my twitter interactions are through updates to my phone, which does not have internet access. I can read what you say, but not follow links.

[yellow m&m]

Oh, another great use for it. Sending the world at large the most awesome website you just came across. A new favorite game or great pictures, or a cartoon, or a ridiculous news article. You don't have to chat at all the friends you think might be interested. You don't even require a reply. You just want to share the awesomeness. Twitter!

This actually bugs me a tiny bit. Mostly because most of my twitter interactions are through updates to my phone, which does not have internet access. I can read what you say, but not follow links.

This is my biggest annoyance, too. I'm always wishing for a computer so I can click on the links.

[Wisteria]

Hm, Laser Jock, you don't see the appeal of blogs? And yet you *read* them . . .
I also stay away from Twitter. Between my blog and Facebook, all my bases are covered. I so much prefer one-on-one communication, anyway. I love exchanging email with friends- or even better, phone calls or actually getting together to do things. When I do want to share things with the world, I can post it on my Facebook account or on my blog, depending on who I want to know. Works for me. It also keeps my life from getting too entrapped in my computer.

[TheAnswerIs42]

I'm with Wisteria. I blog, but it is a family blog so my mom can see pictures of her grandkids, and so I can have a record of what my family is up to. Twitter doesn't appeal to me. If I have one sentence to say, usually I have a specific person to say it to.

[Laser Jock]

@Dragon Lady: thanks for the attempt at explaining. I know this isn't our first conversation about Twitter, but I do appreciate when anyone tries to answer my questions.

Hm, Laser Jock, you don't see the appeal of blogs? And yet you *read* them . . .

I don't see the appeal of writing a blog myself. Other people have something interesting to say. (Well, sometimes. If they don't, I unsubscribe in Google Reader.) What would I have to say that people would care about? (My answer, after long thought, is pretty much nothing.)

[bismark]

I am pretty [sure] Dragon Lady just repeated all of the arguments I made when I was trying to convince her to join Twitter two years ago..

[Wisteria]

Can "I am pretty Dragon Lady" be one of our title bar quotes?

[Marduk]

Can "I am pretty Dragon Lady" be one of our title bar quotes?

Seconded.

[C is for]

Can "I am pretty Dragon Lady" be one of our title bar quotes?

Seconded.

So were we going to nominate this or was I supposed to put it up right away?

I can put it up. Behold.

[Dragon Lady]

So, I haven't been on here for a few days. Imagine my surprise, and utter confusion, when I saw today's title bar.

[Wisteria]

This is beautiful. I am giggling to myself.

[NerdGirl]

This is me, if anyone cares:
http://twitter.com/kemoncrieff

But I really haven't figured out how the whole thing works yet.