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What Is Everyone Twittering About?

Overheard on Twitter:

Twitterific Icon More than a few have emailed or commented to me asking about Twitter, my thoughts on it, and why I added the "twitter this" button under my face on the right. Those are all good questions.

I wish I had some definitive answers. I'm still not convinced what it's ultimate purpose will be, but one thing it has done for me is give me the ability to monitor the thought streams of "My Friends" on Twitter. While it's true that some of that though stream is just plain silly, a good number of interesting nuggets of thought and links to sites I might not have found otherwise have come as a result. I use a Mac only application called Twitteriffic. It makes it simple to monitor the "micro blogs" coming from these friends. Here are a few examples:

Robert Scoble: "Many devs I meet are going to Macs and won't likely to switch back to Windows to develop apps (at least in startups)."

Paul Terry Walhus: "http://www.austin360.com/ne... is today's Austin American Statesman piece about twitter"

dan7 (Australia): "checking out the 100 year photoblog. http://www.shorpy.com/"

Michael Arrington: " ok, news is announced. press release (our first) will go over the wires in about an hour. http://tinyurl.com/29sg3a" (Strong Words, and an apparent April Fool's joke)

Michael Arrington: " first joost commercial...i expected something a little more exciting. http://tinyurl.com/2aklgv" (Joost)

Jason Calacanis if twitter down time is any indication they are going to be 2x as big as EBAY"

Loren Nason: "working on a project blogger site"

Paul Chaney: "This could get addictive. . .for a while at least"

Ines Hegedus-Garcia: "Reading: "The JottBlog Experiment" (http://tinyurl.com/2qyqtg)"

Pat Kitano: "Jeff Turner ResPres has gotten me into twittering... he has his pulse on everything techneat." (thanks, Pat!)

ResPres "Having Fun" at the new Sellsius site: http://sellsiusrealestate.com"

Twitter does not give me access to information older than 24 hours in my friends stream. These are just a few tidbits from the past 24 hours. Where is this going? I don't know for sure. The point is, I don't need to know for sure. It has already provided value and a way to connect with people and ideas I certainly would not have otherwise. Heck, CNN started streaming breaking news there, so who knows what's coming next.

Should you check it out? Sure. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If you do go sign up, come back here and try the "Twitter This" button. Then you'll know why I did it.

Can I guarantee you'll "get it?" No. I'm not sure I do. :)

Posted by Jeff Turner on 03/31/2007 04:51 PM

Comments (23)

twitter, blogging, soc

Originally posted at: Turner's Perspective: What Is Everyone Twittering About?

Post is included in group: The Hubba Clubba...ROAR!

23 Comments on What Is Everyone Twittering About?

MAR

2007

Jeff--I just don't get it...My teenagers would I suppose. Sounds like the random things they spout out from time to time. Maybe I shouldn't have checked out what was being twittered at 9pm on a Sat eve though...hmm! Thanks for the interesting post!

I can see this really going in a great direction if all blogs had the "twitter this" button - other than that....I just went back to check out our "thought process" and it's so random I don't get anything from it - I promise I'll be patient. I can see how this would be more helpful in your industry.

Ines... let's think about that for a moment. I know Loren Nason at The Future Of Real Estate Technology proclaimed Twitter as a non-event for real estate agents, but I wouldn't be so quick.

This idea isn't ready to die yet. What if you could create multiple "friend" channels, so you could feed an RSS of your real estate pro twitter's to your website? What if each one were turned into a micropost? I'm just flying by the seat of my pants here... I know what the people at Twitter intended this for, but who cares. Their intentions may not drive it's ultimate value.

I found this quote at Kotke.org:

"The reaction to Twitter mirrors the initial reaction to weblogs...the same tired "this is going to ruin the web" and "who cares what you ate for dinner" arguments.

Also like blogs, everyone has their own unique definition of what Twitter is (stripped down blogs, public IM, Dodgeball++, etc.), and to some extent, everyone is correct. Maybe that's when you know how you've got a winner: when people use it like mad but can't fully explain the appeal of it to others."

He has some interesting insights.

Jeff, did you say Twitter is MAC only? I never have been good at the speed reading thing so it's frustrating to get only little snippets. I guess I'll have to check it out some more.

APR

2007

Bonnie, no it's not mac only. The app i'm using to monitor it is, it's calle Twitterific. Trust me, I know how silly that sounds.

Teri... I wouldn't give up any sleep over this yet, that's for sure! :)

Jeff - I don't agree that this is a "non-event" for real estate agents - I think it could be a useful tool, once others join in of course and the communication becomes relevant. I personally think it's a great tool to see what you're looking at on line and others like selsius and Paul Chaney - I always wonder where you guys find all the interesting articles - you spend a lot more time on-line than we do since we do have to hit the pavements.

APR

2007

I signed up......... but I still don't get it. LOL

{SVW Hubba}...

Someone else mentioned Twitter to me today. So I came into your tags and found this post.

I don't see the purpose? Why do I have folks telling me I need to Twitter?

TLW...ROAR!

APR

2007

IF one twitters would they be considered a TWIT? :)

Jeff, reading your blogs always makes me realize that I don't know jack! You are so way ahead of me where technology is concerned. The sad part is that you're being so nice by providing the info and I still don't understand it! Last week I tried a couple of your suggestions (Jott and Grand Central) but I think I'm about to throw in the towel and take up macrame again. oh woe is me... :-(

Fran... I don't know about anyone else, but I'm definitely a twit.

Maggie, the key is you are trying... throw it against the wall and if it sticks, great. If not, so what. Not everything is right for everyone. Finding what works for YOU is what's the key.

Jeff, I bet you're one of the nicest dads ever.

Thanks!

Maggie, don't ask my 6 year old that question right now... he's been a bit of a terror lately and dad hasn't been very happy! :)

Awww Jeff, kids never realize how good Mom & Dad are, do they? Hold your ground! My 12 year-old swears I'm out to get her all the time. The 15 year-old is a bit more reasonable. I'm sure you and Rocky rock in the parenting department.

AUG

2007

Are you still Twittering? I thought I found it from something you wrote on AR but I am sure not this far back... I joined but I still don't really think I get it.

Marc Davison gave a presentation at our company meeting Tuesday and recommended it.

Maureen... I knew Marc was going to be in your area. I can see apps being built on it's API to allow more effective group communication. Here is my twitter link. http://twitter.com/ResPres

Marc hasn't twittered in 11 days... he must be busy. :)

DEC

2007

Jeff... I just joined twitter after reading a post by Ginger Wilcox. I went to it, signed up, and wrote a little tid bit about who I was and what I was doing, but I still don't get it... what's the point? Is it similar to the facebook status updates?

FEB

2008

Jeff...did you get rid of the 'twitterthis' button? update me.

FEB

2008

Joy... I did. I change out the sidebar elements every once in a while and that was one that I deleted. I'd be happy to put it back and provide the code if you'd like.

Well, depends on the benefits. I just signed up last night after reading your blog and doing some research, and brainstorming how to use it. What was your mindset in using Twitter? What benefits have you seen? The thought occurs that as a mortgage guy I could twitter rates often (daily?), except that despite popular advertising, rates really can change depending on the needs and situation of the borrower. Okay, this is getting long. Maybe I should post a Members Only and widen the discussion. Thanks for your input.

MAY

I was asked on Mother's Day, family visiting "Do I know what is twitter?" I said it was text messaging. They said well it is like text messaging. It seemed to be a bunt joke in the lack of me not knowing by my response and they knew and they didn't tell me what it was either. I did say, "I don't twitter and don't do blogging neither, but I do Answers." Strangely no one said anything about Answers. I'm sure in the mainframe of mind the thought was on their part "What is Answers?" It seems those that do ask "What are you doing?" actually don't have anything to do at the time they are doing it. It would be perfect for those getting ready to commit suicide. Maybe people could give them something to live for in conversation. A Life Support System for your life as Tech Support for your computer when you don't know what to do with your errors. Whomever thought of it needed a reason for the thought. I came across this spot because I Web Searched, "What is twittering?" So now what, am I more educated?

I do hope to live and see humankind go to other planets and all of the diverse preferences can live in their own world. Only thing though the same people of like preferences will wind up with a planet of no existence. There is a reason for M&F, but M&M and F&F will get you nobody. It's like seedless grapes. God did not create anything without seeds. Otherwise you have no more fruit. Just because you gathered fruit doesn't make preferences OK! If humanity doesn't get a handle on his preferences, i.e., cannibalism will become a new delight for a chicken sandwich; babies will make perfect appetizers; the TEN words of the 10 commandments will become "THOU SHALT DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE FOR YOUR PREFERENCES." No man or woman created this earth.

If F&F has to gather fertilizer from a bank to put into your own self and M&M puts themselves in places where the body gets rid of fecal bacteria and germs; how can anyone in humanity see this as mentally stable and calls it a legal preference to make it OK. Those who rape, murder, molest, have sadistic ways, cut themselves to put their lips on their feet are PREFERENCES. When will the majority of society end this new term of differences for children of the future's benefit. A new society is being created in making unrighteousness a new way of life and demanding its acceptance.

If you don't believe their is a God you will when you see him by yourself at judgement and must explain your TWIT PREFERENCES. Only thing though when you ask for mercy he will say, "The measure of mercy is mine" and you forfeit the Kingdom of God. But I'm sure there must be those who will say, "Who is God anyway?" [AGAIN, who made the moon and the earth and who put the water on it and who put you on it? It wasn't your mama and your daddy's grandparents!]

ARE YOU HEARING ME!

If you need help, please send me an email to angel@divinetabernacle.com.

OK I'm through twittering; YOUR TURN!!!

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