If I hear the word Twitter one more time... - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Yeah_Baby · 03-05-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RW99

This would not be accurate and paints everyone that uses the site with the same brush. There are plenty of people like me who only use Facebook for friends out of province/country. I have 27 friends and only 5 of them are in Canada. And these are actual friends. I deny plenty of friend requests and even have taken some off as well. And it's great to see photos of out of town friends, especially when you don't get to see them often or at all.

Also when trying to organize events with people all over, with diverse schedules Facebook is a god send.

Bobblehead · 03-05-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank the Tank

Is it like Skype? I use skype but I'm not familiar with Twitter.

No it is kind of like instant messaging, but you subscribe to the person who sends out their messages. Also, there is a strict character limit, so it is pretty much limited to a short sentence.

A lot of people sign up for their favourite blogger, or actor, and then when that person "Twits" something like "I farted" everyone who subscribed finds out. It seems to be a big deal to have more people subscribe to you, almost like webpage visits.

I read there is a few police departments in Arizona who are using it to send out traffic alerts.

llama64 · 03-05-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank the Tank

Is it like Skype? I use skype but I'm not familiar with Twitter.

It's a free form social network tool designed to help people keep other people informed about what they are up to. It's also meant for cell phone txt'ing though that feature is disabled in Canada thanks to our awful mobility market.

It has it's uses and is growing exponentially at the moment.

RougeUnderoos · 03-05-2009, 02:34 PM

For those who don't know...

"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?"

Basically, you can say what you are doing as often as you want, and your nerdy friends who are also on there can see what you are up to.

twitter.com has a few examples, and they are quite compelling...

Maggie: Just landed in LA

Ev: Waited all morning for PG&E

Molly: Wishes she could sleep more.

And if you were on there, I guess you'd get an update/notified when one of your friends makes an important announcement like this.

It's a headscratcher. I mean, who cares?

I was in a meeting with a guy once and while there, he twittered that he was in a meeting. He was no more important than me, but he felt the need to broadcast this little tidbit. I didn't feel the need, because I can't imagine anyone in their right mind would care. And then I'm sure he twittered about how full he was from lunch, and when he was leaving the office, when he got home...

It's even more pointless than most "personal blogs" out there.

"If you don't have something to say, say it anyway" seems to be the philosophy.

PsYcNeT · 03-05-2009, 02:44 PM

And this is why Smart Phones are becoming such a huge phenomena.

Why bother checking all this just when your SP (blackberry, iPhone, etc.) does phone, email, text messaging, facebook, twitter, myspace, msn, aim, google chat, etc. etc. etc.

peter12 · 03-05-2009, 02:49 PM

My work has shepherded most of the office into using Twitter to increase productivity. We are required to make 3 updates once a day or something lame. I've made like 2 in the past 8 weeks and no one has said anything.

c.t.ner · 03-05-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

For those who don't know...

"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?"

...

And if you were on there, I guess you'd get an update/notified when one of your friends makes an important announcement like this.

It's a headscratcher. I mean, who cares?

"If you don't have something to say, say it anyway" seems to be the philosophy.

I'll agree with you using Twitter to update what your lunch is or that your in a meeting is farily lame. Most of the people using are guilty of this and it's very common practice that's hard to avoid, but that is not what is making twitter so different.

If you want an example of something that makes twitter useful and even applicable to Calgary go to http://search.twitter.com and type in "yyc fire"

About six twitters in you'll find Calgary people posting (with pictures) about the unfortunate incident where the guy set himself on fire in front of the Harry Hayes building. http://twitter.com/lance_t/statuses/1203757698

People on twitter were talking about this seconds after it happened. Providing pictures and trying to figure out what happened. The only news media that responded just as fast was the CBC and that was because they were asking people on twitter to provide information and pictures.

If you go solely by the description of what twitter is on twitter.com, you'll miss the bigger point. It's real time streaming of content (unfortunately for some people that content means talking about their lunch) and it is what you make of it.

Personally, I've used twitter to start web projects with friends in the US and Scotland. I've also used it to help organize a group to web developers group in Calgary. I've also used it ask a question to a community to get real time answers. Many of the elements that make this forum great can be used in the same vein on twitter.

Stumptown · 03-05-2009, 03:51 PM

A lot of my friends were early adopters on Twitter (one friend is a VC who was involved in their first financing round), so I've watched it grow from a bunch of silicon valley types sharing moderately useful networking tidbits, to the jumble of junk it is now (especially since the media outlets latched on to it as another way to avoid doing their jobs). I made the vow early on that I would only follow people I know IRL, so I'm definitely in the minority. Also in the minority on content production - only reply when someone's actually asking something, and only post when it can be possibly construed as relevant to someone on my list, sometimes a note to self.

It has its uses. For one, my local movie theater sends out their weekly film schedule via Twitter, so I don't have to remember to look it up every week. But, for the most part, it's like being at a cocktail party with 60 people, only 2 of which are actually having an interesting conversation - everyone else is just blurting out short non sequitors to whoever will listen. Those same people who spend all their time complaining about their kids or their health in real live, assuming everyone else cares, will do the same thing on Twitter. But at least you don't have to pretend to pay attention.

StrayBullet · 03-05-2009, 03:53 PM

Twitter RULES! You all can see my radio show's playlist....

www.twitter.com/dirtyneedles

KTrain · 03-05-2009, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I read there is a few police departments in Arizona who are using it to send out traffic alerts.

The City of Calgary uses it to send out traffic alerts. Criminal investigations. Breaking news (i.e. flooding).

I like Twitter. I'm probably not using it to its fullest capabilities though. Following the exploits of Wil Wheaton and Jimmy Fallon isn't as interesting as one might think.

GirlySports · 03-05-2009, 03:55 PM

I like Twitter. I don't like facebook because of friends posting my drunk pictures.

@theCBE · 03-05-2009, 03:58 PM

I'm trying to get into it... I have a good friend who uses it a lot. I have also heard a lot about how its the newest best form of communication. So I signed up for an account. Started following a bunch of people and in turn they are following me.

Now I have found I have nothing to say.. and I feel kind of bad. Especially since most of the people following me seem to have very intersting things to write about.

Apparently having an account and not posting tweets, or whatever they are called is bad etiquette..

DementedReality · 03-05-2009, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

Consider this:

Number of ways the average person can stay in touch:

- Telephone (in some cases 2 or even 3 lines)
- Text messaging on or more devices
- Email, multiple accounts
- Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- MSN, AIM, ICQ, etc.

We're EASILY talking 7-10 ways for someone to get a hold of you, and on the flip side, 7-10 devices/accounts we're supposed to be responsible for checking. It's too damn much and I'm sick of it.

/End rant. Thanks for the thread.

why? whats the problem? to me it sounds like a contrarian position just for the sake of it. these tools are the ways of the future, embrace them or get left behind.

i happen to like it all, in fact the one i use the least is the phone.

you forgot Skype, which is easily the most useful and productive.

DementedReality · 03-05-2009, 06:04 PM

how do i get it to email me notification that a tweet was posted by someone i was following?

c.t.ner · 03-05-2009, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DementedReality

how do i get it to email me notification that a tweet was posted by someone i was following?

I haven't found an app that does that for you. Maybe one of the clients can do that for you. Give it two weeks and I'm sure someone will build an app to do just that.

You can use http://search.twitter.com and just paste your tweet or your user name to see if it brings up anything.

Barnes · 03-05-2009, 06:49 PM

@Barnes

Thor · 03-05-2009, 06:49 PM

Twitter might have some good applications where it makes sense and is useful.

The problem is Twitter and the news media. Example the idiot congresspeople on their blackberries 'twittering' during Obama's speech!

Not to mention the horribly annoying CNN use for it, when you have to see jackidiot99 commenting on the 'ticker' during a CNN show.

If I want idiots to give me their input on the economy or anything, I'll goto the internet message boards for that; please lets not destroy news reporting anymore than we have by making 'twittering' a replacement for the horrible news tracker at the bottom of newscasts.

Stumptown · 03-05-2009, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DementedReality

how do i get it to email me notification that a tweet was posted by someone i was following?

That kind of defeats the purpose, because all Twitter does is show you posts by people you're following. So you're basically asking your e-mail to do the same thing that Twitter does intrinsically. There are many Twitter clients out there (much like IM clients) that you can run so you don't have to use a browser to read and post.

BTW - you can set Twitter to send you e-mails for direct messages.

What I'm hoping for is a "digest" kind of thing. I have my client up all the time, and I've got a few contacts who are a little hyperactive, and really don't want to get tweeted 60 times a day while I'm working. 'twould be nice to get a client that just shows you a list of your contacts and how many tweets and when, then I can sort through their posts when I have the patience. I'm really hoping that will be the next step in the evolution of Twitter clients.

DementedReality · 03-05-2009, 07:05 PM

can you give me a link to a Twitter desktop client? i an such a n00b

metallicat · 03-05-2009, 07:24 PM

If you guys keep talking about it, I'm going to end up going to the website to sign up. And I don't want to do that.