I changed my mind. Twitter rocks – but only if you use the Internet to communicate: email, Facebook, blogs etc. If you don’t it is as pointless as setting up an email account and not telling anyone about it… nothing will happen. My personal use of Twitter has been to share experiences and validate thoughts. The fact that Twitter does nothing more than allow you to answer one question helps vindicate the uncomfortable thought that you are simply powering the ego…
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Emma Mulqueeny 
Hurrah!
The thing I like most about what we call new web, which includes Twitter is that no-one is there saying “Buy Me”, “Special Offer”, “Last Few Days” etc etc. These tools are (generally) produced by people who want to openly share their ideas and are saying “Have a look and if it fits with your style, join in … if not that’s fine as well”.
Twitter isn’t for everyone, I try to give love to Twitter and respect the question it asks and answer with What I am Doing, but Twitter also works for canvassing views, asking for help and pointless chit chat and banter about life and the world – which is what we all enjoy with face to face friendships anyway; only here its possible on a huge worldwide scale.
Finally, here’s a thought – in the 9 or so months i’ve been on Twitter i’ve never once been hassled, asked to buy something, been offered those pills (got enough thanks!) or been contacted by an overseas chap who’s father has died and who wants to put loads of money in my account (not got enough, but thanks for asking!)
Thats also why Twitter Rocks for me!
PS – good to have you in my blogging/twittering feed – you help and make me think
Paul, I was remiss not to link to you in this – all, here is Paul’s site and further discussion on Twitter: http://watfordgap.wordpress.com/
Oh Em you’ve got me off thinking again ….
Followers …
– I like Twitter as a collection of small groups of people talking and sharing about the topics that matter to them.
– How can anyone with over 2000 … 1000 or ever a couple of hundred regular followers enter into meaningful interactions (i’m not talking deep relationships here!) with that many people? I follow 42 people and at times I miss conversations. I’m followed by 60 people – if they were asking me questions or engaging with me i’d be a fraud if I didn’t respond wouldn’t I?
I will be bold and say some of those people with multiple thousands of followers are either massaging their egos or are in fact Twitter Bots.
Remember the core foundation – Twitter asks “What are you doing?”
Paul, I agree and in asking such a simple question Twitter puts you at ease, it is easy to answer that question. BUT, how much of yourself are you exposing to your followers, or if you do not protect your tweets, anyone who cares to read what you are saying? The human need to communicate will respond like a hypnotised mind to such a simple question.
Stop it, stop it !!
I agree, Twitter can lure you in with it simplicity but once inside, unless you stay on the “What are you doing” level you are trapped !
My updates aren’t protected but I’ve been thinking should I protect them?
I try not to use DM much (blush) but have done on occasions.
Is Twitter a Cat that we are turning into a Tiger ???
I thinki
Twitter is dangerously simple
Oops
I think i’ve said (on some blog today) Social Media and very particularly Twitter leaves you naked if used for conversations deeper than the purpose it was intended for “…. thinking the whether is lovely today” or “…. asking you all what is the best replacement for a Sony Vaio?”
Back to Chat Rooms and all the associated seediness – hope not!
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I’ve not yet got the twitterbug – sorry, been longing to use that line 😉
Don’t understand it in practice yet. I’ve got two followers – one’s my younger daughter who I don’t want to distract from revision, and the other I don’t know – “Greenswitch” but looks interesting.
I’m being invited by something to make my phone twit – does this cost me money and do I want it?
Any advice on the next practical steps???
I think my name on twitter is jeremylabram
By accident I discovered I could integrate twitter in facebook. And in the immortal words of Chris Bonnington, in answer to why did you climb Everest, ‘because it was there’, I did it. My Facebook is equally ‘sad’ with two friends – ce n’est pas fin de monde.
Still interested in further practical steps on twitter. I hope this is an appropriate place to be plavcing my ‘newbie’ naive queries.