Comments on: I, Too, Am a Twit

By: Nate Angell

Nate Angell — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:43:02 +0000

Thanks for the nice complements! It seems like you *do* get twitter as you describe it so well, it’s just that it doesn’t fit in with your current modality

If you want to hear more about twitter, our local dead trees rag did a piece on twitter…check out the video for more from yours truly
http://www.oregonlive.com/special/index.ssf/2008/05/twitter_is_tweeter.html

I also listed out some of the “other” uses of twitter on my blog entry here…for example, some companies are doing interesting customer engagement/support via twitter:
http://xolotl.org/nato/tagging-my-unconscious-with-twitter

By: Mick Holsclaw

Mick Holsclaw — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:42:45 +0000

Michael, I have been hearing so much about twitter (in techie podcasts and blogs) that I have made a couple of attempts to “get it.” I still don’t get it. I follow some of the people who are advocates, and I don’t see anything in their tweets that interests me.

I like your water cooler analogy, and that probably explains why I don’t get it. I am a strong introvert (Myers-Briggs) and chit-chat is difficult for me. I didn’t hang around the water cooler when I worked in a place that had one, and I don’t find myself attracted to twitter.

Still, I remain open to the possibility that I will get it one day. I can imagine a situation where six – ten of my professional peers who are scattered around the state and country would all be connected and share a few signals a month (check out software xxx, or company yyy, technology zzz, or wine aaa) but getting there from here seems like a lot of work.

By: Clay Fenlason

Clay Fenlason — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 23:55:43 +0000

Twitter has taught me to love email all over again, mainly for the reason you note: “I’ve never been a synchronous sort of guy.” There are some who would say that my distaste for cellphones and twitter dates me. I’ll answer that the generational explanation is the wrong one, and that hasty interpretations are the kind of thing one expects from synchronous sorts of folks.

That latter part is no doubt the defensiveness of the uncool.

By: Patrick Masson

Patrick Masson — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 18:34:14 +0000

Lost in E-Mail, Tech Firms Face Self-Made Beast
By MATT RICHTEL
Published: June 14, 2008
NY Times

“SAN FRANCISCO — The onslaught of cellphone calls and e-mail and instant messages is fracturing attention spans and hurting productivity. It is a common complaint. But now the very companies that helped create the flood are trying to mop it up.

Some of the biggest technology firms, including Microsoft, Intel, Google and I.B.M., are banding together to fight information overload. Last week they formed a nonprofit group to study the problem, publicize it and devise ways to help workers — theirs and others — cope with the digital deluge.

Their effort comes as statistical and anecdotal evidence mounts that the same technology tools that have led to improvements in productivity can be counterproductive if overused.”

Let’s add twitter to the list…

By: Jake

Jake — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:55:00 +0000

Twitter is good at some things. Others, not so much.
I don’t bother reviewing tweets anymore, maybe a page or two.
I tweet mainly when I’m not focused on tasks.
I focus on avatars more than words, e.g. if I see Rich has updated, I focus. Otherwise, I browse.
I don’t follow for following anymore, sorry, and I don’t expect it either.
I use Summize and Tweet Scan more, to focus on conversation that I want to hear.
I love Twitter for local communication of PDX happenings and tweetups.
If people really want my attention, they @ of dm me.

Twitter is very useful. Figuring out how is the hard part.

By: Michael Feldstein

Michael Feldstein — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:14:40 +0000

Barry, your comments tend to reinforce the notion that Twitter acts as a virtual water cooler. You go there to hang out when there are people worth hanging out with, and sometimes you hang out there too much and have to discipline yourself, but finding out what people were saying there when you were elsewhere earlier in the day usually isn’t worth the trouble.

By: Barry Dahl

Barry Dahl — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:04:37 +0000

I tend to agree with most of your thoughts about Twitter, except that I am no longer in the same place as you are. It sounds like you are where I was about 2-3 months ago. Not very many interesting people to exchange Tweets with or to learn from – and not quite sure what value I would ever find in it. Now I seem to find some value almost every day – mainly because my network (followers/followees) has expanded to include enough really good people and friends that I feel like it is a much more valued communication tool. Besides, I am always looking for new e-communications tools because I now loathe email.

Two interesting things (sorta kinda) about it:
1) I have to turn it off sometimes just to get some work done – I find it very distracting. and
2) I usually don’t feel compelled to look backward to see what I’ve missed when I turn it back on. It has very little archival utility for me, more of a what’s happening right now utility.

Whatever. Maybe we’ll come up with the definitive answer regarding Twitter over a pint or two in Memphis. See ya. BD