Blogging Fool

Darren Rowse, the mastermind behind ProBlogger started his first new blog in years based around it. There are more books about Twitter at Amazon than there are about Rocket Science. Barack Obama does it. So does Neil Gaiman. From the outside it just seems like a glorified RSS Feed for Facebook updates. So what is this Twitter thing that everyone keep s talking about? What is it about this Web 2.5 app that has the biggest movers and shakers in the blogging world, the IT world and even the entertainment industry all, well – a-twitter?

I had a long debate today with a generally technophilic friend of mine about the merits and downsides of this increasingly popular online social platform. I was surprised at his vehement distaste for it. “People are just too obsessed with other people’s business” he argued, “We are too distracted to output anything meaningful and this abbreviated method of communication just exacerbates the problem – I mean people can’t even drive safely anymore because they are so busy reading the latest tweet on their Crackberry while driving.” We already have Facebook – why do we need something that just boils it down to the updates part? I countered that his argument was like saying – “We already have a fire-pit why do we need a toaster?”

Speaking on Charlie Rose, Evan Williams, co-founder of Twitter, predicted that it will take five years from 2009 for the mainstream to adopt Twitter as a part of their regular daily routine.  This means by virtue of your mere awareness of this platform you have a huge headstart on a future Zeitgeist.  Failing to understand this may be akin to Mark Twain deciding not to invest in the telephone for fear that it would not have much use in anything but that of the most affluent luxury homeowner.

It’s the same old resistance that always seems to rise up in response to a new technology, only now that frustration with the learning curve seems to happen at exasperatingly shorter intervals. I recall feeling this reticence with Facebook when it opened its doors to the world at large. “Why would I want everyone in the world to see every interaction I have with everyone I personally know – it’s like exhibitionism!” Ahem.

I want to underline just how difficult it is to actually be the center of attention. We should all be so lucky that our lowly daily summary of our activities, including eating breakfast, what website we thought was keen and so on should make a first page Google search result. The truth is, like in the Meatverse – you are not the center of the Universe – no one cares, unless you have something to offer them that makes them wiser, more aware, hipper, or better prepared to meet their own goals. Or so death-defyingly bored that you have somehow amused them for a moment.

A Tweeter is a curator – a Tastemaker that voluntarily offers the free service of poring through the boundless onslaught of new raw data and and serving up only the best. If you are a great curator then people will rely on you for the latest insight into the panorama that serves their interest. If you are redundant, unimaginative, utterly self-absorbed or imitative then you will likely not have to worry about a deluge of invasive attempts at communication.

There are countless third-party apps, sites and resources that allow you to access the Twitter API in wondrous and intersting ways.  Tweetdeck is one of my favorites among these as it lets you define filters for the tweets you see.  For example you can create a column that displays tweets only from people in the IT industry or who love knitting.  It also shows, in a separate column only direct messages to you, or only @replies to things you have posted to the public.

Many of these sorts of Twitter apps also exist exlusively for cell phones.  Tinytwitter is the one I use on my Blackberry Pearl, but it isn’t compatible with Blackberry Bold, so look around and find what works with your gear and your taste.

Twitter widgets abound for bloggers as well.  I like Tweet This, but there are dozens of choices.  Find which one works best for you.

Twitter can become a very powerful resource for promoting your work, but like any party, it’s best to know in advance how to dress and what sort of crowd will be in attendance.  Be aware that from you very first tweet you will be creating a timeline that can be tracked back as long as thy @username shall live in the Twitterverse.  Become familiar with the medium before diving in and you will find a new method for communication, marketing, promotion, giving and learning that will upgrade you, irrevocably to the Web 2.5.

Do you Tweet?  What are your favorite Twitter apps?  If not, what prevents you from doing so?

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