When I started using twitter, I had trouble understanding it. But when I realized the usefulness of it, I got hooked on to it and was spreading the news. I invited lot of my colleagues first, then I invited my fellow Computer Scientists from college, some of them created an account for themselves(or already had done it) out of curiosity, but no mainstream twitter user yet in my circle of friends or colleagues. While most of the folks couldn't see the value of twitter, there were some who didn't want to have a public profile at twitter. Then there are folks who thinks it is a distraction in their busy lives!
On thinking more about the difficulty people are having to understand twitter, at first I couldn't easily come up with an analogy that would explain twitter. IMs are like talking to each other, forums are like you are airing your view in a discussion etc. But I figured out that the village theory(with my own twist to it) would explain twitter well. The village theory as Richard Kotch puts it in his 80/20 book, is that villagers(in Africa I guess) typically have all their key relationships in life living pretty closely around 100 meters. In the book, 80/20, Richard Kotch argues that if you can build those few key relationships in life, you would be far more effective.
In my own experience, in villages and small towns, people kept in touch by talking to each other briefly when they met others. The place where I grew up, anyone walking on the road would say hello and would at least say where they were going to to anyone whom they meet - "to buy fish" or "what fish is available today" or "to watch a football match" and may be the results of the match etc. They would also share useful information as well during these short chats. Sometimes they may have to repeat these things to others as well. You wouldn't really discuss any secrets in these conversations, but rumor mill does it rounds however. These were usually short conversations, not a formal visit or long one-on-one chat. And if there is someone new in the neighborhood, they may not directly talk to each other first, the others who know them would talk about them and you would come to know. But typically folks knew what was going on with others in the neighborhood unless there are something fishy going on(even that would be difficult to hide). But there were always the odd ones who don't want to mingle around as well. The same method is utilized by people who sell things on foot - they shout out what they have got and interested folks would come around and check it out. In fact the fish vendors had a trademark howl that helps people get ready. At the root of its effectiveness was the relaxed pace of life those days! Modern ways of living and methods in small towns are changing this a bit though.
It appears that twitter is modeled around this way of communication - in effect, twitter has enabled smaller villages with one of the most effective ways of communication in the cyberspace. In the internet neighborhood, twitter is as effective as the village or small town neighborhood's methods to keep in touch and share information. Instead of saying the same thing to various people you meet, you just tweet once because your status is recorded. Then others re-tweet it or respond to you and you have a conversation. Off course there are additional facilities like search and hashtags that makes it easier to find things. And no wonder why the marketing folks love it, they can shout out what they have got! But as Richard Kotch points out in his 80/20 book, the key is picking the 20% of your key allies(friends) in the twitterville to make your time more effective.
Technology wise, it is indeed a marvel in that the number of tools or utilities that are being developed is incredible. The simplicity of the twitter APIs is something that is driving this for sure. While computing standard bodies and technologies have been talking about standard APIs and framworks, I would think that twitter APIs really shows the significance of a simpler and relevant APIs. Many technologies and technologists have not been able to do anywhere near what twitter APIs have practically demonstrated by way of the applications it has enabled.
Hopefully now you are convinced about its effectiveness and simplicity and go build your village on twitter!
On thinking more about the difficulty people are having to understand twitter, at first I couldn't easily come up with an analogy that would explain twitter. IMs are like talking to each other, forums are like you are airing your view in a discussion etc. But I figured out that the village theory(with my own twist to it) would explain twitter well. The village theory as Richard Kotch puts it in his 80/20 book, is that villagers(in Africa I guess) typically have all their key relationships in life living pretty closely around 100 meters. In the book, 80/20, Richard Kotch argues that if you can build those few key relationships in life, you would be far more effective.
In my own experience, in villages and small towns, people kept in touch by talking to each other briefly when they met others. The place where I grew up, anyone walking on the road would say hello and would at least say where they were going to to anyone whom they meet - "to buy fish" or "what fish is available today" or "to watch a football match" and may be the results of the match etc. They would also share useful information as well during these short chats. Sometimes they may have to repeat these things to others as well. You wouldn't really discuss any secrets in these conversations, but rumor mill does it rounds however. These were usually short conversations, not a formal visit or long one-on-one chat. And if there is someone new in the neighborhood, they may not directly talk to each other first, the others who know them would talk about them and you would come to know. But typically folks knew what was going on with others in the neighborhood unless there are something fishy going on(even that would be difficult to hide). But there were always the odd ones who don't want to mingle around as well. The same method is utilized by people who sell things on foot - they shout out what they have got and interested folks would come around and check it out. In fact the fish vendors had a trademark howl that helps people get ready. At the root of its effectiveness was the relaxed pace of life those days! Modern ways of living and methods in small towns are changing this a bit though.
It appears that twitter is modeled around this way of communication - in effect, twitter has enabled smaller villages with one of the most effective ways of communication in the cyberspace. In the internet neighborhood, twitter is as effective as the village or small town neighborhood's methods to keep in touch and share information. Instead of saying the same thing to various people you meet, you just tweet once because your status is recorded. Then others re-tweet it or respond to you and you have a conversation. Off course there are additional facilities like search and hashtags that makes it easier to find things. And no wonder why the marketing folks love it, they can shout out what they have got! But as Richard Kotch points out in his 80/20 book, the key is picking the 20% of your key allies(friends) in the twitterville to make your time more effective.
Technology wise, it is indeed a marvel in that the number of tools or utilities that are being developed is incredible. The simplicity of the twitter APIs is something that is driving this for sure. While computing standard bodies and technologies have been talking about standard APIs and framworks, I would think that twitter APIs really shows the significance of a simpler and relevant APIs. Many technologies and technologists have not been able to do anywhere near what twitter APIs have practically demonstrated by way of the applications it has enabled.
Hopefully now you are convinced about its effectiveness and simplicity and go build your village on twitter!
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