Why Zune > iPod

[max_cool]

Yeah but it's still under your control--you don't need to tell everyone where you are, what you're eating, how hard you're straining to poop, etc.  But if you have a good network of friends / followers, it's a good medium to broadcast messages to the group, for times when you wouldn't necessarily want to email a whole bunch of people (f/e today I mentioned a frustration with a certain API I was using, and a former coworker pointed me to something that helped; this is something I'd never have thought of emailing a bunch of developer contacts over, nor was it something mission-critical that warranted a large amount of research, but I was definitely grateful for the assist)

Again, I agree. I personally don't get it.</oldman>

[APF]

I hear you.  I was an oldman for a while about txt messaging for a long time, but now it's almost all I do.  I have a Facebook page, but really don't see the point and likely won't ever (a little ironic, considering I was a producer and developer for one of the biggest pre-MySpace social networks back in '00).  It's cliche, but the older I get the less I feel the need to disrupt my personal momentum with technologies I can't immediately see helping me fix a specific problem.  *shrug*

[TVC15]

Sorry can't hear you, I'm too busy using Twitter to save people's lives:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/06/05/twitter.maree/index.html?eref=rss_topstories


Twitter!       Freedom!

Wow, sounds like something that email could have done!

Again (not sure why you refuse to accept the premise), Twitter is good for what it does--microblogging--and has a large community surrounding it which gives it value (network effect).

But there are already several formats that do "microblogging" better.  And what is this "network value?"  Are yout alking about how many people use it?  Because when you talk about it having a large community, I think that email has a n even larger community surrounding it.  And email has more than one teensy tiny feature.

"If I want to send a message to people, I'll email them" as an answer to technology involving communication invalidates blogging and message board posting as well--that's my point in bringing up message boards in the first place (aside: OT boards are "organized?" They're sorted by topic, but otherwise no--where's the organization in the Outside Link thread?) 

Yes, they are sorted by topic, something which Twitter does not allow.  Gee, that makes boards more useful than Twitter!  Message boards also attract anonymous readers, whereas Twitter sort of relies on the circle of friends you already have.  And of course boards do not restrict you to 140 characters.  Jesus Christ, twitter is useless.

What's very telling is that this discussion has gone on for more than a day, and not a single usage scenario that justifies using Twitter has been brought up.

I hear you.  I was an oldman for a while about txt messaging for a long time, but now it's almost all I do.  I have a Facebook page, but really don't see the point and likely won't ever (a little ironic, considering I was a producer and developer for one of the biggest pre-MySpace social networks back in '00).  It's cliche, but the older I get the less I feel the need to disrupt my personal momentum with technologies I can't immediately see helping me fix a specific problem.  *shrug*

Facebook can do the exact same thing Twitter does!  What specific problem does Twitter exclusively fix?  None, unless you are willing to invent a new problem just to justify its use.

[APF]

TVC, with all due respect you have zero understanding of what you're talking about.  What does microblogging better, specifically? That has a better network, and just as usable if not more usable / flexible APIs?  Facebook?  No replies, no direct messages, no subscribing-at-will.  Email?  You routinely blast-email your contact list? If my junk mail filter didn't catch you, I'd put you there myself; plus, who is going to volunteer to be on your mailing list?  Wordpress?  A blunt object for a small job, plus what are you going to do, put the RSS in your feedreader, for microcontent?  The only thing that comes close are other microblogging formats, but they don't have the network.


Tell me, because I found your response interesting--when you're being arrested, in your experience what would be easier: sending a text message to one contact number, or opening up an email client somehow, compiling a mass cc: listing, having it connect and sending an email?

My comment about "fixing a problem" was more about how I identify with your incredulity.  I felt it was self-explanatory, but apparently you're very wound-up about this discussion.

[TVC15]

TVC, with all due respect you have zero understanding of what you're talking about.  What does microblogging better, specifically? That has a better network, and just as usable if not more usable / flexible APIs?  Facebook?  No replies, no direct messages, no subscribing-at-will. 

I don't understand why the task of sending one line of text requires a specific tool when there are already multiple tools that do the same thing, with better features.  It's such a mundane usage scenario that I see no benefit of using a stripped down tool that offers no real usability bonuses.  Twitter is not faster, or easier to use for its purpose.

Email?  You routinely blast-email your contact list? If my junk mail filter didn't catch you, I'd put you there myself; plus, who is going to volunteer to be on your mailing list? 

If I was emailing the equivalent of an average tweet, I wouldn't send the email at all.  If it was a message that I did think people would like to hear, yes, I would send it.

Wordpress?  A blunt object for a small job, plus what are you going to do, put the RSS in your feedreader, for microcontent?  The only thing that comes close are other microblogging formats, but they don't have the network.

If a job is sufficiently small, I relegate it to email!  If it's so small that I wouldn't email it, it's probably not worth writing or reading--just like the vast majority of messages on Twitter.  It's like a spam folder you have to sign up to read.

Tell me, because I found your response interesting--when you're being arrested, in your experience what would be easier: sending a text message to one contact number, or opening up an email client somehow, compiling a mass cc: listing, having it connect and sending an email?

Text messaging or email via cell phone.  Both take the same amount of effort as Twitter.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

And I'd rather just drop the conversation.  I don't want a poster I like getting pissed at me because we don't see eye to eye on something like Twitter.  You like it, I think it's pointless.  Case closed; it's clear nobody is changing their mind.  let bygones be bygones. Apologies.

[close]

[APF]

Text messaging or email via cell phone.

Yeah same here; by sending one text, he was able to broadcast the message to a large list of followers, and in turn they quickly retweeted the message to their followers, to the point where it almost instantaneously became an internet firestorm.

But yeah, there's no need to have a prolonged argument about this; it's just a thing.  I have no personal emotional investment in the technology that would override my like and respect for an actual living person.

[Van Cruncheon]

i would immediately disrespect anyone who used twitter. nobody -- NOBODY -- has an internal monologue worth externalizing and providing an rss feed for, no less.

[APF]

http://twitter.com/MarsPhoenix

 :'( :nasacry

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I'd rather read a news article about the Mars Phoenix than its fucking Twitter. What is it gonna tell us in 140 characters or less?

[APF]

To start, it answers questions from readers.

[drozmight]

twitter's some gay shit.

[APF]

Yeah.

[CajoleJuice]

Poor APF.