Inessentials

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. If you follow my pointless talk here on my blog, but not on Twitter, then you’re not getting your money’s worth. Twitter is a web-based mini-blog that forces you say what you want in 140 characters or less. Somehow, this restriction makes it wonderfully compelling. This article (”That chirp you hear? Tweet sweet nothings.”) that prominently features some of my friends tells about one use for it.

The basic advantages of Twitter:

1. Items you want to share that don’t seem worth a full blog post (an interesting interview you heard, a quick observation) are perfect to share on Twitter. 
2. It’s quick. If you’ve never started a blog because it seems like to much commitment or if you find you don’t update because you don’t have the time, Twitter is for you.
3. It’s easy to follow. Chances are you’ve either you’ve bookmarked your friends’ webpages to see when they update (very time consuming) or you use an RSS feed that has way to many feeds for you to possibly read so you find out things too late. And you know what? They’ve probably done the same for you. So save everyone the hassle and follow them and let them follow you on Twitter.

Advanced Twitter use:

1. Those who do a lot of text messaging on their phones (not me) will like the ability to quickly relay information to people through Twitter or get updates from their friends this way.
2. There’s no consensus on what makes for a good Twitterer. Some people like to find out what you are doing every moment of the day (eating baloney sandwich, washing the dishes); others hate those. Some people only tweet when they’re trying to make someone laugh; others never do. You’ll find your sweet spot after a while.
3. Twitter has spawned a whole industry of people posting under assumed identities, sometimes (but not always) with some very funny results (e.g., Darth Vader, Cobra Commander, fakejohnmccain). By writing the mundane thoughts of fictional characters, you get a whole different take on life.
4. If you use a Mac, I recommend Twitterific. It’s design is simple and it’s easy to track your friends as they tweet.

I’m sure there’s more, but you get the idea. So go get started and follow me.