1. I think it would be more fun if I had more friends. Or friends who posted more often. Or more interesting friends. :o)
2. I think it would be more fun if I used it on a mobile device. As David Pogue says in "Twitter? It's What You Make It", "I couldn't believe that six million Twitter users lumber off to a Web page everytime they want to send or read tweets. Turns out they don't." Well I do--I don't even have a texting plan.
3. I think it would be more fun if Twitter were truly popular with internet users. Many of my friends have no idea what I'm talking about when I ask them if they are on Twitter. According to the Pew Internet Project on Twitter, only 11% of internet-using adults use the service (something like 6 million). Compare that to the 175 million that Facebook claims as "active" users.
That being said,
1. I like that tweets are so short--much less commitment than a blog.
2. I like that Twitter requires less involvement than Facebook . . . just little messages . . . a few replies . . . and you're not officially required to respond to anyone.
3. I like that Twitter has so much potential for community-related situations, like tweeting during a presentation, tweeting during an event (like the Oscars or the Superbowl or the elections), perhaps even tweeting during a class?
And that is my Twitter Evaluation.
2 comments:
Ha! I can comment!
I very much agree with your experience of twitter. I think it would be much more fun/beneficial if I knew more of those 11% who are using the service regularly. I'm curious about the geographical concentrations of these users. Perhaps if we were in a bigger city or on the coast, we would find that many of our neighbors and friends (in that sort of locale) are frequent tweeters.
Also, in regards to point 2 under your "likes," I also favor the fact that there is no real obligation to reply to tweets from friends, family, acquaintances, co-workers. Twitter has been skillfully designed with the implication (or perhaps it is more explicit than implicit) that the user is offering information in order to update, not in order to be recognized or affirmed. This allows for a no-stress, no-pressure mode of interaction that is sure to be easy for everyone...
The only ingredient, that if missing might make it less eventful, "lots 'o' friends"!
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