Twitter, What's the Point?

I am a technology junky. I make my living pushing the bounds of software development. I love checking out the newest and coolest websites and their "2.0" technologies. It's all pretty cool and I usually "get it" right away. However, some things just don't click with me. Twitter is a prime example.

Twitter is a "micro-blogging" platform where you can constantly and instantly update people on what you are doing or have just done. It is a pretty easy to use tool (webpage, installed app, via IM, via SMS) and only takes a couple seconds to sign up for. But, once you have an account I really don't see why you would want to use it.

For instance what "micro" event in your life is so important that you feel you need to broadcast it to all of your friends? If the event is sufficiently important enough that you want people to know about it, why not just blog it? If you don't have a blog, why not just email it? What need is Twitter really filling that wasn't already met by existing technologies? Few if any it seems.

I think "Micro-blogging" might be a misnomer. Instead it is a pseudo-group-im that has some limitations and advantages over a "chat room". Because Twitter can be used via mobile phone or IM client and anyone who is interested can subscribe to your Twitters you can carry on a group conversation of sorts via it (though each message is limited to 140 characters). You can also use it to quickly coordinate a group activity if all of your buddies have a twitter account and a cell phone or IM client handy. I imagine it is a bit faster to tell all your friends to meet at the park for a game of Ultimate Frisbee via Twitter than it would be to call each individually, and likewise each could respond to the group via twitter to say if they could make it or not.

I also heard a lot of people were able to use it well at conventions or events like South by Southwest (SXSW) to help meet, mingle, and collaborate which, really, is just a different version of my Ultimate Frisbee scenario.

However, beyond situations like this I don't see a real day-to-day use for Twitter. Am I missing a powerful use or am I just getting to old to "get it?"

Back To Top