Twitter. I largely ignored it when I first heard about it.
What are you doing?
Sounded like a shitstorm of McNugget sized annoyances. Chances are I don't even pay attention to such fortune-cookie sized parcels of information from my friends even when they are sitting next to me and speaking. Why would I want to optimize routes for these messages to reach me?
Turns out; I wouldn't. However, I have discovered that there is utility in Twitter (for my personal benefit). As a matter of fact, Twitter solves two huge problems I've been having.
- Sending group text messages.
- If I'm sitting at my computer, I don't want to get text messages; just send them to me via normal computer channels (i.e. XMPP, email, RSS, whatever).
Twitter Optimizes Sending Group Text Messages
Sending text messages, especially group ones, is a deep dive into the most horrendous kinds of usability nightmares. I have fairly fast and nimble fingers but can only average half-a-T9-word per minute in crazy drunken button mashing mode (I've always wanted my phone to yell out "EXCELLENT COMBO!!!" and blast a Hadouken through a bar stool while I am doing this — there has to be a key combination that executes that).
Twitter fixes this two-fold. 1) I can send my message through Twitter via an IM to "twitter@twitter.com". That saves me from my button mashing as I can use a full sized keyboard. And, 2) I don't have to send it directly to anyone. I don't have to fumble through my phone's address book interface picking out all of my friends. I just send the message to Twitter and I'm done. The people on the other end who "follow" (← "follow" is Twitter-speak for people who receive the messages) me receive those messages via IM, SMS, email, or RSS depending on how each individual has setup his or her account. That brings me to the next problem Twitter fixes…
Twitter Optimizes Receiving Text Messages
When I'm at my computer and logged into IM, that is where I receive the Twitter messages of those I am "following." No more text messages when I am at the computer. That's nice.
Nifty graphical representation:
Ideas to Improve Twitter
One thing I would like to enable is "auto-switch to my phone when I log out of IM." Right now, when you login to IM, Twitter uses that to send you messages, which is perfect. However, when you logout of IM, it doesn't automatically switch over to sending the messages to your phone. You have to direct Twitter to do so each time. I'd greatly prefer it if it would just auto-do this. I'm one lazy SoB, and I never remember to text "ON" to 40404 when I log out of IM.
It would also be nice if they came up with an extension to the RSS feeds (here is my Atom feed, for example) with some kind of <twitter:sent via="IM" /> for each <entry> section (and correspondingly, an absence of that element would indicate it wasn't sent). I tried using apps like Twitterific, but they all seemed to get confused as to whether it was their turn to display the messages. Something like that could help those 3rd party apps integrate whilst the user switches between IM, phone, and the app.
Oh… and the last thing, they need to validate their feeds.
Go Get Twitter
So if you happen to know me or you're a crazy Internet stalker tracking me and you want to receive the occasional message consisting of something similar to:
Jamal Lewis??? Why in the world would the Browns pick up a 29-year-old, completely run-into-the-ground, broken running back who hasn't averaged over 3.6 yards a carry since 2004?
You can find me at http://twitter.com/jeremysmith. I'm going to be switching it to friends-only in the next couple of days to keep those Internet stalkers at bay, so you'll need to sign up for an account if you want to get my tasty McNuggets of info.
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