I'm starting to see some pretty cool applications for Twitter. Days ago I posted my first "twittereview" of a movie, but that meme doesn't seem to be catching. I'll keep trying it.Today, I discovered that Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader both have quite active Twitter accounts and routinely show up on the big Twitterholic list. (I graced this esteemed list one day but have been posting slower while I'm on vacation. I'm back next week, so we'll see if a repeat is in order.)
Macworld has a group Twitter account and I've heard tale of someone using Twitter to post live comments and notes from a conference.
While it's true that many folks use Twitter to post the inane moments of their lives (guilty as charged), I think that's part of the process. You start by posting everything and then start slimming down to things seem to fit the parameters you assign to Twitter. Of course, mileage will vary from person to person -- which is one of the things I find most appealing about Twitter.
Enough singing of praises. Time to put down some things I'd like to see implemented to make Twitter even more useful to me:
- A "six degrees of separation" widget or recombination that shows the common connections between my Friends and Follow list. Sorta like how it's done on LinkedIn.
A way for the poster to set "priority" levels of posts and for the "friends" to determine what priority levels they receive. For example, Charles Cadenhead just posted that he's returned from IHOP. He could set that as "mundane". I know that Charles posts pretty damned frequently and can opt to not get his "mundane" updates, but that I do want to get his "important" updates.
Individual assignment of SMS updates. I'd never put Charles on that list (not unless I could control SMS by priority -- add that, too), but I may want to get a text message when Wil Wheaton posts something, for example.
Direct message notification goes to Twitterific. Right now, it doesn't. Pain in the ass. I want all Direct Messages to hit Twitterific and to send me an SMS.
A better filter across all Twitter updates than the Yahoo! Pipes thing I threw together. If someone is mentioning me in their Twitters, I want to know about it!
Twitter is quite the cool tool. For me. These additions (and probably more) will make it even cooler.
Twitter does have individual assignment of SMS Updates, if I understand your request correctly. When you leave someone on Twitter you aren't removing them from your friends list, but you are no longer receiving SMS or IMs from them when you have those devices set to on. To remove someone completely you select delete.
ReplyDeleteSo for example I have a number of people that I don't know personally, but follow online through their various podcasts, internet sites, etc. (you included). I have these people set as friends, but I only read their messages at the website or through Twitterific. I receive SMS from a handful of people that I know personally and that I need to hear from on a regular basis.
Hope that helps and if that isn't what you meant, then never mind. :-)
Do you think that the settings need to exist on Twitter, or should they be a part of some other interface, like Twitterific?
ReplyDeleteLaanba - Excellent. That may strike one of my wants from the system.
ReplyDeleteBrad - I'd like it to be native to Twitter, though I'm way OK with a third party interface. In fact, that may be the way to go. Get Twitter from Twitter, then tweak it with a new app.
E.
I've found I've tapered off of the twitter as well, now that I'm seeing how I'd like to use it, and how others are using it. Twitters who answer others who you might not be following as well can be rather annoying, but it's par for the course.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm thinking about is how very useful this will be at events, such as Cons and especially for me, the PNME. What a perfect way for everyone to find everyone else during those weekends, if you don't want to give your cell number out to everyone.
I was wary before I joined, but I'm seeing the potential for Twitter more and more. Score another win for technology! :-)
I agree with the other Dani; tweets flying back and forth without proper reference are aggravating. I have been guilty of doing it myself, but I am trying to stop.
ReplyDeleteI use Twitter to clear all the mundane one-liners out of my head. There isn't enough subject matter there for a full post on my regular blog, but sometimes I think they are funny enough for me to put out there for others. Twitter came along at just the right time for me. I am unemployed and at home alone most of the day. I have a really cheap phone plan through my husband's job, but none of my local friends know how to use text messaging. It cheers me up to read other people's silly tweets throughout the day.
Six degrees of separation widget? Somebody PLEASE get on that one. I know it sounds weird, but it creeps me out when someone adds me as a friend and I don't know who he is. I send a direct message asking politely where he knows me from, and he doesn't answer. That should be part of common Twettiquette to let someone know why you added her if she asks.