Question about Twitter

ficbot · 11-24-2010, 10:10 PM

This might be a dumb question, but can someone explain Twitter to me a little? I mean, I get the concept but I am not sure what to do with it. I want to 'follow' Dropbox on Twitter so I can get the extra space credit for it, but what does it mean to 'follow' someone? Is it like Facebook where I would go to the webpage every day and see a sort of feed of the people I 'follow' or something? I don't really plan to post on Twitter or anything. I pretty much just want the Dropbox credit. But is there actually anything I could gain by 'following' Dropbox, or anyone else for that matter? I already 'follow' a bunch of similar types of things on Facebook so I am not sure how following, say, Jillian Michaels or Kobo or Dropbox on Twitter would be different than following them on Twitter. I am prepared to sign up just to get the Dropbox credit and then never go there again, but I am wondering if there is anything I could actually enjoy about this beyond that.

happy_terd · 11-24-2010, 11:37 PM

You get around 3 lines to type something clever.

About it really. That and you can follow other people whose quotes you plan on stealing.

Seanette · 11-25-2010, 03:19 AM

I personally found Twitter a bit overwhelming to keep up with. "Following" someone just means adding yourself to their list, and you can then do as much or as little as you're inclined to about it.

neilmarr · 11-25-2010, 10:10 AM

Hya Ficbot.

You have a 140-character limit on any message you post. So all messages can be read at a glance. When you go to your own Twitter home page, you will see posts only from those you have chosen to follow.

I find it very handy. I follow a lot of publishers and authors, so my own home page (which I open every day) might run to a couple of pages. But it's very, very quick to speed-read down to those posts that catch your interest. And because there are avatars, you can easily home in on your favourites. Twitter occupies me for no more than five or ten minutes a day, but it's productive.

Also, of course, if you find that someone you've chosen to follow becomes a bore (who wants to know what you're cooking for dinner or what TV show you're looking forward to?), you simply 'unfollow' them at the click of a mouse.

Unlike Facebook, there is no personal message facility (that can be a drag at times), no videos or pictures to distract you and waste your time -- merely tinyurl links you can follow if you choose -- and no ramblings.

Give it a whirl. Nothing to lose, and if you follow the right folks, quite a lot of fascinating stuff to gain. You can follow me, for instance (neilmarr as here). I only post about once a week but it's all reading-writing associated and it might interest you. If not -- click ... unfollow.

Good luck. Neil

Sandra Edwards · 11-25-2010, 11:02 AM

Just a personal observation but...Twitter is a major time-suck.

neilmarr · 11-25-2010, 11:18 AM

Depends how you use it, Sandra. It takes little of my time, but it does produce interesting contact and information at times. Oh, yeah ... it also helps me sell a few books and promote new authors and their titles (all within 140 characters). Cheers. Neil

11-24-2010, 10:10 PM	#1
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Question about Twitter This might be a dumb question, but can someone explain Twitter to me a little? I mean, I get the concept but I am not sure what to do with it. I want to 'follow' Dropbox on Twitter so I can get the extra space credit for it, but what does it mean to 'follow' someone? Is it like Facebook where I would go to the webpage every day and see a sort of feed of the people I 'follow' or something? I don't really plan to post on Twitter or anything. I pretty much just want the Dropbox credit. But is there actually anything I could gain by 'following' Dropbox, or anyone else for that matter? I already 'follow' a bunch of similar types of things on Facebook so I am not sure how following, say, Jillian Michaels or Kobo or Dropbox on Twitter would be different than following them on Twitter. I am prepared to sign up just to get the Dropbox credit and then never go there again, but I am wondering if there is anything I could actually enjoy about this beyond that.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
#pubfuture on twitter	Scott Nicholson	Writers' Corner	0	09-08-2010 12:58 PM
Social Networking and Twitter: NO THANK YOU	hidari	Lounge	39	06-14-2010 11:49 AM
Twitter	Nate the great	Lounge	9	05-21-2010 05:32 AM
Twitter - are you using?	AndiR	Lounge	66	05-03-2009 10:27 AM
For those of us tweeting on Twitter	ShortNCuddlyAm	Lounge	4	01-05-2009 09:21 AM

11-24-2010, 11:37 PM	#2
happy_terd Banned Posts: 13,045 Karma: 10105011 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Finally made it to Walmart. Device: PRS 420	You get around 3 lines to type something clever. About it really. That and you can follow other people whose quotes you plan on stealing.

11-25-2010, 03:19 AM	#3
Seanette Addict Posts: 254 Karma: 834 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sacramento, CA Device: Samsung Galaxy s3 (Android 4.4.2), iPad 2, Win10 laptop	I personally found Twitter a bit overwhelming to keep up with. "Following" someone just means adding yourself to their list, and you can then do as much or as little as you're inclined to about it.

11-25-2010, 10:10 AM	#4
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Hya Ficbot. You have a 140-character limit on any message you post. So all messages can be read at a glance. When you go to your own Twitter home page, you will see posts only from those you have chosen to follow. I find it very handy. I follow a lot of publishers and authors, so my own home page (which I open every day) might run to a couple of pages. But it's very, very quick to speed-read down to those posts that catch your interest. And because there are avatars, you can easily home in on your favourites. Twitter occupies me for no more than five or ten minutes a day, but it's productive. Also, of course, if you find that someone you've chosen to follow becomes a bore (who wants to know what you're cooking for dinner or what TV show you're looking forward to?), you simply 'unfollow' them at the click of a mouse. Unlike Facebook, there is no personal message facility (that can be a drag at times), no videos or pictures to distract you and waste your time -- merely tinyurl links you can follow if you choose -- and no ramblings. Give it a whirl. Nothing to lose, and if you follow the right folks, quite a lot of fascinating stuff to gain. You can follow me, for instance (neilmarr as here). I only post about once a week but it's all reading-writing associated and it might interest you. If not -- click ... unfollow. Good luck. Neil

11-25-2010, 11:02 AM	#5
Sandra Edwards Queen of Procrastination Posts: 1,884 Karma: 1802 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Nevada Device: K2, K3, Fire	Just a personal observation but...Twitter is a major time-suck.

11-25-2010, 11:18 AM	#6
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Depends how you use it, Sandra. It takes little of my time, but it does produce interesting contact and information at times. Oh, yeah ... it also helps me sell a few books and promote new authors and their titles (all within 140 characters). Cheers. Neil

Advert

Advert