Comments on: why twitter? http://aaronbell.org/journal/2009/01/why-twitter/ a song for prometheus Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:08:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: CJ http://aaronbell.org/journal/2009/01/why-twitter/comment-page-1/#comment-129831 CJ Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:50:45 +0000 http://aaronbell.org/journal/?p=1508#comment-129831 I've just joined twitter so that I can stalk G Coxon more effectively. I’ve just joined twitter so that I can stalk G Coxon more effectively.

]]> By: air http://aaronbell.org/journal/2009/01/why-twitter/comment-page-1/#comment-129219 air Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:27:42 +0000 http://aaronbell.org/journal/?p=1508#comment-129219 I've found perhaps the most compelling reason for twitter's existence - <em>liveness of data</em>. <strong>Example 1:</strong> I'm at Mel's house on 16th Street. Suddenly sirens break out, four fire engines turn up and firemen and ladders start emerging everywhere. It's chaos. • Can I google to find out what is happening? Of course not - google results are days old. • Can I search twitter to find out what's happening? Absolutely - updates are available immediately. This is why twitter becomes important during disasters (Hudson plane crash) and terrorist attacks (Mumbai) and such. <strong>Example 2:</strong> The Oscars are on TV. Near the beginning there is a terrible staging error and the curtain doesn't open for a video montage. In the tense silence we seem to hear one of the crew say on a live mic, "Open it Steve!" Did I really hear that? Bring up the <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23oscars" rel="nofollow">#oscars channel on twitter search</a> and yes, everyone's LOLing about it, seconds after the event. In fact, we can get a rolling feed of commentary about pretty much any concept or live event. Now that's novel. I’ve found perhaps the most compelling reason for twitter’s existence – liveness of data.

Example 1: I’m at Mel’s house on 16th Street. Suddenly sirens break out, four fire engines turn up and firemen and ladders start emerging everywhere. It’s chaos.

• Can I google to find out what is happening? Of course not – google results are days old.

• Can I search twitter to find out what’s happening? Absolutely – updates are available immediately. This is why twitter becomes important during disasters (Hudson plane crash) and terrorist attacks (Mumbai) and such.

Example 2: The Oscars are on TV. Near the beginning there is a terrible staging error and the curtain doesn’t open for a video montage. In the tense silence we seem to hear one of the crew say on a live mic, “Open it Steve!”

Did I really hear that? Bring up the #oscars channel on twitter search and yes, everyone’s LOLing about it, seconds after the event.

In fact, we can get a rolling feed of commentary about pretty much any concept or live event. Now that’s novel.

]]>