@tomhollander just doesn’t get it

re: @tomhollander just doesn’t get it

Josh — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 05:55:29 GMT

I would just like to say: i totally agree.

I also have shared my somewhat anti-twitter veiws, and everyone gets 'all ancy' about it,

because they have the thousands following them etc..

Unfortunatly, i see twitter becoming like MySpace: everyone has one, but is lame.

re: @tomhollander just doesn’t get it

Steven — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 17:48:12 GMT

I agree. Twitter is pointless.

re: @tomhollander just doesn’t get it

gmelnik — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:37:40 GMT

Hi, Tom

I too wonder where people find time to twit all the time.

You must have seen the Supernews episode "Twouble with Twitters". If not, check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN2HAroA12w

-- Grigori

re: @tomhollander just doesn’t get it

Keith Elder — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:43:08 GMT

Hi Tom,

Long time Twitter user and reader of your blog occasionally (depends on the topic:) ).

I'm not a Twitter expert or anything but I went back and read your tweets. I saw very little if few @replies and very little "joining in the conversation". Perhaps if you join in on the conversations (those that matter to you) I think you'll start to get more value out of Twitter.

One way to find conversations and people that share your same interest is to to get a good Twitter client that runs locally (alot of people like Tweetdeck) that supports Twitter Search integration. Something like Tweetdeck where you can setup searches and follow along is good thing. For example, what are people saying about EntLib? What's "pulse" of the community right now? A simple search at http://search.twitter.com/search?q=entlib can tell a great deal.

I just followed you, so join me in the conversation.

Cheers,

Keith

re: @tomhollander just doesn’t get it

Hugh Briss — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:02 GMT

When someone can't figure out how to get something to work they invariably claim it wasn't any good anyway. If you took some time to figure out how to use it for "social" networking rather than just a place to tell the few people who might be interested what you had for breakfast, I think you'd come to a different conclusion.

re: @tomhollander just doesn’t get it

tomholl — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:32:58 GMT

Keith and Hugh -

I'm not blaming Twitter for anything - it is what it is, and a lot of people like it. And I also accept that if I were to put a lot more effort into it and change my approach then I may see different results (not that I ever mentioned my breakfast habits anyway. For the record I enjoy Vegemite on toast).

However no other communication tool I've used (e-mail, IM, blogging, Facebook, phone) has required so much conscious effort for me to realise value. And given the amount of continuous investment it apparently requires I'm not sure I'm missing anything that's important to me.

@talktomikesmith gets it

Michael A. Smith — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:26:26 GMT

Twitter's not for everyone. My wife doesn't get it. I've closely examined her potential usage scenarios and no community that she would belong to exists on Twitter. I, however, bloody love Twitter.

I only use Twitter for professional and social-professional purposes. I am not a fan of social networking paradigms like Facebook and don't use Twitter that way (but some people do). As a commenter mentioned above, Twitter is really not useful as an information aggregator unless you use a client like Tweetdeck.

I love Twitter because it allows me to aggregate information from renowned people in our industry in way I've never been able to before. I follow tweeple like yourself, Bob Martin, Michael Feathers, and many more who deserve to be mentioned, because I consider you guys at the top of a professional/information totem-pole of which I am an aspiring apprentice. Mind you, as Scott Hanselman once alluded to (http://www.hanselman.com/blog/HowToTwitterFirstStepsAndATwitterGlossary.aspx) it's all about your "following" practices.

Despite me keeping my noise/signal ratio as low as possible, I guess what I have to say just hasn't been enlightening enough for Michael Feathers and Bob Martin to follow me. ;) I reckon that people like yourself, Tom, are going to get far less out of Twitter than someone like me, and that your involvement in Twitter would have to come from a mostly altruistic motive, because plenty of leeches out there (like myself) thrive on every character you utter. As always, however, not every form of expression is suitable to everyone, so stick to what's comfortable.

Regardless, I greatly appreciate you keeping a blog (and potentially a Twitter account), and one day I hope to service the developer community as much as you have.

Best'o'luck to ya m8.

~michael.

re: @tomhollander just doesn’t get it

Juanita — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:15:18 GMT

Hello Tom! Your report about Twitter was very interesting. I've tried Twitter for a while, too and it's so BORING when nobody follows you. But in Germany Twitter isn't so popular like in USA and wherever. And besides nobody from my friends have Twitter, so it's even more boring and pointless. It sounds hard but when you are a "nobody" (like me :-) ) and you don't know anyone on Twitter, nobody follows you. It's different when you are a popular person, then you have thousand of followers.

But are you still on Twitter?

re: @tomhollander just doesn’t get it

@mikejablonski — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:41:26 GMT

I don't think the value comes from having thousands of followers. I think you get much more value out of following the right people yourself. Once you've followed the right people you'll see it. Maybe.

re: @tomhollander just doesn’t get it

Richard Banks — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:25:52 GMT

You need more connections, mate. I think it's time to start the #followtomhollander campaign! :-)

re: @tomhollander just doesn’t get it

Ana — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:43:54 GMT

Are you the acter Tom Hollander or someone else???