Robin Blandford [ ByteSurgery.com ]

13/03/08 Microblogging - Conversational Brilliance

SINGAPORE - To me, instant messenger (IM) is the value in micro-blogging. I access Twitter in real-time though Google Talk (desktop & mobile versions) and interact with it like a group IM session. It’s all about the conversation. The questions & answers, not the statements. I will rarely use the web interface unless it’s to look back at a question I see an interesting answer to that the ‘get username’ command cannot retrieve.

We’ve had IM for years. Group chat rooms (IRC) for longer. What makes Twitter so engaging in comparison?

It’s such a simple concept - a chat room that has the entire world in it, where you only receive the messages from the people you subscribe to (follow). Amazingly addictive. Amazingly simple.

Why? It’s like a map in an old 2D game that you can explore - uncover small bits everyday. Anyone you don’t subscribe to is hidden, you miss out, you find out who asked it, you like it, you can go deeper, and deeper, and deeper. The ability to explore depth in a product is important.

Then direct messages ‘d username’ give me a direct contact point to anyone of my 186 followers to the device of their choice. This is my first true experience of personal unified communication. My message will redirect to their web interface, IM client, email inbox, or as an SMS in their pocket. There are no formalities, no permission to engage, it’s short, sharp, and instant. There is a wonderful feeling of firing the message off into the ether without requiring an introduction and no requisite to reply.

Breaker breaker, what’s your twenty? I wonder - is microblogging is a repeat of HAM Radio (Hobby AMateur Radio)? HAM was the first time the public could easily contact other people anywhere in the world from their home on a public frequency. Users had ‘callsigns’ and could talk on a channel that anyone could listen into (the term ‘side-on‘ was used for a ‘follower’). Anyone could talk - anyone could chip in, anyone could converse. The similarities are shocking. Where’s HAM now?… still an estimated 6 million users!

(Image Credit: Silhouettes of shoppers ‘uncovering the map’ at an empty line of stalls at the complex Bugis St. Market, Singapore. By Author.)

Tags: conversation, conversational, google talk, ham, jaiku, radio

3 Comments

---

14/03/08 gregory

i will ask again, what sim card do you use in singapore, singtel? starhub? any differences, advantages, and do you use the same one when you travel in s.e. asia?

thanks for your time

i like your thoughts on the global community via tech

---

14/03/08 Robin Blandford

Starhub for SG but I have UK (O2), IRE (O2), NZ (Vodafone) sims.

You should check out http://www.maxroam.com

---

14/03/08 gregory

thanks for your time on this

---

Write Comment

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

---

---