Twitter

STEP 8: Introduction

Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send "updates" (text-based posts, up to 140 characters long) to the Twitter website, via short message service (e.g. on a cell phone), instant messaging, or a third-party application.

Basically, Twitter is a free service that lets you keep in touch with people using the web, your phone, or IM.

Discovery Exercise

1. View the Common Craft Show video -- Twitter in Plain English

2. Optional: Twitter: Use It Productively - Like many Web tools, Twitter has the potential to be a huge time waster. This guide gives some pointers on using it productively instead.

Or read this article:7 Things You Should Know About Twitter

Example - Twitter accounts by your Fresno state colleagues and friends:
Vang
Monica

3. Go to Twitter and sign up for an account. It's pretty straightforward, and they don't require a lot of information to sign up.

4. Check the Twitter Public Timeline, and see what people are Twittering. On the right is a box that has some of the main Twitterers. See what they're twittering, follow (optional) one or two of them if you think they're interesting.

NOTE: If you use Firefox, check out the article 8 Awesome Firefox Plugins for Twitter and try adding one of those plugins to your Firefox browser. One great add-on is Twitterbar, which lets you post whatever is in your address bar to Twitter.

Did you know? People were twittering about major events like earthquakes, wildfires, etc, happening in their backyard hours before they actually showed up on the news.

5. Post your comment in the comments area below about your experiences with Twitter. In your opinion, what can you use Twitter for or how can you see Twitter being used productively?