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The Web has seen its share of hype, but I think Twitter is pushing it to new levels. Most people don't really need or even understand Twitter's functionality.

by nir 17y ago

The Web has seen its share of hype, but I think Twitter is pushing it to new levels. Most people don't really need or even understand Twitter's functionality. Those who do are getting it from Facebook. But the best part is that the numbers actually reflect this. 6 million users in 3 years of constant hype is not a high number. (Just to put it in perspective: I once contracted for a company that produced a shopping toolbar. Nothing viral, no PR to speak of, nice but not amazing functionality. 3 million downloads in a year.) Any journalist could have deducted as much just looking at the user count. A slightly more serious one might actually use it for a while, and see how many of her followers are "SEO marketers", brands and other spammers. And yet the puff pieces continue. Personally, I think the best value we're getting from Twitter is in reminding us how incredibly poor, shiny object driven our media is, from Oprah all the way to Maureen Dowd.

tptacek 17y ago
I think you're nuts. I get a better newsfeed from BNO and CBS' Mark Knoller at the Capitol than I do from CNN. Show me how to do that on Facebook today. I also think it's disingenuous to suggest that people don't understand Twitter's functionality when the point you're actually trying to make is that you can't see why anyone would want it. But if you make that point, you have to deal with people coming back at you talking about talking to their customers on Twitter, promoting niche products on Twitter, arranging ad-hoc meetups when traveling on Twitter, getting direct feedback from their fans on Twitter, and it's much easier to pretend like 140 character broadcast messages are somehow tricky. I also think it's disingenuous to suggest that Twitter's N x 1MM users are the product of 3 years of constant hype, when 1.5-2 years of that hype was confined to the Web 2.0 trade echo chamber. CNN hasn't been hyping Twitter for 3 years.
- nir 17y ago
  Here was a point-by-point rebuttal but I deleted it now since turning this to a Reddit-like argument is pointless. In any case, my problem is not with Twitter. I see it as a neat niche app - maybe you're right and it will be a huge app. Nobody can really know at this point. My disappointment is with its coverage. If the NY Times and CNN are this easily excited over a 6 million user website, what's their advantage over, say, Scoble? Are we rebooting the Web again? Watching them cover Twitter feels like watching middle aged parents trying to dress and act like their teenage children.
  - tptacek 17y ago
    I remember feeling the same way about Siamese Dream when all the jocks suddenly got into the Smashing Pumpkins. It was, looking back, a pretty excellent album anyways.
    - nir 17y ago
      I don't completely agree it's the same thing but I do like this example :)
axod 17y ago
Twitter has undoubtedly been over-hyped, and maybe they'll be the poster child of all that is wrong with web2.0 social networking if things don't go well... Are twitter adding any features? Seems like they will need to soon.

by nir 17y ago

tptacek 17y ago

I think you're nuts. I get a better newsfeed from BNO and CBS' Mark Knoller at the Capitol than I do from CNN. Show me how to do that on Facebook today. I also think it's disingenuous to suggest that people don't understand Twitter's functionality when the point you're actually trying to make is that you can't see why anyone would want it. But if you make that point, you have to deal with people coming back at you talking about talking to their customers on Twitter, promoting niche products on Twitter, arranging ad-hoc meetups when traveling on Twitter, getting direct feedback from their fans on Twitter, and it's much easier to pretend like 140 character broadcast messages are somehow tricky. I also think it's disingenuous to suggest that Twitter's N x 1MM users are the product of 3 years of constant hype, when 1.5-2 years of that hype was confined to the Web 2.0 trade echo chamber. CNN hasn't been hyping Twitter for 3 years.

nir 17y ago
Here was a point-by-point rebuttal but I deleted it now since turning this to a Reddit-like argument is pointless. In any case, my problem is not with Twitter. I see it as a neat niche app - maybe you're right and it will be a huge app. Nobody can really know at this point. My disappointment is with its coverage. If the NY Times and CNN are this easily excited over a 6 million user website, what's their advantage over, say, Scoble? Are we rebooting the Web again? Watching them cover Twitter feels like watching middle aged parents trying to dress and act like their teenage children.
- tptacek 17y ago
  I remember feeling the same way about Siamese Dream when all the jocks suddenly got into the Smashing Pumpkins. It was, looking back, a pretty excellent album anyways.
  - nir 17y ago
    I don't completely agree it's the same thing but I do like this example :)

axod 17y ago

Twitter has undoubtedly been over-hyped, and maybe they'll be the poster child of all that is wrong with web2.0 social networking if things don't go well... Are twitter adding any features? Seems like they will need to soon.