Friday, March 30, 2007

Wanting to Try Twitter: Give Me a Reason

Back in January, I said I would try new social networking technologies. I am convinced that to truly understand the benefits you have to do them for awhile. The two technologies I have not tried yet are Twitter and Second Life.

Second Life
Eventually, I will give Second Life a whirl. Why haven't I tried Second Life? It seems peculiar to "play a video game" for work. Also, I have never been good at "becoming someone else" or pretending to have characteristics that aren't part of me. And the last reason is that I get motion sickness. A few times of turning green while playing Tony Hawk with the kids years ago convinced me that video games were not for me. Video games and spinning tea cups have a very similar effect.

I can see some benefits of Second Life for some learners. I eventually will make the jump to Second Life because I have to say that I tried it. I will also have to be able to convey the benefits of Second Life better than I can right now. The best way to understand its benefits is to do it.

Twitter
Someone needs to tell me one reasonably good benefit of using Twitter. Even before trying and adopting other tools such as blogging, news readers, and social tagging, I saw some benefits of using them. I just can't imagine that telling the world (or even a small community) what I am doing at the moment gives anybody any great benefit--unless they are looking for more boredom.

I think Twitter might make it tempting for me to state my emotions of the moment rather than the tasks at the moment. Blurting out my emotions might be entertaining to some, but would eventually become very problematic for me.

I could type into Twitter as I leave the dentist office "I would rather birth those babies again without drugs than to come back and sit in that chair."

Somebody Help
I am willing to try Twitter, just give me one reason to jump into trial mode. You don't even have to convince me that Twitter is the right tool for me, I just need one reason to try it.

3 comments:

Kevin Gamble said...

Good post Anne. I do enjoy reading you. You write longer posts than I am capable. I run out of steam way too early sometimes.

Okay, to your questions:

1) Second Life is not a game. There is almost nothing game like about it. I too get motion sick very easily, like driving race cars through city streets--I can forget that. In SL I have never experienced anything like motion sickness so I would suspect you'd be okay there. YMMV.

2) Twitter - one reason--it's fun. I could give you some more...

Unknown said...

Thanks Kevin for your comment. I would not use Second Life as a game. Though I think if one of my bosses walked into my office while I was learning, they would probably think it's game...That would be a teachable moment, wouldn't?

Now I have two reasons to try Twitter. I got an invite and reason--it's fun. We all could use a little more fun.

My posts are longer than I want them, but I run out of steam trying to reduce the length.

Kevin Gamble said...

Ahhh, I agree the uninformed would absolutely think that you were playing a game or were otherwise wasting time if they were to walk in and see a screen of SL. You're right there. It's a hard thing to "get" from just seeing or reading about. (that seems to be a common theme, hey? :))

Yep on the fun!

I wasn't complaining about the length of your posts I was admiring. I definitely enjoy reading them.