20 responses

• james Apr 10, 2008
   

  I thought this was an interesting perspective at social media. Is the trend more hype than substance? And if so, what does that mean for the future?

   
• jessica Apr 10, 2008
   

  Yeah, Hugh's change marks an interesting decision. How much of a trend is it? Will other people make or have they been making similar decisions? I don't really use Twitter, though I know a lot of people who do. I'm trying not to feel too saddened by missing the opportunity to subscribe to Hugh's tweets. The way some folks use Twitter, it might have given his fans a more intimate look at who he is as an entire person, not just the stuff he puts on gapingvoid.

   
• todd Apr 10, 2008
   

  i never figured out what twitter was for in the first place.

   
• james Apr 10, 2008
   

  The argument that casualness breeds intimacy in its subtext is part of the reason why I love the micro-blogging culture growing in social media.

   
• Erica Apr 10, 2008
   

  I don't think it's a big deal. Hugh is pulling back from a lot of stuff, and even moved to Texas, to focus on writing his book. I hadn't followed his tweets since I pretty much only follow friends/family, local folks, and nonprofit tech folks. There are a lot of people whose blogs I follow but whose Twitters I don't. I'm not always interested in *everything* someone has to say.

   
• jessica Apr 10, 2008
   

  Hugh moved to Texas?!? Wow am I out of the loop.

   
• jessica Apr 10, 2008
   

  Yeah, wow. Alpine, Texas. "This [book] deal might help better explain why I recently ensconced myself in Alpine, Texas. The move was not completely random. I needed to write more. Needed to be somewhere with lots of peace and quiet. At least until the final manuscript is signed off."

   
• Erica Apr 10, 2008
   

  I'm not sure, now, whether he MOVED or just is ensconced for a while.

   
• Erica Apr 10, 2008
   

  Either way though, I can see why Twitter would be tough to handle as a distraction when trying to write a book.

   
• jessica Apr 10, 2008
   

  I personally am not on Twitter and I find it distracting. I see people checking Twitter at dinner, at work, in the car, on the subway, on the bus, on the phone, while talking to me face-to-face, etc., etc.

   
• Erica Apr 10, 2008
   

  I like it, but I don't have a crackberry-esque relationship to it. I don't freak out when I miss stuff, and I haven't yet bothered to connect it to my cell phone. It's made my relationship with my sister (who dragged me to Twitter against my protests that it was stupid and useless) a lot better - we're in touch a lot more. She has it linked to her cell, but uses it for stuff like keeping her daughter amused on long car trips.

   
• jessica Apr 10, 2008
   

  Anything to keep the kids amused!

   
• colby Apr 10, 2008
   

  I think cell phones are bad enough, the fact that people can get in touch with me anytime and I am always connected. I don;t know why i would want to share what I am doing all the time or what my friends are doing all the time.

   
• Babbledog Apr 10, 2008
   

  I'm on Twitter.

   
• Erica Apr 10, 2008
   

  *skritches the Babbledog* Why, so you are! *follows*

   
• Babbledog Apr 10, 2008
   

  *twitches a leg*

   
• Jim Cowie Apr 10, 2008
   

  get off the couch! not on the couch! Bad dog!

   
• Babbledog Apr 10, 2008
   

  *whimpers and crawls under the desk*

   
• todd Apr 11, 2008
   

  yeah, sorry. i still don't understand twitter.

   
• todd Apr 11, 2008
   

  i suspect it's because i have no friends and no one thinks i'm cool enough to "follow"