Languish.org

General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Barrister on November 07, 2019, 04:32:56 PM

Title: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Barrister on November 07, 2019, 04:32:56 PM
So I realized I'd been "using" twitter for several months by just going onto the Twitter website with no account, and checking on a handful of writers whose thoughts were interesting to me.  I'd also set up an account a couple of years ago when I was trying to show my dad what this Twitter thing was, but have never used it.  So I found my password, started following some people, and went from there.

It's an interesting social media site.  If you want a really deep dive on any particular topic, follow some of the right people (with a blue checkmark) and you can get all kinds of up-to-the-minute information on that topic.

But much like the comments site on any news site, don't ever read the replies...


So anyone else using Twitter?
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Admiral Yi on November 07, 2019, 04:36:24 PM
Hells no
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: merithyn on November 07, 2019, 04:44:14 PM
I think my Twitter account is coming up on six years old now. :)

Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Syt on November 07, 2019, 04:45:10 PM
Using Twitter. Mostly following it for games, history, and nerdy things. Also: cute animals and stuff. I generally avoid the negativity of the platform. :)
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Barrister on November 07, 2019, 04:46:20 PM
Hit me up with your handle if you post anything.

To my surprise my account is over 5 years old, though I've never used it.

If anyone knows my name and is on Twitter, you can easily find my handle.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Syt on November 07, 2019, 04:49:51 PM
Syt1976. Mostly retweeting things these days. I was more active when I was streaming.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Valmy on November 07, 2019, 05:01:22 PM
I used to use it all the time until about 2014 when I realized how vile and toxic it was. Also I am rather uncomfortable with the extent the Saudis own and influence it.

So generally I stay away.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: crazy canuck on November 07, 2019, 05:25:35 PM
Quote from: Barrister on November 07, 2019, 04:32:56 PM
So I realized I'd been "using" twitter for several months by just going onto the Twitter website with no account, and checking on a handful of writers whose thoughts were interesting to me.  I'd also set up an account a couple of years ago when I was trying to show my dad what this Twitter thing was, but have never used it.  So I found my password, started following some people, and went from there.

It's an interesting social media site.  If you want a really deep dive on any particular topic, follow some of the right people (with a blue checkmark) and you can get all kinds of up-to-the-minute information on that topic.

But much like the comments site on any news site, don't ever read the replies...


So anyone else using Twitter?

Yeah, I follow some interesting academics who post a lot as well as a few journalists.  Just started following Rosemary Barton - she sure gets a lot of abuse from the Conservative faithful in the twittersphere. 
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Hamilcar on November 07, 2019, 05:33:36 PM
I'm ashamed to say that I'm a blue checkmark.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Grey Fox on November 07, 2019, 05:43:16 PM
I use it. I don't tweet regularly but I read hockey, media (crtc) & sports things on it.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Camerus on November 07, 2019, 07:34:59 PM
It's hard to imagine a less appealing way to spend one's time online.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: mongers on November 07, 2019, 08:41:46 PM
Quote from: Camerus on November 07, 2019, 07:34:59 PM
It's hard to imagine a less appealing way to spend one's time online.

Enough about Languish, what about twitter.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: FunkMonk on November 07, 2019, 09:23:37 PM
I use Twitter as entertainment mainly. It can also be useful to see people's reactions to current events.

It did come in handy one day, though. Last year, at my old job, someone tried to walk into the building with a gun. He was stopped by the guards and he promptly shot himself in the head.

When this happened a very panicked public announcement was made over the building PA system instructing us to stay in our offices. They told of us nothing of the incident. I pulled up Twitter and within a minute found a local reporter who mentioned police activity on our street about a possible suicide.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: viper37 on November 08, 2019, 01:50:02 AM
Quote from: Barrister on November 07, 2019, 04:32:56 PM
So anyone else using Twitter?
I seldom look at it.  I feel like Reddit is a much nicer place to get info.  Up to the minute headlines are always provided by newspaper sites, in depth analysis by some magazine sites, so I'm ok.  For clickbait stuff, I have the MSN page on Edge :P
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Agelastus on November 08, 2019, 05:51:31 AM
No. But without Yi's "Hells" emphasis.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Eddie Teach on November 08, 2019, 05:56:00 AM
Heavens no?
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: celedhring on November 08, 2019, 05:56:27 AM
My twitter account is over 10 years old. It has a grand total of 2 posts. Funnily enough, 20-something people follow me. Mostly old friends, but also a few I don't recognize.

So the answer is "no".
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Hamilcar on November 08, 2019, 07:08:11 AM
Quote from: celedhring on November 08, 2019, 05:56:27 AM
My twitter account is over 10 years old. It has a grand total of 2 posts. Funnily enough, 20-something people follow me. Mostly old friends, but also a few I don't recognize.

So the answer is "no".

Bots.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: The Larch on November 08, 2019, 07:24:14 AM
I do use Twitter but almost never write anything myself, for me it's mostly a source of information and a way to follow live events or situations developing in real time. My activity there is quite up and down, though. In some periods I might log in daily, and then I'll ignore it for weeks and weeks.

It certainly takes a bit to learn how to use it in a productive way, otherwise it's easy to get overwhelmed by a never ending stream of new stuff. You have to ask yourself if it's going to be purely personal or also professional in some way, be selective on who you follow according to this, maybe do some thematic lists on particular topics, and possibly refrain from debating anything, as it's really a horrible medium for that.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: ulmont on November 08, 2019, 08:15:26 AM
Quote from: The Larch on November 08, 2019, 07:24:14 AM
I do use Twitter but almost never write anything myself, for me it's mostly a source of information and a way to follow live events or situations developing in real time. My activity there is quite up and down, though. In some periods I might log in daily, and then I'll ignore it for weeks and weeks.

It certainly takes a bit to learn how to use it in a productive way, otherwise it's easy to get overwhelmed by a never ending stream of new stuff. You have to ask yourself if it's going to be purely personal or also professional in some way, be selective on who you follow according to this, maybe do some thematic lists on particular topics, and possibly refrain from debating anything, as it's really a horrible medium for that.

Second all of this, except that I check in a few times daily.  I have 4 lists: people I know IRL (plus a few people like you I know only from the Internet), chess, football, and a morning shortlist of about 20 people I tend to like to read.  Anything that isn't on a list, I never see.  So it's basically like an RSS feed (remember those) of 280-character blogs.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: The Larch on November 08, 2019, 08:25:15 AM
Quote from: ulmont on November 08, 2019, 08:15:26 AM
Quote from: The Larch on November 08, 2019, 07:24:14 AM
I do use Twitter but almost never write anything myself, for me it's mostly a source of information and a way to follow live events or situations developing in real time. My activity there is quite up and down, though. In some periods I might log in daily, and then I'll ignore it for weeks and weeks.

It certainly takes a bit to learn how to use it in a productive way, otherwise it's easy to get overwhelmed by a never ending stream of new stuff. You have to ask yourself if it's going to be purely personal or also professional in some way, be selective on who you follow according to this, maybe do some thematic lists on particular topics, and possibly refrain from debating anything, as it's really a horrible medium for that.

Second all of this, except that I check in a few times daily.  I have 4 lists: people I know IRL (plus a few people like you I know only from the Internet), chess, football, and a morning shortlist of about 20 people I tend to like to read.  Anything that isn't on a list, I never see.  So it's basically like an RSS feed (remember those) of 280-character blogs.

Good thing about lists, you don't have to actually follow the accounts!  :lol:

I have a bunch of lists, but I only really use a couple of them, both sports related. The rest is all a rather eclectic feed.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: The Brain on November 08, 2019, 02:16:17 PM
Quote from: Hamilcar on November 08, 2019, 07:08:11 AM
Quote from: celedhring on November 08, 2019, 05:56:27 AM
My twitter account is over 10 years old. It has a grand total of 2 posts. Funnily enough, 20-something people follow me. Mostly old friends, but also a few I don't recognize.

So the answer is "no".

Bots.

The band?
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on November 08, 2019, 03:55:32 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 07, 2019, 04:36:24 PM
Hells no

:banned:
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: The Brain on November 08, 2019, 04:03:27 PM
Finally.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: jimmy olsen on November 09, 2019, 04:56:30 AM
Joined December 2013
198 Following
30 Followers
274 Tweets
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: The Brain on November 09, 2019, 05:10:29 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on November 09, 2019, 04:56:30 AM
Joined December 2013
198 Following
30 Followers
274 Tweets

Keep it up. Hitler started with less. :)
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Barrister on April 26, 2022, 02:25:44 PM
I was bored.  I looked up the criteria to get a Twitter blue checkmark:

https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/about-twitter-verified-accounts

I... I think I qualify as a government official?  I'd have to link my account to my work email, but otherwise I work for the government, I can find multiple news articles that cite me, etc.

Should I bother?  Or would that be more trouble than it's worth, as then I might be seen as representing the Justice Department when posting and now just my own opinions?
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Habbaku on April 26, 2022, 02:37:22 PM
Definitely don't do that.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Barrister on April 26, 2022, 02:38:17 PM
Quote from: Habbaku on April 26, 2022, 02:37:22 PMDefinitely don't do that.

Pourquoi?
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: HVC on April 26, 2022, 02:44:20 PM
Might retweet the wrong thing and get fired.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Habbaku on April 26, 2022, 03:00:46 PM
Plausible deniability. There is almost certainly nothing positive that could come out of you getting verified.

Every day, there is a main character on Twitter. Twitter has one quest: don't be the main character. Being verified makes it more likely you'll be the main character.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Josquius on April 26, 2022, 03:28:57 PM
I have an account. Virtually never use it. The occasional drive by poking of fascists only.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: celedhring on April 26, 2022, 04:21:15 PM
I have an account, I haven't posted since 2014 and I just use it to follow news/comedy accounts I like.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Valmy on April 27, 2022, 08:31:07 PM
Quote from: celedhring on April 26, 2022, 04:21:15 PMI have an account, I haven't posted since 2014 and I just use it to follow news/comedy accounts I like.

Yeah you explained that when you posted in this thread back in 2019  :P
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: celedhring on April 28, 2022, 01:36:55 AM
Quote from: Valmy on April 27, 2022, 08:31:07 PM
Quote from: celedhring on April 26, 2022, 04:21:15 PMI have an account, I haven't posted since 2014 and I just use it to follow news/comedy accounts I like.

Yeah you explained that when you posted in this thread back in 2019  :P

Well, just updating you on the vital information that nothing has changed for me.  :P

I have lost 6 followers in these 3 years though, only 14 now  :(
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Syt on April 28, 2022, 02:15:45 AM
I'm at 187, up by a few since last time. Not sure why, though.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on April 28, 2022, 08:13:57 AM
I joined to win a contest. I didn't. I don't post anything and rarely read anything except from my boss' boss so I know what he's thinking.

I think it encourages people to be trashbags to each other, and has led to these 'influencer' type shitbags getting elected to public offic.e
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: ulmont on April 28, 2022, 09:16:00 AM
Quote from: ulmont on November 08, 2019, 08:15:26 AMSecond all of this, except that I check in a few times daily.  I have 4 lists: people I know IRL (plus a few people like you I know only from the Internet), chess, football, and a morning shortlist of about 20 people I tend to like to read.  Anything that isn't on a list, I never see.  So it's basically like an RSS feed (remember those) of 280-character blogs.

...almost 3 years later, I never bother to even check in and only interact with twitter to click through to a link and possibly retweet it, if I see it elsewhere.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: DGuller on April 28, 2022, 09:28:09 AM
I just realized that lately I use Twitter as the only means to let me know when someone said or did something stupid.  Regardless of algorithm preferences, if something is stupid enough, it's going to trend.  I've long stopped following news unless the news somehow reaches me, so this and Languish is the only way for me to know.  It's probably not good to leave yourself to the whims of the algorithm like that, though.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: The Minsky Moment on April 28, 2022, 10:30:24 AM
I use it follow some people with interesting (for me) accounts: Caixin and Michael Pettis for China, about 10 other econ types, ISW and Ukraine War maps for the war, Bill James, Tangotiger, Sarah Langs and Joe Posnanski for baseball, Victoria 3.  I've never tweeted.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: mongers on April 28, 2022, 05:32:31 PM
Back in the day it was useful for directly contacting journalism, print or news channel.

Can't say that I've used in within the last couple of years.
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: jimmy olsen on April 30, 2022, 05:20:30 AM
Quote from: The Brain on November 09, 2019, 05:10:29 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on November 09, 2019, 04:56:30 AMJoined December 2013
198 Following
30 Followers
274 Tweets

Keep it up. Hitler started with less. :)
Now

386 Following
73 Followers
1,440 Tweets
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: 11B4V on April 30, 2022, 10:41:45 AM
Yes, it's a dumpster fire
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on April 30, 2022, 11:43:23 AM
People seem to think that the stuff on Twitter is real. They are addicted to outrage and anger. 
Title: Re: Twitter - anyone use it
Post by: Eddie Teach on April 30, 2022, 11:27:00 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 30, 2022, 05:20:30 AM
Quote from: The Brain on November 09, 2019, 05:10:29 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on November 09, 2019, 04:56:30 AMJoined December 2013
198 Following
30 Followers
274 Tweets

Keep it up. Hitler started with less. :)
Now

386 Following
73 Followers
1,440 Tweets

That's not a good k/d ratio.