TechScape on Twitter: a novelty that'll die away once the early adopters move on

Stuart Dredge has just posted about how he is recommending Twitter to friends, and using it – even if he's not quite sure yet where it’s going how he doesn't get Twitter:

Sorry, I’m not going to follow through on that headline and say ‘absolutely nothing’. But I’ve spent the last week poking about in Twitter, which appears to be this month’s Hot New Web 2.0 Thing.

Friends swear by it, and they’re the same friends that were banging on about Vox and Facebook just before they blew up big.

Yet as with any hyped new site, it’s tempting to wonder whether it really is a revolution, or just a novelty that’ll die away once the early adopters move onto the next thing.

Comments

[Eric Eggertson]

Twitter's value drops significantly if you don't know anyone who Twitters, and don't want to enlist people to start.

It can still make entertaining reading if no one you know Twitters. But connecting with people is key, and you tend to go where your friends/colleagues hang out.

I think the novelty will wear off as the spam effect increases, but there are all sorts of opportunities for using a tool like Twitter to touch base with a group of people.

[Stuart]

Hey Drew, thanks for the post! I'd take slight issue with your wording though. I'm not stating that it's a novelty that'll die off, but suggesting there's so much hype, it's hard not to wonder IF that's the case.

And I wouldn't say I don't get Twitter - further on in the post, I talk about the aspects I love, and the bits I'm not keen on, concluding: "I am recommending Twitter to friends, and using it – even if I’m not quite sure yet where it’s going."

Just wanted to clarify ;o)

[Drew B]

Good point Stuart - I'll update that post :-)