Micro blogs

A micro blog is like a blog, but the posts are limited to 140 characters. That sounds very simple, and it is, but the applications are surprising. (The telephone is also simple -- dial the number, talk into one end and listen to the other, but the applications are also surprising).

Twitter was the first micro blogging service, and it continues to be dominant. Twitter users have their own vocabulary. When blogging, we speak of "blog posts." Twitters short posts are called "tweets." In blogging we say we will "subscribe" to someone's blog. In Twitter we say we are "following" the person.

Since the messages are short, people often read and post to micro blogs using their phones or other mobile devices. (You can also receive tweets as text messages on your phone).

Twitter began as a text service, but one can incorporate links to audio and video files in a tweet.

URL abbreviation services like TinyURL help us keep our tweets short (under 140 characters). Common abbreviations like "LOL" for "laughing out loud" or "u" for "you" also save characters/.

If you think Twitter sounds frivolous, check out this site and book about the use of Twitter in business by tech journalist Julio Ojeda-Zapata.

For more, check out (3-4 minutes each):

Interview of tech journalist Juilio Ojeda Zapata on micro reporting (audio and transcript).
Interveiw of author Clay Shirky on micro blogging (audio and transcript).
Twitter in plain English
Twitter search in plain English

How might we use Twitter in our class?

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on unofficial pages of California State University, Dominguez Hills faculty, staff or students are strictly those of the page authors. The content of these pages has not been reviewed or approved by California State University, Dominguez Hills.