to just not "get" Twitter?

[Bellagio]

I feel like such an old fart writing this but I just don't get it. What's the attraction? Is it a bit like having your own blog famousness or is it just people lke being able to contact celebrities?
What is so great about it? What are so many people twittering about ?
Would anybody that is an enthusiastic user (is this the right word? Or are you called a twitter?....see- clueless) like to come along and educate me in this strange world I know nothing of?
Or am I intact NBU and the rest of you are as much in the dark as me?

It's the fastest way to get news. It's great for a chat with mnetters without thread jacking,

It's all very well following Because I'm worth it but she is not following me back...........so I may have to bin her soon :o

I was very anti Twitter for a long time, I couldn't give a rats arse what Pip Schofield was getting up to on his hols, but I use it to talk crap with Mners now. Its good fun, everyone is of a like mind in my 'followers' and those that I follow.

I didnt get it, but after reading this i think it do.

You follow peoples updates?

Is that it?

yes you automatically get updates from those you follow but you can chat to folk too. Thats the best bit. And reading Viz Top Tips every 10 minutes

I suppose that is why it is so popular, you can follow celebs and they might reply to your messages?

Although i remember reading Lady GaGa, has something like 6 million followers, so her replying is very unlikely?

It is useful for hearing about local information and can result in you physically meeting locals who you may never have met any other way.
I find that I hear about family products much sooner, sometimes getting fairly good discounts on retail prices and also freebies.

Claw3 - yes, you read what other people write. You can then choose to respond to what they write, if you feel so inclined... or simply ignore it.

Don't use it for following slebs, most of them are either mind-numbingly dull, completely vacuous or just ridiculously spoilt. Or Paris Hilton, who is all of the above.

I use it to keep up to date with what is happening in UK, to chat to MNetters and random folk that I have "met" there, and for a laugh when someone post something funny.

Good people to follow are journalists, who will interact with you, and will keep you well informed. And writers, bloggers, anyone in a field that interests you.

The disjointed conversations is helped when you use a Twitter app on your phone so you can see what the person replied to. And Tweetdeck is fav for the PC so you can organize the people you follow.

You can also search for any topic. So if you are interested in knitting, you have a search column "knit", if you like XFactor then search for that.

The @ is to address a person. So if you want to say something to me, write @mmelindor and I and my followers will see it in our timelines.

Use # to group messages. So during the election if I would use #GE2010. For the pope's visit there is the #popevisit. When everyone uses the same # it makes it easier to search for tweets about that activity or occasion.

For mumsnet related things... #mumsnet

If you are trying to diet, search #ipodge and follow @ipodge

If you have been following me @nannynick
then you will have just been able to read how to make playdough.

Expect you already know how to make playdough, though still surprising how many people go out and buy that sort of thing, when it can be easily made at home.

Alouiseg - am I not? I thought I was!

Will go and check ...

Well I am now!

Nannynick, yes i already know how to make play dough. If you know how to make a million, i will follow you.

I don't get it either. I joined it and then cancelled as I just didn't get it.

Sort of understand some of what you are saying BIWI etc but worry that i would end up living my life through my phone and computer. I am bad enough on here as it is.

I also think it is a bit of a shame how many MNers use it more than MN now. I am on the Nothing Tastes Better thread on here and lots of people who were on there are now doing the iPodge one on Twitter. I blame that fishy one for that. I am struggling with the dieting so may do Twitter just for that and see how I go.

I don't use it more than MN - I flip between the two, as they are different 'experiences', IYSWIM. Twitter is more like quick banter with people, here there is more discussion.

Come on Buda - you know you want to ...

Nick
playdoh is the work of the devil and I have no interest in learning how to make it. Banned chez Lindt since an unfortunate incident with DH's trousers

Buda
I use MN and twitter for different things. Twitter is a pop in and out while I am doing the housework / out for the day. MN is sitting having a coffee and relaxing for 30 minutes 2 hours

Twitter is fab!!! I don't tweet too much as don't have loads of followers so doesn't seem much point but I fo "follow" a lot of people, quite a few celebs, done friends and sone people I've stumbled across with similar interests to my own.

My favourite part of Facebook is the status updates and Twitter is just that, a website full of status updates.

YADNBU

Oh yeah, re using it for work - my husband does this. He's a journalist and follows people from all aspects of his industry and other writers. He mostly posts work-related stuff but the odd personal post too. This way he gets industry news as soon as it breaks and/or people start chatting about it, makes contacts in a less formal setting than email sometimes is, without having to go out schmoozing, can link to/promo his own stuff and can show them who he is as a person as well as a writer.

I like using mine as a personal account, but I've seen it work well (as above) for people who use Twitter largely for professional purposes.

I don't get it either, but I'm on it now for better or worse (after some bullying encouragement.) I just hope I'm not an epic let-down with my legendary elusiveness and inability to complete a task to anyone's satisfaction.

I might finally relent on Facebook as well. I need to drag myelf out of the 18th century or I truly will have no life.

I'm fed up with aquaintances of my good friends telling me what my good friends are doing, because they speak to them through FB weekly, whereas I speak to them over dinner every three months. It has to stop.

OK BIWI - I've done it. I joined Twitter under this name. Just looked at iPodge so far!

And Buda if it makes you feel ANY better I have failed on BOTH diet threads

I can't get into it, which is odd as I'm an FB status junkie.

I got told to join to help advertise offers and stuff from my website, so i did and i tweeted an offer or whatever i was supposed to do and i have one follower who might not be following me anymroe. I just dont get it . No one will see my tweet will they unless they follow me which they dont.

yanbu-ish

I'm on twitter and it's not that exciting, I haven't looked at it in weeks. I prefer FB TBH.

Although some people are great to follow, Lucy Mangan, Prof Brian Cox, Stephen Fry, alistair campbell, charlie brooker, grace dent and ben goldacre are on mine.

Buda - am following you now!

Can recommend:

@mrchrisaddison
@rebeccafront
@caitlinmoran
@sarahmillican

But the best thing to do is to find a MNetter who has lots of followers and who follows lots of people, and pick some of those to follow too.

Also, if you're into sport/politics/news, there are lots of specific sites and people to follow there.

@johnprescott is good value too!