Ready to 
Twitter is definitely more than just micro-blogging
Cliff
June 17, 2009 10:55 AM ET in Tech
Until recently I have been a staunch critic of the Web 2.0 movement. I have seen it as something of a fad, a trend, or a passing fancy. Sure, I thought social networking and interactive media were amusing to a degree, but I also found sites like MySpace to be a shallow experience that could not offer me anything exponentially greater than a good forum. My perception of things web 2.0 changed when I found Twitter.
Twitter is brilliant in its simplicity. It’s fast, it’s easy, it’s addictive as hell and, if you are willing to put forth a little effort, can be utilized to forge your own web identity. At first, nearly every user will fail to see the immediate value in the service. The idea that a quick 140 character post can be value added content just seems wrong; it’s too easy, too quick. How could a micro-blog do anything for me? Well, it can, and it has in enormous ways. I will paraphrase Jason Calacanis of Mashable.com: Twitter is becoming web 2.0’s phone directory. The beauty of Twitter is its openness. It’s quick, easy way to meet new people and exchange ideas without making long-term social commitments.
It’s very easy to meet new people on Twitter. Just do a search for a term that interests you, find people talking about that topic, click follow — perhaps respond to something they posted — and you are well on your way to understanding the value of the most powerful networking tool on earth.
On new opportunities
My journey on Twitter has not exactly taken the form of a straight line. I had heard and read a lot about the service, but I did not initially see the value of it. As many things in life, an endorsement from a friend offered all the encouragement I needed to dip my toes into the virtual waters. Like most people, I found it difficult to understand why everyone was so enthralled with the service. Then it occurred to me: at its core, it’s about making new friends.
Saying “hello” is so simple, finding people with similar interests is so simple, and so is finding a good argument. If Icrontic readers have learned anything about me, it’s that few people enjoy a good ol’ geek throw down more than I do.
Enter @Thracks. To be honest, I have lost track of how Robert and I first met on Twitter, though I do recall that we had both already been following AMD’s Twitter presence (which I feel strongly about). So when Icrontic’s own Robert Hallock dropped a link to an article that questioned AMD’s relevance in the current market, I felt compelled to add my two cents on Icrontic’s forum, and a new friendship was formed. That friendship was the starting point for new opportunities, not only for me, but Icrontic as well.
My relationship with Icrontic, gained through Twitter, has provided me with the opportunity to write feature articles. This has, in many ways, given me the encouragement to continue improving my writing. It has given me a greater sense of purpose and self-esteem to know that, here, my input is valued.
Aside from AMD, another company I follow on Twitter is Antec. Getting to know Scott and Frank from that company has afforded me two huge opportunities. First, I was given a chance to evaluate the Antec Skeleton chassis for my first Icrontic hardware review and, second, I was also the winner of their first official Twitter contest. Scott and Frank are nice gentlemen that value our input. It’s refreshing to see tech companies recognizing the value of building relationships with the enthusiast community through social media.
Using Twitter today
Fast forward a few months and I am still corresponding with AMD. Despite the predictions of select critics, they have not moved on and they are still engaging tech enthusiasts with a great deal of openness. I correspond with about a dozen AMD employees, but most frequently with Vice President of Advanced Marketing, @PatrickMoorhead. Patrick and I have kept an open line of communication, I post on his blog occasionally, and he now reads Icrontic on a regular basis.
Last week Patrick was visiting Washington DC to meet with some members of the tech press. When discovering that I was less than an hour away on the parkway, Patrick offered to meet. I embraced the chance to meet with and network with someone in the business world who I have grown to admire. Patrick and I shared a couple beers and talked about tech, but more importantly we got to know each other as individuals. In a global business environment plagued by mistrust and doubt — created by executives that seemingly left their moral compass behind them — let me assure you that there are corporate VPs out there who are regular, hard-working, blue collar souls. Patrick Moorhead is one, and I publicly thank him for his hospitality.
In addition to all of this, I have been offered a few other writing opportunities. I have been asked to blog about Baltimore sports, though I have not yet found the time. I have been invited to contribute to some other tech related communities, but I have found Icrontic to be my new home on the internet.
My wife has also recently joined the Twitter ranks to see what the fuss is all about. She is still trying to see the value in Twitter just like everyone does in the beginning. Give @MichelleForster a shout when you get a chance and thank her for putting up with me. It’s exciting to think that perhaps in a few months she will see what I do: A whole new realm of friends and opportunities
In a couple weeks I will be traveling to Detroit to meet many Icrontians face-to-face for the first time. We are going to game together, have a beer or seven, and no doubt argue over something completely infantile, and I will enjoy every second of it. For this man, Twitter has not been just a place to go and talk about what I am currently doing, it hasn’t been just micro-blog, and it hasn’t been just another social networking tool. For me, Twitter has been all about making new friends.
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