Jun 26
2008
The Pleasures of Plurking and Twittering
I have to tell you that I was entirely skeptical about social networking sites such as Twitter or Plurk.
But now that I have dipped my virtual toe into the virtual waters, I must tell you that I am hooked.
One of the beauties of these sites is that they limit the number of characters, so you don’t have to read through lengthy messages. It’s a great way to share resources and little observations that don’t merit a full blog post, but which you want to share with others. People share about things as mundane as the weather and how they don’t really feel like working today to news of their blog posts. Sometimes there are big announcements. One Twitterer shared that her son had decided he would now be her daughter!
Twitter is a far more simple interface, with all your little messages in a single column stream. As a result, though, it can be difficult to have a real conversation and people often seem to be talking past each other. You can find people with like interests on Twitter and friend them without their permission, meaning you follow their Twitters. If you want, you can set up a private Twitter so that only people you approve can participate–a great feature for families or friends.
The Twitter interface flows all messages according to time.
I prefer Plurk. Plurk has a more complicated interface but allows for threaded chats so that you can follow conversations. I think it is this feature that encourages far more dialogue among fellow Plurkarians. You can choose to make your Plurks visible to the whole world or just a few people. As with Twitter you can have private Plurking.
Plurk also rewards good “Plurking” with karma points. From what I can see, you get a higher karma rating by Plurking not to much, not too little and by responding as well as initiating Plurk messages. You are rewarded for your high karma with little things such as the ability to customize your screen display and–most popular of all–get emoticons, such as dancing bananas and little Nixon-giving-the-peace sign emoticons.
The Plurk interface is more complicated, but allows for mini-chats.
To be sure, you can go overboard in chatting with your pals on these services. I have learned to discipline myself to checking a few times a day and perhaps having a more extended chat from time-to-time, usually in the evening.
If you follow gardening blogs, you might find some people that you know in one of these places. And it’s a great place to ask questions, get quick advice and share the thrill of victory and agony of defeat in your gardening exploits. I also enjoy keeping up with my younger brother’s daily activities, which seem to involve a lot of eating.
You can find me on Twitter as BumblebeeGarden and on Plurk (click here) as Bumblebee. Care to join us?
June 26th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Ah yes, your little brother always seems to have food on his mind…just like his wife…and their dog. We are definitely a carb family.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
My Hubby is hooked on Twitter too! There are some posts that makes us laugh so hard. The limit on characters really brings out the creativity of expression in some people.
June 26th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Okay, I’m trying Plurk. But what if I get so addicted I can’t even blog anymore?
June 26th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
I think the interface on Plurk is ugly and distracting. It’s just too busy. Too cute. I guess it has a lot to do with what I want to get out of these tools. I like Twitter because it creates a log file of little garden notes I take for working up my blog posts. It works much better than a bunch of Post-Its taped to my monitor.
I may still set up a Plurk account so I can chat about non-garden blogging topics. But if I want to chat with someone, I’d rather IM. I guess I’ve always preferred long intimate discussions to cocktail chatter–which is what Plurk reminds me of.
Just being involved in Twitter has taken a lot of my energy away from blogging. I do like keeping up day to day on Twitter with smaller core group of bloggers than I follow on RSS. And I do feel that there is a more personal connection among my fellow Tweeters. My blog reading and blog writing has declined since I began using Twitter. I can’t imagine what would happen if I Plurked, too.
Too many systems. Too little time.
June 26th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
I’m liking the Plurking thing, but I can do it only when I’ve got a good chunk of time when I intend to be online. With the kids home for summer, I find I’m limited to 10-15 spurts of online activity. It’s fun to compare (& complain) about the current weather or the current weeds. I can’t decide if that emoticon is Nixon, Churchill, a gang banger, or a rock star.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
I like Plurking. I love Plurking. I still write my blog two to three posts a week. Plurking helps me build friendships with my garden and knit blogging friends. It’s loads of fun too, but can be addictive. I have to shut down the screen if I’m busy.
I like Twitter too, but not as much. I feel like conversing more than just announcing. On Plurk, I can do both.
Great post, Bumblebee.~~Dee
June 26th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
One of the features of Plurk is that you can set up a private Plurk and limit who sees it. It becomes “somewhat” like an IM but with a record of it.
They both have a place, though none of us can figure out how either site is making money.
And beware the addictive qualities of it!
June 26th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
I like them both. I use them somewhat differently. I keep in mind that my Twitters show up in the sidebar of my blog, and try to complement my blog with my tweets. Plurk is more hanging out with friends, sometimes serious, and sometimes silly. Sometimes I have to stay away, and then I have to decide what to do with over a hundred new responses. Do I try to catch up with them all? Mark them all as “read”? or some other strategy? I remind myself that if this were a real evening with friends I couldn’t rewind and catch up on the conversation I missed, so, should I try now just because I can?
People had to learn how to fit the telephone in their lives; they’ve had to learn how to fit email into their lives. (Most of us are still working on that one.) And now we have to figure out yet more ways to be in touch or out of touch. It is daunting and fun at the same time.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
And, I would suggest that if people like to use these different tools they try a browser called FLOCK. It allows you to aggregate all of your sites and read it in one stream. I don’t think they have Plurk, but just about everything else!
June 27th, 2008 at 6:50 am
I guess I’m a Twitter devotee. That may be just because I’m used to it. It’s simple to use and straightforward and I like that I can follow people with a click of the ‘follow’ button. I doubt I could keep up with as many people as I do on Twitter quite so easily on Plurk.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Twitter is so five minutes ago. All the cool people are on Plurk.
June 27th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
I’m enjoying Plurk but I never experienced Twitter or IM. I was too busy but now that I’m semi retired, I love it. It’s helped to reconnect with a few folks I lost track of at other sites.
June 28th, 2008 at 11:00 am
OK….I gotta admit that I am way behind the curve. Never even heard of either one. But you’ve whetted my appetite. And since it’s too darn hot to garden this afternoon, I might have to get on at least one of them and check it out. Good information! Thanks! Fran
June 30th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I just don’t understand Plurk–yet–and the karma thing is a bit intimidating. Reminds me too much of gathering fans on blotanical. But I don’t rule it out. I’m on it, anyway.