Is Twitter a gimmick or a real service? Does my question even matter?

Twitter takes SMS (texting) to that next level; simplicity of use. Twitter ignores social networking. Then again maybe that is an unfair comment. Twitter is like real time conversation; call it texting plus. Twitter enables users to send and read other Twitter users’ updates. It is like a conversation with many people. These updates are known as tweets and are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length.

Is Twitter significant? The answer is yes. Critics of Twitter have called it nothing more than a fad. However, I disagree. People called MySpace and Facebook fads when they were first launched and now look at them. There are still questions about how you value MySpace and Facebook but those questions and concerns have had almost no impact on their valuation.

Why do I think Twitter is going to stick? First of all, the demographic is the key. The older generation the industry speaks of is the same generation that began using the cell phone in the 1980s and 1990s. The older generation is the one that first used text messaging in the 1990s but decided that talking was easier. The older generation is the same generation that made the Internet popular and web surfing popular. In other words, it is all in the timing. Twitter could not have come at a better time.

The company does not have as broad appeal as Facebook. However, comments like that are actually meaningless. Twitter just got started.

The question I have is how is Twitter going to generate revenue? Through user applications? Through fees? Through targeted advertising?

Given the data structure of MySpace and Facebook, it is doubtful that either can launch an adequate competitive response without substantial system overhauls.

MySpace and Facebook cater to the “all about me” user. Twitter is all about real time conversation but still supports the “all about me” user but not as loud (no visuals at least not yet). They all shout “all about me”.

Twitter is an interesting twist in texting. However, I believe there is still a problem and that problem is the avalanche of information associated with all of these services. At some point it all becomes noise. Most of these services are opt-out services. Hence you need to proactively shut out people. Are you really interested in your friend’s daily activities?

MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook are all about self-promotion.   What is needed is a tool that allows interested parties to communicate in a social network in a collaborative manner and a manner that actually provides value to a group of friends and colleagues.   Right now it is social networks like MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook that generate tons of information.  At some point it all becomes noise.   This noise or information eventually becomes too difficult to access and navigate.  Access has become so difficult that the information available is reminiscent of a cloud.  You cannot make out what is floating in the cloud.  The cloud is constantly changing shape – hence it is literally shapeless.  The cloud literally has no substance – it is vapor.   Numerous adapters have been created to bridge the gap between structured and unstructured information cloud.  Several steps have been taken in data classification – hierarchical and then faceted classification from the top and folksonomies from the bottom.   A faceted classification system allows the assignment of multiple classifications to an object, enabling the classifications to be ordered in multiple ways, rather than in a one-way-only, pre-determined, hierarchical order.   What is folksonomy?   Folksonomy is the practice and method of collaboratively creating and managing tags to annotate and categorize content.  In contrast to traditional subject indexing, metadata is not only generated by experts but also by creators and consumers of the content.  Usually, freely chosen keywords are used instead of a controlled vocabulary.   Information that you cannot find when you need it becomes a lost data.   What is the solution to this chaos?  The answer is a collaborative environment that bridges controlled vocabulary and folksonomy.  Folksonomy, is collaborative tagging, social classification, social indexing, and social metadata.  There are several sites that support folksonomy and there are other sites built on controlled vocabularies. Can anyone name a tool out there that supports both hierarchical taxonomy and folksonomy?. None of the popular social networking sites come close to what is needed to restore order to the chaos.   In other words, we need a way of creating a system for collaborative tagging of data with ties to common classification.  We need user created but controlled social metadata. Effectively a community of interested users tags the data.  The wiki has become a commonplace way of tagging information..  However, wikis tend to be public arenas that have become giant chat rooms with very little participant control.  What is needed is a way to narrow the tagging process in such a way that users tag data within defined categories.  In other words we create a closed user group that supports just-in-time information delivery based on group behavior. A new website called www.TabUp.com has hit the scene.  The new online service focuses on providing collaborative tagging via predefined user groups.  TabUp is further refining the tagging process.  Part of what TabUp is enabling is that the user is part of an indexing and classification loop that continually refines the tagging of information.  Call it Wiki Plus EVEN MORE.  Call it Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter Beyond.   TabUp is a pioneer in social collaboration.  Are there other companies?  Maybe, investors who are seeking to monetize their social networking investments need to consider collaborative approaches now.   TabUp is based in Stamford , CT.  The company is a pioneer in social collaboration.

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