Twitter.com--Another Kind of Social Networking Website

A product of the recent trend in advertising-based websites, another social networking utility has emerged. Twitter.com takes a different spin on the concept pioneered by MySpace and Facebook, allowing users to send messages to numerous friends at once.

The messages, or "tweets," can be no longer than 140 characters, and can be sent directly to cell phones in addition to computers. This flexibility is twitter's claim to fame. Although you can access twitter directly through its website, it is also possible to access all of its features through IM as well as text messages. It has no software of its own for cell phones, relying instead on text-based commands sent through text messages. Although not the easiest thing to use, it is easy to set up and its compatibility is unparalleled.

The system twitter uses for sending messages is slightly different from any existing system. The 140 character tweets are sent to a large group of people, all of your "followers." By moving beyond the one-on-one nature of IMs and text messages, twitter is carving out its own place in the market, and, of course, making cell phone companies richer with every fifteen cent text message. It does have its uses, allowing close groups of friends to coordinate their movements, in addition to allowing people to read the tweets of celebrities such as Democratic candidate John Edwards.

Signing up for twitter is a simple matter of going to its website and pushing the "join" button. Be sure to provide your real name, because otherwise your friends won't be able to find you. If you give your phone number, you will be able to take advantage of twitter's cell phone functionality. You can then add friends, (people you are following) and people will be able to subscribe to your tweets, becoming your "followers." By hovering your cursor over your friend's icons, you can see whether they are following you.

Although it is definitely easiest to use twitter with a web browser, you can also use all of its features on your mobile phone. For example, to send a tweet, simply send the text to 40404. No need to provide your username, caller ID will take care of that. For more advanced features, twitter has its own command system. To add people to your follow list, for example, just text "follow username" to the same number. It is a bit of a nuisance, but you can do everything with your phone.

If you don't want to send a message to everyone, it is possible to send direct messages. By texting "d username message" to 40404, you can send a direct message, akin to a text message (which would really be an easier option, truth be told.) Alternately, by sending a message to "@username," you can send a message directed at one person but sent to all your followers, akin to an email carbon copy.

When you get sick of twitter, as you inevitable will, just text "stop," "sleep," or "off" to its number. It will go away.