DG updates via twitter

Maybe this isn't interesting to anybody, but for a diversion this afternoon I created a twitter account for DG and programmed the system to update it whenever anything interesting happens.

You can see it here:

http://twitter.com/dgdave

You can reload the page and see what is happening on DG in real time. It says whenever anyone posts an image to PlantFiles, or starts a new thread, or posts to the Garden Watchdog, updates their blog here at DG, any other interesting things.

Wow, it's already busy...Dave, you'll cause them to burn out keeping up with this place...LOL

I did think about that!! I was surprised how frequent the updates came in.

I don't know how to even use Twitter but I am going to find out....going there right now! Thanks
gail

**edited to say 'how much fun'. Now I need to ask my adult kids if I need to open a Twitter account. I don't know what it is. I do know this: they told me I was too old for facebook^_^

This message was edited Jan 28, 2009 10:04 PM

Thanks for your sense of humor. YOu are much younger than my kids!!
Only the youngest one does the facebook thing. The others are too busy rearing their children and working.

Dave, it could be worse...Once or twice a day, Abe Vigoda posts a statement about being alive. Years ago there was a rumor he had died and he's been trying to "live it down" ever since.

http://twitter.com/abevigoda

I've lurked twitter before...might just have to take the plunge and sign up now.

How exciting!

Joan, I saw that, too and wondered exactly the same thing... what magical things are in store for us??? ;)

Well, it's not extremely exciting. :) I upload code constantly, all the time and usually all day long. Usually it's small things that don't make a visible difference.

Tonight I am programming a special feature that only Terry will use, that will help her with her work that she does for us.

Well, I disagree, I think that's very exciting!

I'm enjoying the new twitter experience. I've got my iPod twittering now too. :)

Well Dave I joined twitter just because of this thread. It's exciting to be able to say this techno-less lady is on twitter! LOL

merigold, what do you do on Twitter? I know less than you do.

Dave, what about subscriber only forum messages? Are the tweets EVERYTHING that happens on DG, or have you blocked some?

There are some things that are blocked. Only those things that a visitor can see will be shown on twitter. For example, a visitor who isn't a subscriber can see that a thread exists in a certain forum, but they may not be able to view it (depending on which forum, obviously).

we've been using twitter professionally for a couple of years for general "work chat"--like "free breakfast in library today--provided by taco cabana" or "buy candy from Spanish club kids by Friday". That way when they send something thru email--you had better read it, it's a directive. Cuts down on the complaints about too many emails to deal with at work; twitter is really good for those last few remaining 'computer-phobic" people, they don't have to deal with the "chatty" type info that doesn't bother the rest of us.

So it really isn't something for the average person? More for websites, blogs and businesses?

its really easy--everyone uses it. Businesses, families, friends, even the media such as CNN. Its more like instant messaging but you don't carry on constant conversations--you just post whenever you can.

Thanks, Dave. I thought you would have safeguards in there, but was curious.

dmj, thanks for the explanation of Twitter.

they limit the length of your posts to 120-200 words (I forget which, I've never hit it)--most people use text messaging style writing so if you aren't into text messaging on a reg basis--you probably won't be into twitter either

140 characters is the limit.

I knew it was in there somewhere--was leaning towards 120

edited to add--it sure cuts down the text messages you have to wade thru at the end of every day, that's why I like it

This message was edited Jan 29, 2009 12:03 PM

Dave, I don't know if I'll follow you on Twitter given the number of updates that go out, but I've bookmarked your page there to browse!

I think the description microblogging is a good way to explain Twitter. Because of the 140 character limit, it makes you think about what you're posting. It forces you to be concise.

I use it to broadcast when I have a new entry up at my blog (done automatically with a Wordpress plugin). I also have Facebook and use an application there which updates my Facebook status with any twitter I send out as long as it's not a reply to a specific user at Twitter. It kills two birds with one stone, so it's handy for me in that way.

As far as being too old for Facebook, don't you believe it! :) Georgiaredclay and Ponditis are both friends of mine on Facebook, and so is Baldeagle...And he is, what, 91 years young?

gessiegail, I'm not a business person or anything. It is just a fun, quick (quirky) slice of my life, kinda deal to me. If you go to Twitter Vision you can see the messages pop up and lot of it is just regular folks.

http://twittervision.com/

This message was edited Jan 29, 2009 4:41 PM

Now that is cool! Even cooler when I just had to click on 3D version...I'm a hopeless click-a-holic...

Ok, merigold, off to the Twitter site again. Thanks!

FOR DAVE:
Just a question about privacy. Am I correct that posts made to
forums that are only accessible by DG members will not appear
on this Twitter site?

I just logged out of here and went to Twitter. I couldn't access any forum that was subscriber only. Your privacy is intact.

june-nmexico, that is correct.

If it is a closed/visible only-to-subscibers forum here, it won't show up there.

If it is a forum that members/visitors can read the first post in a new thread, a new thread will show up there, but they can't get any farther through twitter than they could here.

If it's a post in a free/open forum, then it'll show up there.

Thanks, Terry.

Lots of very personal information gets posted by members
in some threads and I thought that could be awkward if those
posts show up on Twitter.

Well...my personal advice is don't post anything in any forum that you wouldn't want publish in your community newspaper (Even the subscribers-only forums can be seen by over 7,000 subscribers. That's a larger reader circulation than a lot of newspapers ;o)

I agree, Terry, and have followed that rule of thumb
since joining in 2006.

DG is a wonderful place where I know people form strong
cyber friendships and feel "safe" in their online conversations,
but you summed it up very well:

I love telling my 'outside non gardening' friends that I belong to a gardening website with over 400,00 members. I don't worry about what I post as my life is pretty much an open book wherever you post on the internet.

Yep on all counts.

Most of my life is pretty boring and it's easy to be very transparent, but I don't post pictures of my kids, or go into great detail about my travel plans, just in case someone is watching my words with a malevolent motive in mind. (I don't want to scare anyone, as the odds are slim, but but it does pay to be a little circumspect.)

I've been wondering when we'll hit 500K. That's really huge in the world of gardening...there's no one else that big, except (maybe) the multi-media groups like Martha Stewart Omnimedia or Scripps-Howard/HGTV, whose websites exist primarily to support their print or TV presence.

When is the newsletter on DG I just recently heard or read about it.

It comes out every Monday, via email. Would you like me to sign you up for it? (If you don't like it, you can opt out at any time.)

Yes Terry sign me up

All done. It'll show up in your email inbox bright and early Monday a.m.!