Twitter is mentioned very often in 'the media', but I know of nobody who actually uses it.

Is it just something used by self-obsessed media types who think that other people are interested in short text messages about the minutiae of their lives or is it a mass-media phenomenon like Facebook?

ps. Is Facebook still as popular as it was? I've an account, but never really got into it. When I occasionally look at it there appears to be a bit less traffic than there was. There are still people who discuss surprisingly private matters on there though.

Mostly hype I think. I reckon it'll fall flat on it's ass in a year or two, once everyone realises it's useless and boring.

I heard something like 95% of registered users never post, something along those lines

Facebook user numbers have grown by something like 150% in the last year. So I imagine it is still growing.

I think it depends on how spread out your friends are how useful it is – it is dead useful for me, as a lot of friends in London and round the world in various places, who I'd never keep in touch with otherwise.

Twitter is weird – only use of it is for hassling customer services people, as the public relations people at companies tend to be on twitter. Same is true of facebook – if you can find a company director's name, then facebook message them, things get sorted quickly.

Joe

I did wonder & started an account; even followed a couple of people, thought Brad Wiggins & Lance Armstrong may be interesting … however there appears to be nothing more interesting than them saying they called a mate or went for a curry… cant say that does anything for me at all..maybe I am missing something but havent bothered to sign in for months.

Everybody knows that Twitter was invented so that Brant and Ed Oxley could have conversations without actually speaking to each other!

Mind you, Brant's recipe for chicken soup, which he twittered about in great detail today, sounds quite good!

once everyone realises it's useless

Have to disagree there – I use it for finding out about music releases and freebees. Very very useful for that.
Hardly ever post (sorry, I mean twit) though.

Utterley stupid passtime, don't get it and don't care to, not interested in following aload of jumped up lovies with to much self importance being followed by a load of wannabie drongos.

I've started using Twitter to follow what's going on in F1{*} – there are updates from teams, drivers & journalists so you tend to get good & current coverage of what's going on.

{*} I suspect you can do the same for MotoGP, which I'll no doubt be told is much more interesting

I am on twitter, but I just follow a few people, never actually post myself. Some are worth reading, some are.

Facebook on the other hand is a great way of keeping in touch with people, especially I have lived overseas for a while.

****tter would be a better term.

Utterley stupid passtime, don't get it and don't care to, not interested in following aload of jumped up lovies with to much self importance being followed by a load of wannabie drongos.

well don't then – its up to you who you follow – and a huge variety of people/ organisations to choose from

I like it – more than facebook. Not sure why really. Facebook traffic seems to be slowing down for me, mainly dominated by my cousin (who is 18) now and all the bizarre and pointless online groups she keeps joining

Twitter has a 40% retention rate apparently, users who create an account and keep using it.

I find it very useful, especially for communication between the small software development communities I'm part of, and for keeping up with bike industry bods.

It's usefulness is a matter of opinion, I personally follow no celebrities as that's a complete waste of time.

it's no different to using a forum, except you can weed out the dross.

Twitter is ace, but you need to follow good people and be followed by good people. Then you need to interact with them.

it's no different to using a forum, except you can weed out the dross.

True dat.

I use Twitter. As said above, if somebody is boring you just get rid.

I have dumped Frank Sidebottom amongst others.