3rd
Facebook VS Twitter VS Tumblr? Round 1
So the word for 2008 had to be (aside from recession and foreclosures) socialnetworking, and microblogging. Microblogging is technically what I’m up to right now, smaller length and relatively simpler format blogs that allow quicker uptime and for more the more “aside” type of commentary. Shakespeare would have been proud, I think.
Now, of course, people like to put available tools against each other in a varitable death match. It’s always who’s better, who’s got more users, who’s on the rise. Always competitive around here! It’s why everyone’s stressed out so much.
First, lets all chill out a second and be glad these tools are out there and are FREE. They empower expression and community building and learning. I’ve been diving into Twitter during the holidays and have met some very smart people and found so many resources it often crashes my Firefox.
But if we must compare, Facebook is good for connecting to people you know, sending them annoying application invites and planning hockey parties. It has done well for me by letting me reconnect with old friends and discuss 90’s metal fondly. But it tries to be everything to everyone, which is why it has so many users. It’s like the mutated Tetsuo at the end of Akira all huge and confused, bellowing “KINEDA!”..will it change? Maybe, but its the top dog right now and I don’t see Zuckerberg doing anything. He’s too busy sitting around being smug.
Ok, so twitter is great for what it is, finding random people and sharing small thoughts with condensed URLs. There’s a bit of competitiveness with how many followers you have, as the top followed twitterers are treated like demigods. Essentially the more you follow, the more you’re followed. That’s the great dynamic of twitter, balance mostly happens. What’s fun about it is finding people, through others, through tools, and being exposed to new thoughts and links, and of course more people. I can see getting into it to an insane level, so I’m trying to moderate it now. But it is wicked useful and has already benefited me. But you can’t post images, video, etc, just text, but you can customize your background.
Tumblr, which I’m using now, seems to be what twitter should be. Multimedia sharing, and what the now-defunct/retooling Pownce was. You can post lengthly diatribes, or follow other tumblogs and they show up in your roll. Haven’t been into it as long as the others, but it seems to be strong competitor.
Winner? For me, for sheer fun, usefulness and simplicity — Twitter. For now. Although Tumblr is dropping some dudes in the amateur ranks, so we’ll revisit in a few months.
