Reply #5: Twitter is a micro-blogging service

[blogslut]

Micro-blogging incorporates software that allows the user to post short messages in a social networking format. A micro-blogger can invite other micro-bloggers to follow posts and vice versa.

Twitter is not the only micro-blogging service but it is the one that has received the most media attention.

When one submits a post on Twitter, that post is called a Tweet.

The appeal of micro-blogging is that one can post from one's cell phone as well as from email and the web. Another selling point is that the interface is easy to navigate and use. Lastly, micro-blogging is limited to roughly 140 characters per entry - perfect for disseminating small bits of information and quick replies as opposed to the lengthy discussions one finds on message boards like DU or on blogs.

Twitter is not a republican idea. It is simply a tool that works very well for people with short attention spans.