What did we do before Twitter?

Its official I'm now a twitterer and I'm not even sure the word exists? Lets face it if web2.0 is the millionth word in the English Language can any one tell me where Twitterer ranks?

The real question is what social purpose does Twitter fulfill and whats in it for all the individuals who Twitter on it?

Bulletin boards have been around for a good few years now and as such seem to have been restricted to groups of people interested in a specific thing like "Share Investment" or "Bell Ringing" although I wonder what the default sound of someone posting on a "Bell Ringing" Bulletin board would be? Perhaps the 1812 overture for hand bell ringers or even "Big Ben" doing the entry to "News at Ten" I have a strong suspicion I'd turn off the sound after a couple of minutes due to lack of novelty.

Twitter brings together diverse groups of people with different technological backgrounds and creates a forum through which they can meet and converse. Of course if someone if really not your type you can switch them off or Block Them. Daydreaming here of Wii console with Block button that expires some ones computer everytime they annoy you on Twitter. Not such a good idea, expect would need to replace my computer too often.

The different types of people on Twitter can join groups or "Twibes" but this doesn't really seem well thought as I'm then not sure what supposed to happen next with a Twibe is it meant to be a Facebook ripoff? Anyone think the designers of Twitter sat there one night and thought up the idea of Twibes over a couple of Beers.Perhaps I've missed the point?

On the subject of followers, whats the point of having a load of followers who live in brazil if they all speak a foreign language oops geordie is a foreign language isn't it "y i bouy". On the other hand I've always harboured a secret desire,steady, to learn to speak and be conversant in french, but google have solved that with instant translation pages French - English et cetera. So tell me recently when I used it why did it translate correctly every word but one. Naturally it was the word I didn't know.

Twitter is strange I swear I can detect the gulf in humanity across the age ranges and races of the world or am I like the people in the recent article about how people can't really, despite everything tell the emotions of their dogs? Apparently we impose human emotions on dogs that they don't really have, come on if you start from the basis that the dog has done something wrong you'll be right eventually.

That reminds me of two people, one whose Blog you are reading that used to sit in the Back Bar of a certain Sandgate Hostelry around the Millenium drinking Green King IPA swearing that the Millenium bug would cause a property crash and a recession. We drank a lot of IPA before that prediction came true!

However I digress, I admit to blocking Twitterers who have followed me but really don't seem to be a fit for my mentality. You may think that leaves me with few followers but hey only 2 people can play Chess at a time. I also block people for gratutious swearing so there.

As I Twitter as "Hoodenershorse" what is the point? It is purely and simply that I wanted to broaden the appeal of the business by reaching out to people socially active in the Ashford area and encourage them to come into the pub, trying the food, we cook mexican cuisine rather well even if i say so! In the few weeks since I started I've learnt a few things and had a lot of help from people who probably didn't know they were helping, thank you,thank you!

A quick mention here for Pub & Bar Network and Perry / Linda who have both been instrumental in us using Twitter as well as helping us to promote the Hoodeners Horse. Please follow the link http://tiny.cc/4w8Yx which should take you to the Hoodeners Horse on the Pub and Bar Network. Whilst your there why not look around lots of good locations/pubs to visit.

Friday coming the pub will entertain a few, as I have no idea how many, twitterers who I will endeavour to convert to devotee's, at lunchtime. I can feel a charm offensive coming up and may have to shower that day as a precaution.

FletchMcgull who if've got that wrong will probably never forgive me asked today, has anyone got business from Twitter and I'm not sure I can answer that but I can say this:

• I'm connecting with some customers on a more personal basis and making sure the staff look after them.
• The staff are therefore raising there standards re client handling.
• I've achieved a more direct feedback from those people that are in contact through tweet with me.
• As a result of Twitter the business will make contacts and grow.
• Finally because of the connection through Twitter I hope its making the visit for the client more special due to ability to give direct feedback if something was right or wrong.

In life if we make other people's dreams come true somewhere sometime your own will flourish.

What did we do before Twitter? I can't remember.