Mostly at the instigation of dude_the, I have gotten myself a Twitter account. I was pretty uncertain about it until I found that Twitter and Facebook have an application which facilitates cross-platform updates so I can update my status in Facebook and have it automatically go to Twitter (or vice versa—not sure which platform the app. originates from). Shiny geekiness.
So if you Twitter, add me and I’ll add you so we can follow each others’ 140-character or less status updates 
I’ve been thinking lately of getting one of those Twitter thingies, but . . . I’m not really that active, so I can’t see any updates being very frequent. I mean I spend an hour or 2 before work writing, then MAYBE some time after work for a couple hours.
What’s the purpose of a Twitter?
Twitter essentially has the same function/purpose as status updates on Facebook: short, one- or two-line posts that friends can follow to see what you’re doing right now, as compared to a longer, more detailed blog post. Twitter updates can also be sent/received via SMS on your mobile phone, a feature I haven’t and don’t plan to use, since I don’t have a text message plan on my cell phone and each text therefore costs $$.
So how much use would it be to someone who doesn’t have a Facebook . . . ?
Twitter and Facebook aren’t actually related per se. Twitter is just another social networking application like Facebook, MySpace, and LiveJournal, among others.
Twitter, facebook? How do you keep up? Does this amount to more hamster slinging, potential rodent abuse?
/s/ The Be-Kind-to-Hamsters Society
Hee! Everything involves more hamster slinging! I’d already been hanging out on Facebook, and once I discovered the Twitter-Facebook cross-play app., I figured I might as well get a Twitter account.
I’ve been trying to streamline my “social networking” by integrating all the platforms—both the updating and keeping up with folks part as well as sending all my updates automatically to my website. In theory, that’ll make for less hamster abuse. In theory.
Not to get in the last word, but I can hear the hamsters screaming all the way over here! Good luck with the integrated platforms, duh, whatever those might be (don’t bother to explain — I still think a platform signifies an upcoming swan dive).