Drinking from the fire-hose

Or a HCI look at Twitter(that's usability folks)

A different fail whale?

So many interfaces...1000MIKES, 30 Boxes, 40Twitter, 73s, 8hands, 8tracks, a Homemade IM Bot, AawajClient, ActiveRain, AdSocialSync, Afficheur, Aglet, AirMe, AlertThingy, All I Ate Today, AllAccess.com, alltop,

Anarquia.sms, aol.com, Apprise, AroundShare, ArtistCaster, asachutter, attenzoSMS, atwitter, auko, Auto Tweet, autopostr.com, Awesome Highlighter, BackPocket, BackType, Baeeo Mobile Tracking, BarCrumbs, BarSmart.com, bash, bashtc, Beanstalk, Bebo Tweet, BeenUp2, BeerMapping, Begin, Belysio, Bemba, Bettini HA, BeTwittered, Betwittered-CrunchBar, Bible Stuph Tweets, Birdsong,

bisorusor, bitbucket, Bitter, bittr, Blackbird, Blip.fm, blip.tv, Blipea, blippr, BlipTweet, Blog It, Blog-It Express, blogage.de, BlogCatalog, bloggy, Blogo, BlogRovr, blogTV.com, Blowsing Now, blt, BlueBirdy, BlueOrganizer, bluepulse, bookey, BookGlutton Unbound Reader, Bottlenotes , Box.net, boxee, BrainBone, brdfdr, Brightkite, BrTTwitter, Buboo, bwired, Camura, Canadian Election,

Canary, CelleCast Talkback, cellity, CeroUno, ceTwit, CFRB , CharlotteTweets, Chattr, Chirp, Chirpr, Chirrup, chizutter, Chrysanth WebStory, chumby, CLI Twittering, clipp, cloud•io, CloudSH.com, CloudShout.com, CNN Alert, coComment, Coffee Counter, comindwork, comment2tweet, Commented On, Community Server, Cor.kz, Costa Rica, crochet, Cruvee, CTwitter, culinate, Cullect, curl, Cut Out + Keep, Cyc, Cyndicate, dabr, dailymile, Dash-Twitter, Dashwire, DearRobot, Delphitter, deskbar, Dial2Do, Digital Inspiration, digsby, diigo, Dimdix, Dipity, Distilled, DivVoted, dlog, Do, Dodgeball Status, DotSpots, DoubleYou HI, dropio, Drupal, DSTwitter, DuderTwitter, Dwidder, Dwigger, EasyTweets, EasyTwit, Edgios, Edween for iPhone, eightbar, Election 2008, enQando.com, EQO Mobile,

Eurovision.tv, EventBox, EventVue, everyday.me, Everytalks, Excla.im, ExpressionEngine, Eye-Fi, Eyejot, eyeOS, fav.or.it, fb2twitter, fboweb, feed'n'track, feed2twitter, feedalizr, FeedBlitz, feedlr, feedly, Feedtweeter, ff2tweet, Fidj.it, Fingertips, FireStatus, Fleck, Flight, Flock, floozl, FlyScreen, FoneSonar, foxytunes, FriendBinder, FriendFeed, fring, Frog, funP, Future Tweets, FutureTweets,

fuzzbot, gamerDNA, Gawkk, Geezeo, Geocaching, Geopolix, GeoTwitt, GeoTwitter.Net, Gigblastr, GitHub, Goodreads, Goodrec, Goom Bot, Gordano Messaging Suite, Gospelr.com, gozerbot, gpstwit, greenblip, Greet, Greetings iPhone App, Grenadine, Gridjit, Grooveshark, GroupChat, GrubHub.com, GtkTwitter, gtwit, gTwitter, Gyazickr, Gyminee, h8ter, Habari, Hahlo, HappyTwitDay, HateLog, Helios Calendar, HelloTwitFace, HelloTxt, HEMiDEMi, Hictu, hiptop, hotpads, Hubbub, Hype Machine, I Went Away, ideaCollab, Identica, IdentiTwitch, idt, idzr.org, Ignighter, ijg, im, Imere, IMified,

imoTwit, In the Mood, iNezha, Ingoal's Twitter Update, InnerTwitter, InspiredSmiles, IntenseDebate, iPhoneSlide, Ipoki, isharealink, Itemize, iTweet, iTwit, iTwits, IYOUIT, Jaanix, JabberStatus, jaiku2twitter, JASEzone, JASEzone mobile, jibjib, Jisko, JiWai, Jogli, Joint Contact, Jott, JournalHome, jtwit, JuiceCaster, Justeaten, JustUpdate, kazivu, KDE Twitter, keiala.com, keslaque, KickTweet,

Kindle, KMB, kompoz.com, koornk, Kroegenweb, Kyte, L2W, Laconica, laplanetebleue, LaserBattle, lastfm <3, LaTwit, LazyTweet, leetwit, LibGuides, Lifeinlines.com, LifeTack, linkae, LiveTweeter, LocaTags, LocateTV, Locatik, Locify, Loopt, LoxLog, Luwit, m.slandr.net, m2m, Mahalo Follow, Making Local Work, Manyanim, MapMyFitness, marketjive, marktweet, Mashable Community, Matt, Mauku, mbpidgin, MeeMix, MeMap, Mento, MessageDance, metaLIFE, Meteo, METwit, MGTwitterEngine, MicroBlog, mindof, Minggl, minitwit, MiniTwitter, Mint, mippin, Mitter, MixxApp, MMMMB,

MobaTalk, Mobile Tweete, mobile web, mobile with WidSets, mobilestats.ro, MobileTwitter, mobiTwitter, Mobog, mobow, Mobypicture, MoFuse, Mohook, MojiPage, MonkeyChow, MoodBlast, moonrise, Mosio, Mots, movatwitter, Moximity, mu, multiblogger, mumbl, Musebin, mxplay, my6sense, myGeolog, MyOpera, MySpace Twitter Sync, MyTwitter, MZ3, MZ4, Nabbr Injector, Nambu,

NatsuLion, NatsuLiphone, Natuba, Needish, nendo, Nerdhaus, NetBeans, Netvibes, NewsBlaze, nGen Collaboration, nobitter, noknok, Nomatic*IM, Noovo, NoseRub, NP_Twitter, Nulaz, Numpa, o-x, oblique, Omnivide, OnMyList, ooooj.com, Oops I'm Late, Opera, Opera's Address Bar, OperaAddressBar, Opitter, Outalot, OutTwit, Overrated-Underrated, p-twit, P3:PeraPeraPrv, Pageflakes,

PandoraJam, Particls, PensieriParole, PeopleBrowsr, Perl Net::Twitter, peSHIr tweets, pheltup, photophlow, phtwitters, Phweet, Picnic Dog, PicPostr, pidgin-twitter, Pikchur, Pikter, Ping.fm, pingg.com, pitchengine, Pixelpipe, PIXNET, Planet Lisp, Plaxo Pulse, Playyoo, Plum, pochitt, PocketTweets, PockeTwit, polka, PollDaddy, Pollen London, Polymeme, ponja, PoopTag, Poptiq, Portable Twit, Post

to Twitter, Posterous, Posty, Power Notes, PP, ppppost, PR Buddy, Praized, Predictify, PresenceRouter, ptm, Puzzazz, pwned, Pwned.com Activity Feed, Pwointer, Pwytter, pyTwerp, QSTwitter, Quakk, quepasa, Quick-Links, QuickHoney, Quicksilver, quickTwit, Quotably, quub, QuuxPlayer, Qwit, Radar, Radiosport.us, ramkol, Raptr, RawVoice Publisher, rbot, Reclamão, Reportage,

Reuters.com, Rhythmbox twitter-plugin, Riece, Ripplex, Roomatic, rotzy, RoundHaus, Royale With Cheese, RSS Bandit, RTwittBot, Rummble, rygh.no, ryghsms, Sabotter, santoroski.com, Schedulefly, schmedley, Scissors, seaturtle.org, SecondBrain, SecretTweet, SecurityVibes, sedthink, Seesmic, semitter, Sendible, Serendipity Twitter Plugin, SharedCopy, sharewise, Shopialize, ShoZu, Simon,

simpl.es, six groups, Sketches, Skitch, SKTwitter, Slantly, SLTweets, SmartTouch, Smew, SMOB, sms2blog, SnapFoo, SnapMyLife, Snappler, SnapTweet, Snitter, Snotr, sobees, socialactions, Socialbrowse, SocialGamer, Socialize, SocialMedian, Socialthing, SociaLuna, Somewhere, Songza, SonidoLocal, Sony Ericsson phone, SoopBook, SoWinMo, Spacedockr, Spaz, Spentt, Spinvox,

Spool.fm, spy, Squidoo, Startpix, StarTwitter, State of Local, Status HQ, Statuslines, StepTrakLite, StockTwits, Stop The Manga, StopTwitSpam, Strands Social Player, Streamy, StudentMarket, Stuffr, StvnClient4Tuiter, Suffice to Say, Suittar, Summizer, Superstart, svvarm, Sweatlog, Sweetter, sync.gr, Syrinx, Taptu, tarpipe, Tattle, TeleTwitter, telewebber, TellThemWhatYouThink.org, textgasm,

TFF Ratio, ThinCloud, Thingfo, ThinT, ThinTwit, Threeter, tig.rb, TinyTwitter, Tipit, Tipjoy, Tjunar, tmitter, TodaysArt, togi, tokotto, Toluu, Toro, tr.im, trackr, Trak, TRE, Treasuremytext, Trineo Experiments, ttg, TTYtter, tunesBag, TuneTweeter, Tupalo, tw.ah-huh.net, Twabber, Twadget, Twadl, twalala, TwApp, tway, tweak, Tween, Tweenky, tweet, Tweet Rooster, Tweet-SQL, Tweet, tweet3,

TweetAnswers, TweetBar, Tweetbots, Tweetburner, TweetChannel, Tweetcret, Tweetcube, TweetDat.com, TweetDeck, Tweeter, TweetGrid, TweetHub, TweetIM, tweetip, TweetKit, TweetLater, TweetMyBlog, TweetMyPage, tweetpants, Tweetr, Tweets, tweetshots, tweetSMS, TweetStore, Tweetsville, Tweetworks, Tweety, tweezer, twhirl, twibble, Twibler, twicli, Twiddeo, Twiddict, Twidge, Twidget, Twidotnet, twidroid, Twiffid, twigadge, twiggit, twii.it, Twiike, twiitr, TwiKarma, twilaborate, Twilite, twim, twimi, Twimp, Twindle, twinic, Twinkle, Twintro, twinverse, Twippera, Twister, Twister

Alternative, Twit, Twit-it, twit.el, Twit4Live, twitabit, TwitBin, TwitBox, Twitch, Twitea, Twitea.me, Twitfire, twitfm, TwitGo, Twithey, TwiTicker, Twitim, Twitio.us, TwitKit, TwitKu, Twitlet, Twitli, twitmacs, Twitme for WordPress, TwitNotes, TwitPic, Twitpress, TwitResponse, twitroid, twitrss, twitsay, twitsh, Twitstat Mobile, Twitt, Twitt(url)y, Twitt24, twittai, twittaMOOs, TwittAtt, twitte.rb, Twittearth,

Twittelator, Twitter CLI, Twitter Fco, Twitter Gem, Twitter Grader, twitter jiglet, Twitter Line, Twitter Opera widget, Twitter Stream, Twitter This, Twitter Timeline, Twitter Toolbar, Twitter Tools, twitter-gx, twitter-mode, twitter-side-down, Twitter::Irssi, Twitter4J, Twitter4R, twitterAIR, twitterart, TwitterBar, TwitterBerry, TwitterBoy, twitterDash, Twitteresce, twitterfeed, TwitterFon, twitterfone,

TwitterForiPhone, TwitterFox, Twitterful, TwitterGadget, TwitterGram, Twittericious, twittering-mode, TwitterIrcGateway, Twitterlicious, Twitterlight, Twitterlution, TwitTerm, TwitterMail, TwitterPhoto, TwitterPing Extension, TwitterPod, TwitterPress, Twitterpus, twitterrific, TwitterScrobble, Twittershare, Twittersoap, TwitterSpy, TwitterText (Powered By SmartTouch), TwitterThreads, Twittertise,

twitterupdate, Twittervision, TwitterWidget, TwitterXHaiku, twittery, Twitteu-me, Twittget, twitthat, twittie on Colors, Twittle, TwittME, TwitToday, twittsms, twitturl, Twitty Twitt, TwittyConsole, Twitula, twitux, TwitVim, TwitVN, TwitWall, twitxr, Twixr, Twobile, Twoorl, Twoot, Twordy, twshot, twtr, Twucket, Twuffer, Twyt, txt, Tynt, tyoro-client, TypePad for iPhone, Ubiquity, ubuket, ukusno,

UltimateFacebook, Unype, UPD8, updating.me, Upload :: Share, uTweetMe, Vakow, ViewBug, Vim, VimScript#1853, vlingo, VoipUsersConference, Vois, Voomaxer, vSNAX, Water Falcon, web, Weblin, WebMynd, WebSMS Widget, Webwag, WhatUWearin, Where.com, Whereyougonnabe, Whrrl, widgeous, Wikyl.com, Wimotter, WineLog.net, Witty, Wizi.com, Wizzard Player, wmTwitter,

WootAlerts.com, wordage, WordTwit, WPtwitter, Wren, WWire, Xanco, Xbox Live to Twitter, XboxTweet, XMPP Gateway, XSpect.Net.TwitterClient, Yahoo! oneConnect, Yaika, Yakkle, YATC, yedda, YehBA, Yippy Zip, Yonkly, yoono, YooPlace, youmeo, Youzle, Yuumi.us, Zenbe, Zina, ZIPVO, ZKOUT, Zooomr, Zootool, ztdevbot, Zumobi, Zuosa

So many interfaces

886 different interfaces used

since October 1 2008data from TweetRush.com

So what's wrong?

Twitter Standard Web Interface

Survey

How do you use Twitter (or more to the point, how do you access Twitter to post comments or to read answers)?

If you use an interface to read and/or post to post to twitter, (other than for mobile access) why do you use it? (Do you gain some benefit using this interface, if so, what?)

How many people do you follow (at the time of writing)?

How did you check the above figure?

Why use another interface?

Why use another interface?

Features

What users want...

Reply problems – Highlight replies Auto updating Notifications Separate from the browser Re-tweeting Searches Filtering (DM, Replies, Searches)

So no one uses the web interface?

Right

Wrong

My survey statsm.slandr.netNetvibesSlandrTweet TweetTweetrTwitterfeedtwitterfonetwitterootxttwitterberryHahlotwitterfoxTwibbleTwinklem.twitter.comTweetDeckTwitterifictwhirlweb

Why?

Follower numbers

twitterberryTweetDeck

Tweet TweetTwibble

SlandrTweetr

twhirlTwitterific

Hahloweb

Twinkletxt

m.slandr.netm.twitter.com

twitterfoxNetvibes

twitterfoneTwitterfeed

twitteroo

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Client by number of followers

Looking at the interfaces

Mobile twitterberry twibble Hahlo * txt slandr / m.slandr.com * Twinkle TwitterFone

Looking at the interfaces

(I couldn't install) Tweet Tweet (Wordpress plugin) Twitter Fox (Firefox plugin) Twitterfeed/Twitter chat (e-mails for their records) Tweetr (virus scans saying no)

So I looked at...

Tweetdeck Twirl Snitter Hahlo

Hahlo

Hahlo

Snitter

Snitter

TweetDeck

TweetDeck

Twirl

Twirl

The web

Over to you...

Thank You

Will Knotthttp://WillKnott.ieWill@WillKnott.ie