[hazzen]

I just did a search on Twitter for #profood. A large majority of it was RT messages. How does one find the discussion that is going on about #profood in all of this? Speaking for myself, I would find it much more efficient if there was a profood forum, blog, or even BBS. Any of these solutions would provide a signal-to-noise ratio that is manageable, and have the bonus of being intended for discussion and discourse instead of requiring users to quote one-another to get a message out.

[Ye-Ha]

I don't think that you can judge a real-time one to many discussion by a snapshot in time. There are frequently very good discussions taking place.

How would you suggest such a large group as #profood have real-time discussions with so many contributors on one person's blog?

You have to join forums and BBS'. How do you find out about them in the first place? Retweeting has the benefit that followers who don't know about #profood will see the messages.

For example, if you find out about Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch and follow them, you'll then find out about #profood where you'll find out about all sorts of organizations and experts who Tweet in #profood. I have met people that I would never have otherwise met and learned things that I would never have learned from one forum, blog, or BBS.

You have to use it to 'get it.'

I don't understand why non-users are so emotional about discounting it's value.

@CulinaryHatchet

[hazzen]

How did you find out about the #profood tag? I am assuming someone you know was either in the community, or interested in the community. This is no different from a wikipedia page referencing the community, a blog you follow pointing you at the forum, or a person you don't even know mentioning it at an event. I do not see why the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch website/blog/weekly newsletter couldn't also point you to this community.

What I am getting at is that Twitter works the same as all these things that have come before, but it is the new and the now and therefore the media darling. I do not debate that it has usefulness, but I do debate that it has impact and change beyond what already existed (in addition to imposing barriers to usability). Twitter does work as a communications platform, but that doesn't meant it is changing the world or a paradigm shift or any of the other breathless praises it has received.

Also, please do not assume I am not a Twitter user just because I dislike the service.