Scripting News

First user-facing Twitter feature

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 00:04:24 GMT

While I was waiting for today's movie to start, watching some boring Coming Attractions, I was thinking about Twitter, and how to connect it to blogging software. I went over the options, you could connect a RSS feed, so every post would be Twitted, immediately, as soon as it's on the web. I didn't like this so much. What I opted for is to make it as easy to post a note to Twitter, with a link to your post, when you're ready.

Here's how it works...

1. Choose Update opml.root from the File menu. This will also update dotOpml.root.

2. Quit and re-launch the OPML Editor.

3. Jump to user.twitter.prefs, and enter your Twitter username and password.

4. Choose Open today's outline from the Your OPML Weblog sub-menu of the Community menu.

5. Enter a blog post. When you're ready to notify your Twitter friends of its existence, click on the Twitter button. A dialog appears, confirming what you want to say, and allowing you to edit it if you like. If you click on OK, it adds a permalink to the text, and shoots it up to Twitter.

6. And a few moments later, your wisdom is on Twitter.

Good advice for everyone

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 23:02:35 GMT

David Weinberger: "MoveOn.org can decide to make political hay out of McCain's gaffe, but we all pay a price for it."

I agree. And our corner of the blogosphere can benefit from that advice as well. Think about it.

21st century advertising

This is what I've been talking about.

In the future, advertising will be so entertaining that it will create its own pull. No need to intrude, to hitch a ride on other more compelling content.

8/3/06: "If it's perfectly targeted, it isn't advertising, it's information. Information is welcome, advertising is offensive."