I’m one of those guys that recycles Twitter jokes. It’s an easy target: a system that declares itself a revolution while its biggest spokespersons are Ashton Kutcher and Shaq. Then there’s the minutiae and the ‘we better look relevant, here’s a new technology‘ fad aspect in politics and the media (*cough* CNN *cough*).

With that in mind, I don’t think I’m being contradictory while I give my take on what makes Twitter special and good?

Twitter is Open

Relatively speaking as a service, Twitter capitalizes on open standards and free accessibility. You don’t need to signup to read someone’s Twitter feed on the web and following can be as subscribing to a standard RSS feed through your browser. Up to this point, that’s exactly how I’ve been using Twitter.

Of course you can get extra features by signing up, especially for two-way communication. But if you’re not going to post, there’s no need to join.

Twitter also integrates nicely with SMS, bridging to gap between cellular networks and the Internet, in a way that’s more robust and flexible than previously.

Why is Open a big deal?

Open shouldn’t be a big deal, but unfortunately it is. Not because Twitter is any sort of revolution, but because the Internet has been subject to closed networks, particularly for social communication:

• The IM networks never got along as they promised: Chatting from Yahoo to MSN to AIM to ICQ is awkward at best.
• The social network sites try too hard to capitalize and monetize their users, protecting their networks jealously as their prime value. You can’t easily share your friends list or chat between your Facebook, Friendster or Orkut accounts. Competitive segregation sucks.
• Online games are almost the most closed networks of all, on their own proprietary network protocols. There’s no communication between World of Warcraft and Steam, etc.

Twitter is one way to bust open these closed networks. A good example is Cryptic’s recent addition of Twitter support to Champion’s Online, allowing players to send tweets from within the game to the world at large. So even players who aren’t subscribed to the game can easily keep up.

For me, there’s personal motivation connected to the open aspects of Twitter. I like keeping in touch with my friends, but I alternate between social beast and recluse. I’m tired of catching up on social network sites, so having a consistent backdoor to those networks could be my social saviour.

Twitter as the demise of Facebook?

Zuckerberg / Facebook wants to buyout or replace Twitter, and for good reason. It’s logical to assume that as people use Twitter, they reduce their communicating via Facebook’s tools. Just as Facebook’s popularity saw a reduction in IM networks, Twitter’s popularity is no doubt impacting Facebook. Facebook does other things, there’s some value in sharing photos and playing minigame apps, but those aren’t so unique. As users discover the flexibility of more open communication, it will be hard to put the genie back in the bottle.

This smashing holes into walled gardens is not only a bonus, but a good chunk of the point of Twitter. Information wants to be free and all that.

There’s also the scope difference. Facebook has to make money sooner or later. Zuckerberg wants to take over the world and make Facebook an Internet unto itself, so it will need deep pockets to take on the likes of Google. Twitter on the other hand is more integrative, cooperating and adding value to the Internet as a whole. Of course they’d like to find a pot of gold under the Twitter rainbow, but they’ve made no secret that monetizing isn’t Twitter’s primary purpose.

I’m hoping Twitter gets funding or a buyout from someone who sees the value in the service beyond a direct monetary one. Google probably recognizes Twitter as a useful spear into the heart of Facebook, but they may feel it can be that without their help (plus Google Wave may suit this purpose too).

So am I turning about-face?

Yes and no. Just like blogging, microblogging isn’t for everyone. I’ll still mock the blowhards that over-glorify Twitter or imply ‘you must use it or suffer being a luddite‘. There’s a backlash to that idiocy, for sure. I’m also concerned when it’s used inappropriately for critically important communication.

Twitter is still riding the fad aspects, just like blogging was at first, but it’ll settle down into appropriate use.

Also like blogging, I’m probably in the subset of people who can get good usage from Twitter. And microblogging could be as integral to blogging as comments or blogrolls, maybe even moreso.

When Champions Online releases in September, I’ve already decided I’ll Twitter from within the game, it’s just too damn convenient.