# Forum Supplement: Twitter-like services?



## Mentat (Aug 5, 2010)

You know, this seems like a fairly active and busy forum, I'm just wondering if anyone has ever thought about implementing/wanted a Twitter-like service to supplement the forum? I tend to frequent the TWiT Army, and they use a service called StatusNet (actually, they use Laconica, whose name changed to StatusNet, but their install is so ancient that it still uses the old name), and it seems like something like that would almost be a natural supplement to a busy forum. Or would that be something people don't even want near their forums?

Just curious…


----------



## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

:welcome_s to DBSTalk!

I don't know if it would be helpful but you can follow us on facebook and twitter directly... there are links at the bottom of the home page.


----------



## Mentat (Aug 5, 2010)

Stuart Sweet said:


> :welcome_s to DBSTalk!


Thank you!


Stuart Sweet said:


> I don't know if it would be helpful but you can follow us on facebook and twitter directly... there are links at the bottom of the home page.


I hadn't noticed those. What I was thinking of was more like DBSTalk having its own Twitter-like service. StatusNet is a popular system, and it's protocol-compatible with Twitter (so most Twitter clients can be modified to support it, merely by pointing it at a different service, and in fact many support this use), and is federated, so there can be some crossing-of-borders, so to speak, with other StatusNet-powered microblogs, like Identi.ca or the TWiT Army.

The idea is that one would be able to have an environment very much like Twitter (ephemeral, transitive, brief, mobile, etc) but it would be more like a specifically-flavored Twitter (like how DBSTalk is a specifically-flavored vBulletin forum)


----------



## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

It's an interesting idea. Now that I've moved this to a place where other members will expect to see it, let's open it up to discussion. We've got RSS, we've got facebook and twitter feeds, we've got a chatroom... is there a desire from you guys to see more?


----------



## Mentat (Aug 5, 2010)

Wish I could say. Sadly I'm a little too nubcake to know the feelings of the majority, but given that something based on StatusNet is less like a feed of information and more like a mesh of quick, ephemeral communication, it might be. I set up one of these doodads back before it changed names, and it's not so hard to set up, and pretty easy to maintain. Though some features, like e-mail-based mobile messaging (think Twitter SMS, but via e-mail) requires a tiny bit more tinkering.


----------



## matt (Jan 12, 2010)

I don't use twitter, so I don't fully understand the idea. Would we just post little snippets like "excuse me while I dither?" or "Dude, I just d/l the latest CE!" like twitter posts?


----------



## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

Its a good idea but our Facebook, Twitter and RSS feeds are good enough for now.


----------



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

I'm watching the CBS Early Show and having my 2nd cup of coffee while I post this.


----------



## Mentat (Aug 5, 2010)

matt1124 said:


> I don't use twitter, so I don't fully understand the idea. Would we just post little snippets like "excuse me while I dither?" or "Dude, I just d/l the latest CE!" like twitter posts?


No reason people couldn't (assuming there isn't a rule prohibiting it). I'm just kind of throwing the idea out there.


Chris Blount said:


> Its a good idea but our Facebook, Twitter and RSS feeds are good enough for now.


Well, I figured it was at least worth suggesting.


Nick said:


> I'm watching the CBS Early Show and having my 2nd cup of coffee while I post this.


I'm drinking coffee and recovering data from my old storage HDD. Thinking about rebuilding my old HTPC DVR. And on my second cup of coffee as well.


----------

