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More than a few people have been calling Twitter Microblogging and just as many disagree. I just stumbled upon this, for example:

Let me ask a few questions:

1. Is sending a group AIM to folks microblogging?

2. Is sending a group email microblogging?

3. Is sending a group SMS microblogging?

My guess is that many would say items 1-3 do not fit microblogging. Why not? They are all messaging mediums that allow folks to update people just as quickly as using Twitter.

source: A Billian Miles

I agree and disagree with the idea that Twitter is microblogging. The truth is, it’s whatever you use it for. It’s a tool and no one can tell you how to use a tool, especially a publishing tool. Sure, there might be some expected ways it would be used, but the real tipping point in an online tool or application is when people start doing things with it that it was never intended for. Many would argue that Wordpress is a blog publishing tool, and that’s what Matt and the gang at Automatic designed it as. But over time people started using it as a CMS and now they are adding more and more features to it to support that use.

Twitter is a tool. If you want to use it as group IM/SMS - it works for that. If you want to use it to “microblog”, I’m sure the folks at Obvious would love for you to use it that way. Bottom line, as long as you aren’t violating the terms of service, use it how you like.

Technorati Tags: Twitter, Microblogging