[Web4lib] Twitter as backchannel

[Alan Cockerill]

At VALA2010 twitter was used to great effect to feed questions to a panel
session, of course you need a skilful adjudicator to pick questions, and not
interrupt the flow of discussion when it's in fertile ground (kudos Ray
Tennant).

It was a big improvement on the previous day's panel discussion because the
use of twitter gave a quick, quiet, consensus of where the audience wanted
the discussion to go, as opposed to it being manipulated by those few brave
souls who have the courage to summon the microphone and ask about issues
specific to their interests, and who are often not keen to see the
discussion move on from their pet topic.

As to your specific question Bill - don't think anything does what Twitter
does.  Notice boards, blogs, web sites, word of mouth, all work differently.
There's an element of serendipity and fluff about Twitter that is both
appealing and appalling.


Alan Cockerill
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