27: twittering about your blog with an embedded youtube video of a ustream
2008-10-12
Download MP3 For Geekons Episode 27
Pop-Up: Twhirl
- Question one: what is Twhirl?
- Twhirl is a Social Software Desktop Client based on the Adobe Air Platform
- No really, what is Twhirl?
- Twhirl is a desktop app that looks like a chat window, but is in fact an interface to Twitter.com and other microblogging web services.
- Ok... what is Twitter?
- Twitter is a social software... no wait, uhm, it is a website and/or web service that makes it easier to stay connected with your friends and enemies alike.
- It is loosely termed a microblogging platform, but I like to think of it as an asynchronous broadcast-chatting platform (mainly because it sounds confusing which makes me look smart... right?)
- Basically twitter gives you 140 characters to answer the question: "What are you doing?"
- My answers are usually lame, let's look at a few of my recent posts:
- my first audio book from audible is downloading only had to try downloading about 10 times, literally, didn't change anything just works now
- giving in to the advertising and setting up an audible account with my visa. wish I had a brain toniq to drink and an astaro to protect me
- http://twitpic.com/fd8a - Lots of cars, not a lot of driving
- wondering if getting things done will have the same impact in audio-book form
- See? most of you wouldn't care, but there may be one or two of you interested in what a geek like me is up to. (My mother-in-law follows me on twitter and brings up some of the stuff in conversation.)
- Ok... how do I use Twitter for my ministry?
- Wait for the geek tweak, there might be something about twitter in there...
- Is this a reveiw of twitter?
- No, that would have been smarter, this is a review of twhirl.
- Shouldn't you start talking about twhirl then?
- Yes.
- Twhirl makes it easy to use twitter without having to open up your web browser.
- It makes it easy to find friends, search tweets, and post new items to your twitter account.
- It also interfaces with laconi.ca sites like identi.ca and the twit army
- What's laconica and all that?
- nevermind
- Twhirl pops up subtle notices when new tweets come in. (A tweet is a message someone twitters)
- While typing this, I've learned that one of our youth pastors is getting smoothies at Jamba Juice, and that a fellow Church IT guy ordered a new TV from newegg on his iPhone while standing in a store... interesting and geeky! (the Church IT guy's, not the youth pastor's... that's just midly interesting and makes me want a smoothie)
- In fact, after finishing the notes, I saw that some other Church IT guys asked what type of TV was purchased, and the person who bought it replied with the brand name and a link to the manufacturer's website on the specific model
- Basically look at twhirl as a way to communicate what you are up to while at your desk, and to see what your friends are doing.
- It also has an incredibly intuitive interface for replying to tweets, sending direct messages, and repeating what someone wrote (re-tweet) so your followers can see.
- Feel free to follow me on twitter, my username is oneseventeen
- 4 out of 5 stars, It is a great app, but unfortunately it shows all my old direct messages and replies, even ones from months ago.
Geek-Tweak: How to connect with your congregation using technology
- Connecting with your congregation is important.
- If you aren't a pastor, then consider this: we are called to disciple and encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ, so connecting with your disciplers and disciplees is important.
- We know we can connect after church as we are filing out of the doors, social/fellowship events, and phone calls, and you should keep those up.
- A great resource to add to your existing connectivity tools and methods is the concept of social networking
- Sure, as Christians we are supposed to equate social networking with all kinds of horrible things, but sometimes thinking and distinguishing the good from the bad can really help you use technology.
- Let's review a few simple social networking and communication tools available for free:
- Text communication:
- Email (gmail.com)
- Blogs (blogger.com and wordpress.com)
- Websites (jimdo.com, wetpaint.com, pages.google.com)
- Micro-blogging (twitter.com, jaiku.com, pownce.com, loopt.com)
- Video communication:
- Live Streaming (mogulus.tv, ustream.tv, stickam.com)
- Video Archives (youtube.com, blip.tv, seesmic.com)
- Micro-videos (12seconds.tv, 15s.viddler.com)
- Photo communication:
- photo galleries (flickr.com, photobucket.com)
- photo tours (photosynth.net)
- Podcasting (I actually don't know of free sites for this, but haven't looked)
- Common pitfalls using online communication:
- Focusing too much on chat during live performances (a huge distraction)
- Ignoring user comments
- Inconsistent updates
- Leaving all the items where they fall
- The bottom line:
- Define how you want to communicate with your congregation
- Decide whether or not you want them to be able to communicate back
- Establish official accounts on various social networking sites (even if you aren't going to use them often!)
- Delegate control of sites to people in the congreagation that can help.
- Start reaching out globally with not much more than a computer and the internet!
View-Source: Encouragement
- As IT professionals we can easily become harsh or negative in our responses to users
- God wants us to build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11, Hebrews 10:24-25)
- We are always called to encourage towards His will, not our own
- Harsh talk only frustrates people (Ephesians 4:29, Proberbs 15:1)
- Sometimes it is tough, but we need to focus on encouraging towards God's will rather than getting upset at someone for following their own
- Oftentimes, working alongside someone because you see value in what they do can be very encouraging.
- Even strong ministries need encouragement (Acts 11:19-24)
- Are you known for being encouraging?
- How can you encourage those around you?