How I Would Improve: Twitter
Here’s a quick list of suggested changes I would make to Twitter. Some aren’t entirely necessary, particularly in keeping Twitter.com the nice simple application it is…
Here’s a quick list of suggested changes I would make to Twitter. Some aren’t entirely necessary, particularly in keeping Twitter.com the nice simple application it is.
No more tinyurl
Although this isn’t at all built in to Twitter.com, I would like the option in all 3rd-party Twitter apps to opt out of the use of TinyURL.com and other URL shorteners. This is a very minor issue, but I am a little wary of the longevity of TinyURLs.
Threading & Replies
@replies are great. Twitter conversations are built and have grown with this. However, @replies will automatically refer to a user’s most recent update for the “In reply to @user” link. This isn’t always accurate if the replied to user has since sent another, usually unrelated, update.
One solution is for @replies to reference an update code - one that is in the update’s URL. This won’t work well when replying via SMS, but that’s OK because those replies are usually shortly after the fact. Web-based replies may be a result of a user scanning through their timeline and picking someone to reply to. This someone, however, has probably since posted another update.
From the web, one could check the update URL, find the short numerical code that accompanies it, and add that to the @reply. eg: @craigchilds/18423 I’m replying to you.
Built-in feed integration
Twitterfeeds.com works well, but Jaiku.com have done a good thing by providing feed integration built in. They even encourage feeding your Twitter updates.
Tagging
The most sort after feature, I think. Hashtags.org have done well to plug this into Twitter, although it is still a completely separate feature. It works well, but how about having Twitter.com recognize #tags itself so we can create groups, events and public discussions of topics on the fly.
Friend groups
Similar to plugging in a good tagging system, Twitter could allow sorting of friends and followers. Possibly with something like !friends, so we can send group replies. Instead of @craigchilds, you could reply to all your local friends, for instance our Melbourne Twitter meetup, @MTUB.
The simple solution is what twitter.com/mtub, and others, have done already and create a new profile as a group; but this is limited and doesn’t function well with everyone’s personal profiles. This current implementation of groups would be more suited to using #tags.
Groups of friends, as defined by a user, would have to be a whole new system and be used for the sole purpose of sending group replies - possibly as Direct Messages.
IM/web tracking
The mobile tracking service [track @craigchilds] works well to keep me informed of any updates referring to any word I like. BUT why can’t we do so through Twitter.com or IM? Everything else can be accessed like this, why not tracking?
Less downtime
This is an issue that will no doubt be ironed out in time. Recently Twitter outages have been long and common. There may be no real solution to this problem, but Twitter would do well to keep them to a minimum so as not to deter new users. How does one signup when the site is down?
What other changes would you make to Twitter.com?
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