Why Twitter?

I came across This article (with some preceding articles linked inside) that I thought would inform me on why I should try Twitter, and what it's all about. Honestly, I'm not sure if it's more funny or sad.
Basically, I pick up the ideas that Tw is for entertainment. "One of the more annoying things on Twitter in my opinion, is when people have long threaded conversations, and you as their followers have to see it all. Not only does it not interest you most of the time, but the whole concept of viewing threads on Twitter still has a lot of room for improvemt." [sic] Granted, public chats in FB can be like that, but I don't 'have' to read them.
The author also mentions how you should work to make your page or whatever customized, yet says that you should never use Tw from a browser. So I need to have another application, dedicated to just one website? Excruciatingly stupid.
The site seems to breed relationships that are focused on personal benefit and entertainment, with follow numbers being more important that personal discussion with close friends. It just seems like blogging with most features removed, aside from a complex system of tagging.

What pisses me off most about Tw is the nomenclature. They pick new (and stupid) names for existing features. It's DM instead of PM. Tweet instead of post. RT instead of quote/share. Second most is sacrifice of native features. There is no hosting, no long message, nothing aside from 140 characters at a time. Most everything seems hosted elsewhere, which coupled with the fact that applications make a better system than the Tw website, will clearly lead to the entire website bleeding money and failing hard. The only reason it's stayed up as long as it has, is probably because of the fact that there are no features, and post lengths are so limited. They build more memes than money. It does seem to have a good search system, coupled with the tags. If the nomenclature wasn't so stupid, the security and privacy issues so prevalent, and the features more integrated so I could use my trusty browser, then maybe I'd give it a shot.

I still don't understand the point of it. I mean I get it and all but just seems trivial and time wasting to sit around and just "tweet" what they are doing or thinking. I mean really? Why is this so big isn't this what blogs used to do before back in the day? I don't know I guess I just find it pretty silly.

I think it allows you to see every little thing your friends are doign, without having to actually hang out with them. and even when you do, you can just talk via Tweet so you do'nt have to really talk to them.
Blogs i think of as something that you had a rough day so you come home, and reflect and write about it, Tweets are like i'm here eating, i'm over there drinking, i'm going here tomorrow... all day just updating the randoms stuff people used to share over dinner or drinks at the end of the day.
And then you have to remember the marketing involved with people having millions of "friends" or "Followers" and the revenue potential to say "just left starbucks, their new drink is awesome"...

I did hear that they currently employ only 300 people, but plan on expanding to 4000 by 2012, so plus one to them for creating american jobs, even if they hire foreign people to fill the high tech spots

I agree, it feels like blogging; I guess they do call it 'micro-blogging', exactly what it is. There is potential, but it seems like the culture, behavior, and mindset of users has limited that so far.
It would be good if they boost the economy, but they really have no solid advertisement system. Paying them for what users say is a form of paying the middleman for giving the speaker the opportunity to advertise. And if that were the case, cell phones would be free since we can use them to tell each other about sales and good businesses, since this service is free for now.

I use an account to follow game dev's and studios. Not only do they post some interesting stuff, some post free serial codes all the time for things like Steam games and console DLC.

I like Twitter because its quick and simple. There's no CityVille requests or "50 days to learn more about me" or anything like that. In my experience, Twitter is used more as a public, anyone can follow type of thing, where Facebook is more personal. I can follow Kojima's Twitter feed, but he probably wouldn't confirm me as a friend on Facebook.

Lersar wrote: I use an account to follow game dev's and studios. Not only do they post some interesting stuff, some post free serial codes all the time for things like Steam games and console DLC.

Exactly this. I also follow bands I'm into, there's no better way to keep in touch with the latest releases.

So it can be used as like an RSS feed for everyone's websites, but without the websites? I understand the benefits of not having applications and long posts in some cases, but it seems like there are some key features that the website does not offer so you have to use a Tw application to get them. My thought is, for a website so focused on quick communication and accessibility, wouldn't they listen to what users want and add some of the features?

If there are actually interesting groups and people that update on there reasonably often, I may get into it just for that, as an RSS of sorts. I figured all the talking was from the stupid celebrities that are only famous because they are talking.