What is Microblogging?
Social networking. That phrase has been all the rage over the last couple of Microblogging is the act of posting short messages to the Web. And when we say short, we mean short. A microblog post, which is called an update (or, in the case of the most popular service out there, a tweet), can be a maximum of 140 characters, including spaces. In case you're wondering, the 140 character limit comes from microblogging's inspiration: SMS text messages sent from a mobile phone. A microblog update looks like this: Simply posting a 140 character message somewhere on the Web isn't the way it works, though. You have to use one of the many microblogging services that are out there. More on these in a moment. These services collect and publish updates in different ways. The central form of aggregation is called a timeline. That's just a collection of updates. The main page (or thereabouts) of most microblogging sites have a public timeline, which lists all of the latest posts from users. You can have a timeline of your own updates, which is on your own page (for example, http://identi.ca/scottnesbitt). Most microbloggers (in the words of a popular microblogging service) do it to “communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?” Think of a group. Chances are that members of that group are microblogging. Friends microblog to keep up with each other, and to exchange information and gossip. Other people do it to share information or to promote their pet causes. Businesses microblog to get feedback from customers and to announce new products or share news. Consultants microblog to promote their business and to showcase their expertise. There have even been cases in which writers serialize the stories or poems that they're working on at a microblogging site. Nigerian author Ben Okri, for example, recently published a poem on a popular microblogging site. That depends. Some people will always think that microblogging is a waste of time and bandwidth. Others swear by it. We've met a number of people on both sides of that fence, and even more who inhabit the middle ground 
But more and more people are making that kind of interaction quicker and shorter. Instead of writing long posts or email messages, they're tapping out quick missives telling their friends (and the wider world) what they're up to at the moment.
How do they do that? By microblogging 
Presenting advice from Garr Reynolds: think naturalness not perfection - http://tinyurl.com/df26mj
Microblogging services also allow people to subscribe to (also referred to as following) your updates, or at the very least read them. People can follow you or read your updates at the microblogging site or using software. A future TechTip will look at some popular microblogging clients.
As you've probably guessed, microblogging is very similar to conventional blogging. A microblog can focus on one topic, and can be used for personal or business reasons. The biggest difference is the length of the post and the immediacy. Microblogging is definitely more immediate – updates are instantaneous. In the time it takes for a conventional blogger to write and publish a post, a microblogger can post any number of updates.
Why do it?
A lot of people who microblog find it's an easier alternative to conventional blogging, or even using sites like FaceBook and MySpace. All you need to do is sign up and start typing. You don't have to worry about tweaking the look and feel of your microblog, or anything like that.
It's not just folks with time on their hands who do it, either. A lot of businesses and consultants put considerable effort into microblogging.
What's it good for?
On a recent visit to Toronto, actor and Twitter user LeVar Burton posted a message asking for a good place to have a pint. Not only did he get the recommendation, he also met up with a bunch of fans at that venue for what was a meetup of microbloggers in the real world.
Something that's become popular is people microblogging during presentations and conferences. They're sharing their thoughts, and the thoughts and ideas of presenters, with both fellow conference attendees and the wider world. Believe us, it's a lot easier and more immediate than liveblogging.
Where does microblogging fall flat? 
While microblogging started as way of keeping friends, family, and classmates up to date, for many it's become a race to collect the most followers. They'll post updates about anything that will attract readers. Many purists view this as being insincere, since the person posting the updates really has little interest in what their writing about. They just want to be popular.
What services are out there? 
Make sure to follow Geeks.com on Twitter!
But it's not the only game on the Web. While other microblogging service may not come close to denting Twitter's market share, they do offer alternatives to the service. The services (around 100 of them worldwide) all work in generally the same way. The only things that differ are the terminology they use, some of the features, and the number of users. Here are a few popular services:
First up, Jaiku. Now owned by Google, Jaiku allows you not only to post updates (called jaikus) to the general public, but also to channels which are collections of updates on a single topic.
A service that's gaining in popularity is identi.ca. What sets identi.ca apart from most other microblogging services is that it's built using Open Source software. In the words of the developers: “If you don't like how Identi.ca 
An interesting take on microblogging comes in the form of Yammer, which has been termed “Twitter with a business model”. What makes Yammer unique is that it's focused on internal communication in companies. Instead of being based on the question “what are you up to?”, Yammer is based on the question “What are you working on?”. It's like an internal discussion board, but limited to 140 characters.
Finally, there's Plurk. In addition to letting you post short text updates (called plurks), Plurk lets you share images and videos from YouTube with your followers. Being able to share images and video definitely adds a very interesting dimension to microblogging.
Is it right for you? 
The only way to find out if microblogging is right for you is to give it a try. Take a look at a microblogging service on the Web. Spend a week or two, and see how you like it – both as an updater and a follower. You might find that microblogging is a lot more fun and interesting than you thought it would be.
By Scott Nesbitt
How to Buying a Printer?
These are most commonly used output devices used to get prints of documents on the pager. Different printers have different mechanisms. Therefore purchasing a printer can be a sometimes confusing task. The following is additional information that will help in your purchasing decisions. Technology of printers There are many types and technology of printer are available in market but the most popular and commonly used are inkjet and laser printer. Ink Jet Printer. The inkjet printer is not-impact character printer and prints one character at a time. The printing quality of inkjet printer is measured by the number of tiny ink of drops per inch(dpi). Most inkjet printers range from 300 to 2400 dpi. Printers with higher dpi usually are more expensive but having high printing quality. The speed of an inkjet printer is measured by the number of pages per minute (ppm) it can print. Its printing speed is up to 15 ppm. Therefore purchasing a printer can be depends upon printers dpi and ppm but It depends upon user need. Laser Printer. A Laser printer is the fastest and high quality printer, but a laser printers are more expensive than inkjet printers and their print quality is also higher. The print quality and printing speed of laser printers make them ideal for offices and business. The laser printer can print text and graphics in very high quality resolution. The commonly user laser printers have resolution of 300 or 600 dpi and printing speed is from 5 to 30 ppm. The high quality laser printers have resolution from 600 to 2400 dpi. The printing speed of these printers is also more than 150 ppm. Speed and price range The price of laser printers depend on the quality and printing speed. The color printers are more costly than black-and-white laser printers. The higher the resolution and speed, the more expensive the printer.The price range can vary depending upon the quality of the printer and the type of printer for example inkjet, laser printers. READY TO BUY Once you have reviewed the appropriate information and believe that you are ready to make a purchase of a printer ensure that the source which you plan on purchasing the printer from is a reputable source and you have reviewed our section on what to look out for when purchasing over the Internet.
Tips On Buying A Computer Memory.
Introduction of Computer memory. Type Of Memory There are many types of memory available in market, Before purchasing any memory or considering purchasing memory it is important that you distinguish the type of memory that is required. Below is a listing of some of the configurations of computer memory. Memory type: SIMM, DIMM, RIMM,
The Computer memory plays very important role in data processing. Computer memory means the computer can use powerful program with large size. It also improves the data procession speed of computer, that is way it is very important to verify When purchasing a computer memory, this memory is suitable for your computer and needs. Below is a listing of different considerations and tips to look for when purchasing computer memory.
Amount of Pins: 72-Pin, 30-Pin, etc..
Speed of memory: 10ns, 60ns, 70ns, etc..
Below is a listing of additional considerations to look out when purchasing computer memory.
Tips On Buying A Desktop Computer
A desktop personal computer is a most popular mode of personal computer. The system unit of the desktop personal computer can lie flat on the desk or table. In desktop personal computer, is usually placed on the system unit. A Purchasing a home or business computer can be a big and sometimes costly decision. Below is a listing of helpful suggestions for what to look for and ask when purchasing a home or business computer new or used. NEW vs. USED Today there are two options to buy a computer, a new or used computer. Used computer are some time out of date, but you can buy it with very low price as compare to new computer, but I think branded or used computer are much stable than a new computer. Before purchasing a computer consider if you should purchase a new or used computer. Many individuals sell computer before they are out of date allow you to purchase a relatively decent computer. Before purchasing a new computer from a computer manufacture look at what is available and review the below precautions when purchasing a computer. More Considerations When purchasing a computer it is likely that you will have a general idea of what you may like in the computer or how you would like to configure the computer. Below is a listing of the various components likely to be found in a computer and recommendations and tips when considering any of the following components. Device Short recommendation Case Generally there are two types of Computer Case are available in market, for Example Tower case and desktop case. The system unit of the desktop personal computer can lie flat on the desk or table and the monitor is usually placed on the system unit. An other model of the computer case is known tower. The system unit of the tower PC is vertically placed on the desk or table. But purchasing a computer case is generally not an important consideration when you are going to buy a Computer. However it depends upon the user needs and choice to building a computer case may find it important to consider the following considerations. CD Media CD-R -always will be an important consideration to think about when purchasing a new computer or used computer. A CD-writer or recorder (or simply CD-R drive) is used to write data on CD-R disks. Usually, a CD-writer can read information from CD as well as write information on CD, The locally produced CD-R disks are created with CD writer. The speed of these drives is up to 52X or more. CD-RW - You must have a CD-RW drive to write date on the CD-RW. These drives have read and write speed is up to 52X or more but the re-write speed is 10X or more. The CD-RW drive is advanced and more expensive than CD-R drive. It can write data on both CD-R and CD-RW discs and also read data from them DVD - DVD stands for Digital Video Disk Versatile Disc. DVD-ROM is an extremely high capacity optical disc with storage capacity from 4.7 GB to 17 GB. Hard Drive Hard drives have and always will be an important consideration to think about when purchasing a new computer or used computer. Hard disk is most commonly used storage device in personal computers and laptop computers. Most application programs and operation systems require hard disk for installation and operation. Processor The computer processor is and will always be an important consideration when purchasing a computer. Processor is considered the brain of the computer. The CPU fetches instructions of program from main memory and executes them one by one. The speed of the CPU is measured in Mega Hertz or Giga Hertz and speed from 500 MHz to 3.4 GHz, it depends upon a user needs, that is why purchasing a processor is an important consideration when building or buying a computer. There are several considerations and additional information about what to ask and look for when purchasing a processor directly or already installed into a computer.
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Tips On Buying Computer Monitors
The monitor is a popular and most commonly used output device. Most monitors used in personal computers to display text, graphics, and video information. Due to different futures of monitor purchasing can be one of the most important task. Follow the some given steps to buying new or used monitor. Technology of monitor There are two basic types of monitors that are used with personal computer. CRT monitors Flat-Panel Monitors when you are purchasing a monitor it is important to know, you need a CRT monitor or a Flat Panel monitor. CRT Monitors. A CRT monitor is similar to standard television. Like televisions, CRT monitor size is measured diagonally, in inches, across the front of the screen. Today, CRT monitors are available in various sizes, i.e., 15, 17, 19, 21, and 22 inches. The large size monitors are more expensive and allow you to view more information on the screen at once. Flat Panel / LCD. A flat panel monitor is also called LCD monitor. A flat panel monitor takes up less desk space and also consumes less power. Flat panel monitors are available with different sizes such as 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, and 23 inches. Flat panel monitors are commonly used in mobile devices such as laptop and table PCs. Similarly, smart phones, PDAs calculators have LCD screens. There are two main categories of LCDs. These are Active Matrix LCD Passive Matrix LCD Resolution The quality of monitor screen depends on its resolution, which is generally proportional to the size of screen. 15" monitor typically has a resolution of 800 x 600 / 1,024 x 768 17" monitor typically has a resolution of 1,280 x 1,024 19" monitor typically has a resolution of 1,280 x 1024 21" monitor typically has a resolution of 1,600 x 1,200. Once you have reviewed the appropriate information and believe that you are ready to make a purchase of a new monitor, ensure that the source which you plan on purchasing the monitor from is a reputable source and you have reviewed our section on what to look out for when purchasing over the Internet.
Tips on Buying a Server Machine
Server is the most powerful and fastest, and also very expensive machine. It is used to process large amount of data and to solve the complicated scientific problems. The severs computers are used in large organization such as Banks, Airlines and Universities, that it is a big decision for organization to buy a proper server machine according to their need Below is information and help for what to look out for when purchasing a computer server. It is important to also note that every business is unique and may require more or less of what is listed below. More Considerations When purchasing a Server computer it is likely that you will have a general idea of what you may like in the computer or how you would like to configure the computer. Below is a listing of the various components likely to be found in a computer and recommendations and tips when considering any of the following components. Device Short recommendation Case Generally there are two types of Computer Case are available in market, for Example Tower case and desktop case. The system unit of the desktop personal computer can lie flat on the desk or table and the monitor is usually placed on the system unit. An other model of the computer case is known tower. The system unit of the tower PC is vertically placed on the desk or table. But purchasing a computer case is generally not an important consideration when you are going to buy a Computer. However it depends upon the user needs and choice to building a computer case may find it important to consider the following considerations. CD Media CD-R -always will be an important consideration to think about when purchasing a new computer or used computer. A CD-writer or recorder (or simply CD-R drive) is used to write data on CD-R disks. Usually, a CD-writer can read information from CD as well as write information on CD, The locally produced CD-R disks are created with CD writer. The speed of these drives is up to 52X or more. CD-RW - You must have a CD-RW drive to write date on the CD-RW. These drives have read and write speed is up to 52X or more but the re-write speed is 10X or more. The CD-RW drive is advanced and more expensive than CD-R drive. It can write data on both CD-R and CD-RW discs and also read data from them DVD - DVD stands for Digital Video Disk Versatile Disc. DVD-ROM is an extremely high capacity optical disc with storage capacity from 4.7 GB to 17 GB. Hard Drive Hard drives have and always will be an important consideration to think about when purchasing a new computer or used computer. Hard disk is most commonly used storage device in personal computers and laptop computers. Most application programs and operation systems require hard disk for installation and operation. Processor The computer processor is and will always be an important consideration when purchasing a computer. Processor is considered the brain of the computer. The CPU fetches instructions of program from main memory and executes them one by one. The speed of the CPU is measured in Mega Hertz or Giga Hertz and speed from 500 MHz to 3.4 GHz, it depends upon a user needs, that is why purchasing a processor is an important consideration when building or buying a computer. There are several considerations and additional information about what to ask and look for when purchasing a processor directly or already installed into a computer.
NEW vs. USED
Today there are two options to buy a Server computer, a new or used computer. Used computer are some time out of date, but you can buy it with very low price as compare to new computer, but I think branded or used computer are much stable than a new computer. Before purchasing a Server computer consider if you should purchase a new or used computer. Many individuals sell computer before they are out of date allow you to purchase a relatively decent computer. Before purchasing a new computer from a computer manufacture look at what is available and review the below precautions when purchasing a computer.
from computerfreetips
