In regards to flaming, I personally haven’t seen the type of heated interaction on Twitter that I’ve experienced elsewhere. Most often when I’ve seen it, people are fairly quick to get their emotions in check, but that may be because there is so much at stake and people are wizening up to the cost of going off at the mouth and the effects it can have on their perception and brand.

Finally about Twitter itself and whether it will lose it’s momentum and people will lose interest. I personally don’t think many will. I think Twitter is a medium that will stay for the long haul (but the forms may change & evolve over time). It can be very time consuming, but it’s extremely beneficial and rewarding, both personally and for business, so because of this I believe it will be here to stay. I think the key will be pacing yourself for the long haul and developing a personal strategy that allows you to gain from it and enjoy it so that it really doesn’t feel like additional work. The other important factor, like you mentioned will be to be careful that it doesn’t adversely effect other priorities. Like everything in life, it’s about balance, and I think those who use social media tools within a balanced lifestyle will be able to give and receive in ways that will make there lives better for it.

Thnaks for the tip, I myself think that a nick if maintained long enough will naturally link through to the other relevant profiles of business and “internet” history eventually, it is just the way it works. Especially if you take the time to research. However you point is well made. I have the bonus or curse of a very common name, Gary Wilson there are enough of us around. I learned in 1996 the the Internet, even by then had a lot of Gary Wilson’s so I opted for my writing name of Gary P Wilson or gary_p_wilson, but as time went on thise too at times became taken. I found that on twiiter I haven managed to secure my garypwilson nick, due to your insightful heads up here.

However, that said my technical nick has always been earthgecko. This post does raise interesting questions about how we naturally seem to have created online personas in the past and as the world of commerce is continually evolved via by the Internet, so today we find that we are looking to build our own personal Internet brands.

So more actively than others. I think in the end it is evitable that we will have one built for us, just by interacting on the Internet. In a few years, we will be finding that some search engine or service has comes along and tracks you online personas. Actually, just put an alert in Google and you already have it.

However, I too have found of late with some the downward economic pressures being applied to my life (thank you, banking muppets!) that I too am having to lose my “buried in the network” sysadmin anominity and bring my head out into the light (metorphically speaking). I have worked on the net since 1996 and pretty much managed to keep myself anonymous and just interact with the machines and switches, rather than the people. I have always liked that However now it would seem after years of caution. I witnessed IRC flame wars and people’s personas and in case lives ripped apart by, as your so apt rehashed old wisdom twitter post so pertainently pointed out – http://twitter.com/glennhilton/status/2017642233

“It takes 1000 tweets to build a reputation on Twitter & 1 to ruin it.”

That same wisdom, could be applied in the old IRC days, those were vicious days, however am a fairly sure that twiiter has probably seen a fair number of flame wars already. Maybe less, as we are more reflective now, but it is in our nature and every now and then, someone will rip into an online persona, even if not justified. This small fact is also one to be aware of when thinking about your online brand. I can tell you that it concerns large brands and one of the reasons they are very caution when engaging in UCG communities.

My small bit of advice, having witnessed this sort of disruptive behaviour in IRC is if you become the victim of a flame (someone having a very pointed dig at you or something you posted), another old bit of wisdom, turn the other cheek. Do not get involved, let it goes, if a response is made, make it gracious and not sarcastics or retaliative. Do not bite. The storm in the teacup will pass and your brand will be maintained. If not, it is quite possible it will flair, you will be extremely stressed, you will have negativity attached to your brand from then on and it will be something you will regret, it just is not worth it.

My two cents on that, but this brings me to another point. Glenn, twitter indeed has some qualities like IRC in that it can be addictive. I have only been on it for one week and I can see the similarities. I have a feeling that twitter will rise up through the list of corporate no go sites for workers.

Although, twitter has introduced a lots of positives into your life, it seems to me that is always introduces a lot more work. Now we have twiiter to manage. It will be interesting to see how long twitter retains popularity, will people became tried of managing all the twitter posts and keep then update to date and fresh or will the twitter management process wane and twitter will become a bit of a digg.com for followers.. “check this out”, etc.

I think twitter may have a problem with this simple fact in the future, people are not going to be able to maintain the constant tweeting, we are going to get tired. I have been on it for a week and already, it is impacting on my projects, I feel. However, saying that it has opened up a lot to me as well, in one week! That is quite powerful. That is twitter’s drawcard. It will be interesting to see how we adapt to it over time and what the future holds for twitter and our use of it.

One thing I have got from twitter, is linked serpeditiosly, to someone that has some very good ideas and presents some very positive and beneficial wisdoms, whether those are mashed up with old ones original, makes little difference, they are applicable and valuable to today’s circumstances.

Thanks Glenn
earthgecko

I had no idea that I had inspired you to explore Twitter more – I am glad and honoured that I did. I hope you find it helps drive traffic – with posts like this I have no doubt it will. And since I am a Canucks fan I’ll be following both profiles from here if thats okay.

Cheers!
Mhairi

That’s awesome to hear what has happened thru Twestival! And I’m so on board with you with the power of Twitter as it’s been amazing for us thus far, and I’ve only been on it for 3 weeks! I’m definitely wanting to write on it more and would like to find others who are passionate about Twitter too and see if people would like to start a Vancouver Tweetup (unless there’s one already going and if so I’d love to hear about it).

Also for an example of the power of “glorified Facebook status updates” check out all the work we did for Twestival — 200+ cities around the world raising almost a quarter of a million dollars, simply by exchanging updates, sharing information, and getting together to meet all through Twitter. I booked the venue, got every sponsorship dollar, and the event sold out at 200 all by using my Twitter updates. It’s a powerful tool that shouldn’t be underestimated so I’m glad the word is getting out.

Everyone make sure to check out Monica’s Me Like the Interweb blog if you enjoy social media and humor.