CNET UK Podcast 158: Can Twitter change the world?

DavidRGilson
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Posts: 3,369

23 October 2009, 04:54 pm

CNET UK Podcast 158: Can Twitter change the world?

In Crave Podcast 158, Nate, Flora and Ian discuss what has been a massive week for Twitter -- not only did it reach its 5 billionth tweet, it also helped Britain castigate a journalist who put some homophobic nonsense in her newspaper column and bring an abusive London Underground employee to justice. But we know not all of you love Twitter, so we didn't mention the micro-blogging site at all until our special feature.

Edited by DavidRGilson (Moderator) on 23 October 2009 at 03:55 pm

Pokeh
[Deep Thought]
Joined: 13 Aug 2008
Posts: 2,087

23 October 2009, 06:27 pm

Just finished listening.

This weeks WTF isn't the first time i've heard about people proposing to each other in a video game. A few people have used Forge in Halo 3 (Which is basically a map editor) to propose to each other. Most often placing down weapons in a way so that they spell something like "Marry me?"

Someone did a parody of it here, although the sound quality is terrible.

DavidRGilson
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Posts: 3,369

23 October 2009, 10:58 pm

Not exactly the same, but I have attended two in-game weddings, back when I used to play Star Wars Galaxies. Nice, but strange.

weetanhops
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Joined: 20 Nov 2007
Posts: 1,688

24 October 2009, 09:00 am

I used to play Ragnarok Online, and there was a LOT of weddings on there.

It was pretty funny, everyone would just be stood around in Tuxedos. I don't even think it was an official thing, just a little mess-about and something to do.

I bet there's a lot of marriages in Second Life

avro
[Abacus]
Joined: 8 Jun 2009
Posts: 29

24 October 2009, 10:53 am

I hate to break up the Windows 7 love fest, but it comes down to a working version of Vista. Spare me the cartwheels.

There have been massive problems with the student download for Windows 7 (it refuses to install) and Microsoft is now offering refunds.

Snow Leopard problems? Installed on our 4 intel macs and no problems at all. Any major problems in the Mac forums, no. Stop exaggerating guys.

weetanhops
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Joined: 20 Nov 2007
Posts: 1,688

24 October 2009, 01:22 pm

avro says:
Snow Leopard problems? Installed on our 4 intel macs and no problems at all. Any major problems in the Mac forums, no. Stop exaggerating guys.

I think the whole data loss thing is very worrying. Even worse that Apple only admit they knew about it since September when the media start to focus on it.

I don't think anybody is exaggerating. If you've tried Windows 7 then you can appreciate how big an improvement it is over recent Windows OS. I've never had a problem with Vista either.

It just feels like a bit of a role-reversal. Vista was buggy at first, and now Windows 7 is an almost complete overhaul. Leopard brought so many new features over Tiger, but now Snow Leopard has no new unique features and since September it's been a little unsteady on its feet. It will get better over time though.

avro
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Joined: 8 Jun 2009
Posts: 29

24 October 2009, 02:51 pm

It is very rare to come across anyone who has the data loss. I haven't yet. Guest accounts were popular back in the 90's but not common these days and even if you have a guest account you have to be unlucky for it to happen. But if it does happen to you, pretty disastrous if you have not back up.

We are running SL on our 4 Intel Macs and as I said, no problems.

Windows 7 has been overhyped and the last 24 hours of installing has been hell for some users.
A big reaction to those who have 7 now is 'What was all the hype about?'.

weetanhops
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Joined: 20 Nov 2007
Posts: 1,688

24 October 2009, 02:57 pm

avro says:
Windows 7 has been overhyped and the last 24 hours of installing has been hell for some users.
A big reaction to those who have 7 now is 'What was all the hype about?'.

Probably quite true, there will have been a lot of people who just blindly paid for an upgrade without even trying out any of the Betas or Release Candidates. I know what to expect from it, and I'm looking forward to my copy arriving.

jasonquinn351
[Deep Thought]
Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Posts: 591

24 October 2009, 06:54 pm

avro says:
A big reaction to those who have 7 now is 'What was all the hype about?'.

Has anything in the world ever lived up to all the hype?

adebond
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Joined: 13 Aug 2008
Posts: 2

24 October 2009, 11:19 pm

Very interesting listening to the Twitter special feature in this week's podcast, especially focusing on the backlash against the Jan Moir article in the Daily Mail & her bigoted homophobic views. What was interesting in her so called public apology was that she queried how many people who complained to the Press Complaints Commission had actually read her column. She obviously felt undeservedly victimized.

This is a great example of people not fully understanding the role of the Internet & services like Twitter. In her mind she probably thought that these people complaining had obviously not picked up a physical copy of the Daily Fail & read the newsprint before forming their opinions. What she failed to realise is that Twitter is an ideal medium for sharing URLs, so the majority of people involved in the Twitter protest probably had taken the couple of minutes required to click on a link & read her hate filled drivel.

On a side note, I was just watching the Engadget Show & Tweeted a comment about the tightness of Joshua Tolpolsky's trousers. Within 5 minutes the guy himself, who I was watching interview none other than Steve Balmer, had @ replyed me. What other service can you get that sort of feedback & interaction? Twitter doesn't have the potential to change the world, it already is.